On Wednesday, a Hong Kong man who was shot by police at close range in 2019 was sentenced to six years in jail on three charges — attempting to escape from custody, obstructing a police officer, and attempting to steal an officer’s gun.
Chow Pak-kwan, who was 21 when he was shot during protests in Sai Wan Ho, and his co-defendant, Woo Tsz-kin, have been in custody since they were convicted in August.
In the years since the protests against China's increased power over Hong Kong, many freedoms the protesters were fighting for are gone. Making matters worse, China seems to have given up on the protesters, who can’t make a life for themselves after they’re released from prison. The PRC has ruined these people’s lives.
Western democracies, like the US, continue to expose themselves as hypocrites. On the one hand, the US shames and imprisons participants in the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, but Washington encourages dissent and protests in Hong Kong. While Western democracies find their countries struggling, they should be more accepting that China is exploring a different path that has led to remarkable achievements.