United States President Donald Trump has personally urged Chinese President Xi Jinping to release Hong Kong pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai, citing concerns over the 78-year-old’s deteriorating health following his conviction.
Lai was found guilty on Monday by Hong Kong’s High Court on three charges under the city’s national security law, a verdict condemned by rights groups as a serious blow to press freedom. Prosecutors accused Lai of conspiring to encourage foreign governments to act against Hong Kong or China and of publishing material that “excited disaffection” against authorities. He faces a possible life sentence and had pleaded not guilty.
“I spoke to President Xi about it, and I asked him to consider his release,” Trump told reporters, adding, “He’s an older man, and he’s not well. We’ll see what happens.” The president reportedly raised Lai’s case with Xi during their October meeting in South Korea.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed concerns over press freedom, saying the conviction highlights Beijing’s efforts to “silence those who seek to protect freedom of speech and other fundamental rights.” He also noted that Lai’s health has severely declined during his more than 1,800 days in detention, urging authorities to release him on humanitarian grounds.
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The United Kingdom criticized the ruling as a “politically motivated prosecution” and called for Lai’s immediate release. A British citizen, Lai’s family has also appealed for action: his son, Sebastien, called for greater pressure on Beijing, while his daughter, Claire, said her father would abandon political activism if freed.
Lai, founder of the now-defunct pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily, has garnered support in the US from democracy advocates, press freedom groups, and Christian activists. The closure of Apple Daily in 2021 marked a turning point for Hong Kong’s media, prompting a significant reduction in critical reporting on China. The city’s global press freedom ranking has since dropped to 140th out of 180 countries, according to advocacy group RFA.
Edward Li, a former Apple Daily editor now in Taiwan, said, “Not only does Hong Kong no longer have Apple Daily; it no longer has a strong voice to criticise and monitor the government… which is why we feel the need to fill that role.”