Edward C.K. Chin, a hedge-fund manager and columnist, said on Tuesday that The Hong Kong Economic Journal dropped his column two days after Beijing announced that it rejected the demands of the pro-democracy lobbyists.

Chin, along with supporters, said the move was another blow to pro-democracy efforts in Hong Kong, an accusation the newspaper rejected.

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Chin used the newspaper to write articles pushing for Hong Kong's democracy, while criticizing China's decision regarding leadership choices of the former British colony.

According to Chin, he received an email notifying him the paper was dropping his column over the weekend because of a refurbishment the paper will do on its sections.

However, Chin does not buy into the explanation, saying the paper might have been pressured by China.

"It's a political decision," Chin said Tuesday, adding the move was politically motivated and that his column was "axed" because of his pro-democracy stance.

A statement released by the Economic Journal said the paper's decision was free of outside pressure.

"Media also have room for editorial autonomy, this happens all the time" an Economic Journal spokeswoman said, adding it was a part of the paper's redesign strategy that had been under way for months.

Meanwhile, Occupy Central with Love and Peace, a group Chin has been actively supporting, said it would be conducting protests following China's announcement of electoral changes in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong returned to Chinese sovereignty in 1997 after being a British colony for years. The city-state has since been governed by China under a "one country, two-systems" rule, which gives it legal independence.

TagsHong Kong, hong kong economic journal, democracy, pro-democracy, Edward C.K. Chin, censorship, Freedom of the Press