Pro-democracy activists have slammed a smear campaign by Chinese state mouthpiece Ta Kung Pao which accused them of planning to flee Hong Kong, blasting it a psychological warfare designed to spread fear.

The newspaper, owned by Beijing’s liaison office in Hong Kong, carried a frontpage report on Thursday detailing an alleged one million-dollar (US$129,000) risky escape route to Taiwan believed to be planned and taken by pro-democracy activists.

The report came out ahead of coming Sunday’s National People’s Congress meeting, where the national security law is expected to be passed.

Portraits of Next Digital founder Jimmy Lai, prominent student activist Joshua Wong, organizer of the city’s yearly Tiananmen vigil Lee Cheuk-yan and pro-independence leader Andy Chan were published alongside the article, hinting that they were planning to seek refuge elsewhere once the law is passed.

Lee Cheuk-yan found the Ta Kung Pao story libelous, saying the fabrication to smear democrats aimed to spread fears among the pro-democracy camp. He said he will not cease protesting against the autocratic regime.

“I have prepared myself for the worst situation. Come at me — I will stand fast and strong for my party, for the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements. I will keep on fighting regardless,” Lee asserted.

Lee said he had been smeared by Ta Kung Pao countless times, but it was the first time the paper accused him of fleeing Hong Kong. “It sounded like a real story, as it even came up with a price list. The mouthpiece is doing everything it can to campaign for the national security law and to smear the opposition camp.”

Andy Chan also lambasted Ta Kung Pao for false accusation, calling the paper a propaganda machine. Chan said the article was part of a “psychological warfare” strategy.

“The Chinese Communist Party wants to silence the people by creating an atmosphere of terror. It wants us think that the democrats have to flee, so as to scare people from speaking up or coming out,” Chan said.

The article quoted an unnamed source who claimed that no smugglers would help Jimmy Lai flee even if he offered millions of dollars. Lai vowed to take the paper to court, slamming the article a wild story and the accusation “insane.”

“They may want me to leave. But if I flee, how will I live with myself? It will damage my reputation as well as the credibility of Apple Daily. It may even affect the whole pro-democracy camp,” said Lai. “I can sue them. And I will sue them.”

Lai is facing six charges in four cases, and a judge barred him from leaving Hong Kong. Lai revealed in his Apple Daily column last month that the prosecutor had proposed the bail conditions only five minutes before the trial was due to begin.

Lai has also been followed by unknown men in at least three seven-seaters for ten days in a row. When a reporter confronted the stalkers, one said, “I cannot say anything. We both know what’s going on. Stop asking.”

Meanwhile, Joshua Wong will be running in the pro-democracy camp's primaries for the Legislative Council elections. He said that surrendering before a battle was never an option for him. “I will fight till the end. At this critical juncture, there is no excuse to back down,” Wong said.

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