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Hong Kong’s student protest leaders nominated for Nobel Peace Prize

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A dozen members of the United States Congress have nominated Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, and its most prominent student leader, Joshua Wong, for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, a move that is certain to provoke anger from Beijing.

In nominating Wong, 21, and his colleagues Nathan Law, 24, and Alex Chow, 27, who led tens of thousands in the former British colony’s largest pro-democracy protest in 2014, the lawmakers wanted to recognise “their peaceful efforts to bring political reform and self-determination to Hong Kong”.

The protests, which the Chinese and Hong Kong governments deemed illegal, were part of a populist uprising that posed one of the greatest challenges to Beijing in decades.

The reference to self-determination is certain to rile authorities in Beijing and Hong Kong, who say the notion is inconsistent with the principle of “one country, two systems” under which the Asian financial hub is governed.

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