Journalism of Courage
During his meeting with China’s Xi Jinping last week, US President Donald Trump reportedly sought the release of Jimmy Lai, the jailed Hong Kong media tycoon.
Reuters, citing three people briefed on the talks, reported that Trump appealed directly to his Chinese counterpart to free Lai, who is currently imprisoned in Hong Kong’s Lai Chi Kok prison following his arrest in December 2020 over the pro-democracy protests in 2019.
Lai, a British citizen and the founder of the now-shuttered pro-democracy Apple Daily tabloid newspaper, has pleaded not guilty to two charges of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and a charge of conspiracy to publish seditious material. If convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Trump did not discuss a specific deal to free Lai but spoke more broadly about concerns surrounding the 77-year-old publishing mogul’s health and well-being after his lengthy trial on national security charges, one of the people told Reuters.
Trump spent less than five minutes discussing the issue, the person added.
“President Trump brought up Jimmy Lai’s case, just as he said he would,” said the administration official. “Both President Trump and President Xi engaged in the discussion that followed.” “It was raised by Trump and noted by Xi,” a third person told Reuters.
That person said Trump suggested that Lai’s release would be good for US-China relations and beneficial for China’s image.
Lai’s trial, which began in 2023, concluded in August 2025, and he is awaiting a verdict amid concerns about his physical and mental well-being due to his solitary confinement.
According to his family and rights groups, Lai has been held in solitary confinement for more than 1,700 days.
Lai was the most high-profile victim of China’s crackdown on rights and freedoms in Hong Kong, which has seen its Special Administrative Region status and partial autonomy rapidly eroding under Xi.
The White House declined to comment on questions about Lai being discussed during the Trump-Xi meeting in South Korea’s Busan.
Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for China’s embassy in Washington, said he was not aware of details specific to Lai from the leaders’ meeting, but stressed that Lai’s “crimes have gravely undermined Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability.”
“Any attempt to interfere with the judicial process or to undermine the rule of law in Hong Kong will not succeed,” Liu was quoted as saying by Reuters.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a regular press briefing in Beijing on Thursday that Lai was the “main planner and participant” in the “anti-China riots” in Hong Kong.
“The Chinese central government firmly supports the Hong Kong judiciary in performing its duties in accordance with the law,” Mao said.
“Hong Kong affairs are China’s internal affairs and brook no interference from external forces.”
