China 'supports' barring of Joshua Wong from Hong Kong election

Beijing expressed "approval and support" Wednesday for disqualification of Hong Kong democracy activist Joshua Wong from upcoming local elections, after months of protests in semi-automous city. Wong, one of most prominent figures in orwise leerless movement, accused Hong Kong government of "political screening" after an election officer ruled his mination for vember poll invalid on Tuesday. But a spokesman for China's top policy body on Hong Kong affairs said Wednesday that Wong h over many years "proclaimed viewpoints of so-called 'self-determination' and 'Hong Kong independence' and publicly denied that Hong Kong is a part of China".

During recent protests Wong "repeatedly groveled to foreign powers for sympathy and begged for interference", Yang Guang, of Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, said on body's website Wednesday.

He "is one of chief culprits challenging red-line principle of 'one country, two systems'", Yang said.

"We express approval and support of this decision."

22-year-old rose to prominence as poster child of huge pro-democracy "Umbrella Movement" of 2014 that failed to win any concessions from Beijing and served time in jail for his role in those protests. Wong was only candidate barred from standing in an election for district councils, which tackle regional issues. election is first to be held since current anti-government protests started. Wong accused Hong Kong government on Tuesday of accepting "a political mission handed down from Beijing" by banning him from polls.

Hong Kong election officer wrote in her reasoning that Wong's concept of self-determination does t rule out independence of Hong Kong as an option, which she deemed inconsistent with Basic Law, city's mini-constitution. Wong and his party, Demosisto, have denied supporting independence for city. y say y vocate self-determination and a referendum for Hong Kong people to decide how y want to be governed. Last year, Agnes Chow, ar young pro-democracy leer from Wong's party, was barred from standing in by-elections because her party vocates self-determination for Hong Kong.