Hong Kong police on Monday issued arrest warrants for Kwok and seven other overseas-based Hong Kong activists, accusing them of national security offenses, including foreign collusion and incitement to secession.
Rewards of more than $120,000 have been offered for information leading to each possible arrest.
"I've expected that they would manage to do whatever ways there are to silent us.
"The first campaign that we have been waging, which I think perhaps would be the reason I'm also on the list as well, is the 'Bar John Lee Campaign', which is essentially the campaign to ask the U.S. government and President Biden to not let John Lee enter the United States because first, he is a sanctioned individual. And second, he's a human rights abuser who can pose a lot of harm and damage to people who are in the U.S., for example, myself, because he's the person who has put that bounty on my head.
The seven other activists are Nathan Law and Finn Lau, former lawmakers Dennis Kwok and Ted Hui, legal scholar Kevin Yam, unionist Mung Siu-tat and online commentator Elmer Yuen.
They are based in several countries, including the U.S., Britain and Australia.
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee on Tuesday said the eight will be "pursued for life".
"Harming national security is a serious crime, and the Special Administrative Region government enforces the law strictly. The government will use all lawful means to apprehend criminals who pose a threat to national security, and will do everything possible to hold them accountable, even pursuing their legal responsibilities for a lifetime. Regardless of how far they may flee, we will pursue these criminals for their entire lives."
Kwok, who leads the Hong Kong Democracy Council in the US, said she will not back down from her fight for democracy.
"I believe what I'm doing is right and I believe the values we're fighting for is right. And that's why I'm never going to stop, and I'm never going to back down, even though there's a bounty on my head."
The U.S. slammed the Hong Kong government for threatening "human rights and fundamental freedoms of people all over the world," while Britain said it "will not tolerate any attempts by China to intimidate and silence individuals in the UK and overseas."
China's foreign ministry hit back at those criticisms, accusing them of slandering the national security law which Beijing imposed on Hong Kong in 2020.
Chinese and Hong Kong authorities say the law has restored the stability necessary for preserving Hong Kong's economic success.
