Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Szeto dies at 79

Veteran Hong Kong democracy activist Szeto Wah, a vocal supporter of the 1989 Tiananmen Square student protests, has died of lung cancer. He was 79.

Hong Kong opposition politician Lee Cheuk-yan said Mr Szeto passed away shortly after noon today.

Mr Szeto was diagnosed with lung cancer about a year ago and has been in hospital in recent months.

Trained as a teacher, Mr Szeto started his political career organising teachers, building Hong Kong’s Professional Teachers’ Union into one of the territory’s most powerful unions.

But he is best known as a democracy advocate, setting up an activist group that backed the Tiananmen demonstrations, which were brutally suppressed by the Chinese military.