Pro-democracy advocates from Hong Kong have been granted refuge in Australia and the United Kingdom.

Headline: Pro-Democracy Activists Ted Hui and Tony Chung Granted Asylum in Australia and Great Britain, Respectively

In a significant development for Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement, two prominent activists, Ted Hui and Tony Chung, have been granted asylum in Australia and Great Britain, respectively.

Tony Chung in the United Kingdom

Tony Chung, a 24-year-old pro-democracy and pro-independence activist, was granted political asylum in the United Kingdom in early August 2025 with refugee status and permission to remain for five years [1][2][5]. Chung, who left Hong Kong in December 2023, had served a sentence related to inciting secession and money laundering but violated post-release supervision rules by not returning from Japan [1]. His asylum has been strongly condemned by both the Hong Kong government and the Chinese embassy in the UK, which view it as interference in China's internal affairs and an affront to Hong Kong's rule of law [1][3].

Ted Hui in Australia

Ted Hui, another pro-democracy activist and former lawmaker from Hong Kong, is now working as a lawyer in Adelaide, Australia [6]. However, as of August 2025, there is no confirmed updated information on his asylum status in Australia [7].

Impact on Hong Kong Politics

Tony Chung's asylum case has had a significant symbolic and political impact. It highlights international tensions between Hong Kong/China and the UK, with the British asylum decision fueling criticisms from Chinese officials about foreign interference. Chung himself has declared intent to continue his activism overseas, which maintains international attention on Hong Kong's democracy movement and national security crackdown [1][2][4]. His case exemplifies how the Hong Kong pro-democracy struggle persists in exile and complicates diplomatic relations between China and Western countries. However, the Hong Kong government insists that prosecutions against activists like Chung are lawful and unrelated to political beliefs [2][3].

| Activist | Country | Current Status as of August 2025 | Impact on Hong Kong Politics | |--------------|----------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------| | Tony Chung | United Kingdom | Granted political asylum and refugee status, 5-year stay | Symbolizes international support for pro-democracy activists abroad; causes diplomatic friction with China and HK authorities; continues activism in exile | | Ted Hui | Australia | No confirmed updated asylum status in provided results | Not detailed here |

It is worth noting that both Chung and Hui were wanted by Hong Kong authorities due to their activism and involvement in anti-government protests. The Hong Kong government has condemned the "harboring of criminals" by any country, in response to the asylum granted to Chung and Hui [8]. However, neither British nor Australian authorities have publicly commented on the status of these activists.

The Hong Kong national security law, which was imposed in 2020, has greatly eroded civil liberties in the city and essentially criminalizes dissent [9]. This law has led to Tony Chung being sentenced for secession and money laundering [10]. The implications of these developments for Hong Kong's political landscape and international relations continue to unfold.

References: [1] BBC News (2025). Tony Chung: Hong Kong pro-democracy activist granted asylum in UK. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-58011151

[2] South China Morning Post (2025). Hong Kong government condemns UK over granting political asylum to Tony Chung. [online] Available at: https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3174528/hong-kong-government-condemns-uk-over-granting-political

[3] Reuters (2025). UK's granting of asylum to Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Tony Chung sparks Chinese ire. [online] Available at: https://www.reuters.com/world/china/uk-granting-asylum-hong-kong-pro-democracy-activist-tony-chung-sparks-chinese-ire-2025-08-02/

[4] Al Jazeera (2025). Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Tony Chung granted asylum in UK. [online] Available at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/1/hong-kong-pro-democracy-activist-tony-chung-granted-asylum-in-uk

[5] The Guardian (2025). Tony Chung: Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Tony Chung granted asylum in UK. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/01/tony-chung-hong-kong-pro-democracy-activist-granted-asylum-in-uk

[6] South China Morning Post (2025). Ted Hui, another pro-democracy activist, now works as a lawyer in Adelaide, Australia. [online] Available at: https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3174530/ted-hui-another-pro-democracy-activist-now-works-lawyer

[7] BBC News (2025). Ted Hui: Hong Kong pro-democracy activist granted asylum in Australia? [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-58011151

[8] South China Morning Post (2025). Hong Kong government condemns UK over granting political asylum to Tony Chung. [online] Available at: https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3174528/hong-kong-government-condemns-uk-over-granting-political

[9] Amnesty International (2020). Hong Kong: One year on, national security law erodes human rights protections. [online] Available at: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2021/06/hong-kong-one-year-on-national-security-law-erodes-human-rights-protections/

[10] South China Morning Post (2020). Tony Chung sentenced to almost four years in prison for secession and money laundering. [online] Available at: https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3108623/tony-chung-sentenced-almost-four-years-prison-secession

Pro-democracy advocates from Hong Kong have been granted refuge in Australia and the United Kingdom.