Beijing’s foreign ministry in Hong Kong has slammed US politicians for urging President Donald Trump to push for the release of jailed media tycoon Jimmy Lai ahead of a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
In a statement on Saturday, the Commissioner’s Office of China’s Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong expressed “strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition” to a joint letter signed by more than 30 US lawmakers.
“The US politicians concerned have sought to exonerate [Jimmy Lai], harboured and glorified him, and interfered in the administration of justice in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, which is a serious violation of the principles of international law and the basic norms of international relations,” the Chinese-language statement said.
The Chinese foreign ministry said that the call for Trump to raise the issue amounted to “open support” of the jailed tycoon, describing him as an “anti-China force.”
Trump said on Friday that he would push for Lai to be released, as he departed Washington for an Asia tour that would include a meeting with Xi in South Korea.
“Jimmy Lai and President Xi are big enemies, but it’s been a long time,” he said. “It’ll be on my list.”
Lai, the 77-year-old founder of Hong Kong’s defunct Apple Daily newspaper and a high-profile supporter of the city’s pro-democracy movement, is on trial under Beijing’s national security law in the city.
He faces two counts of taking part in a “conspiracy to collude with foreign forces” under the security legislation, and also for conspiring to publish “seditious” materials under a colonial-era law.
‘Time is not on his side’
In Friday’s letter, the senators urged Trump to use the opportunity of meeting Xi at the APEC conference “to secure the release of Hong Kong political prisoner Jimmy Lai.”
Among the signatories were Rick Scott, whom Lai met on multiple occasions when the Republican senator flew to Hong Kong at the peak of the 2019 protests, as well as fellow senators Ted Cruz and Marsha Blackburn, who were mentioned in the prosecution’s evidence during Lai’s collusion trial.
“Now, after almost five years in solitary confinement, Mr. Lai’s trial under Hong Kong’s National Security Law is coming to an end, but time is not on his side – he must be released immediately,” they said.
The letter also noted Lai’s health conditions “are compounded by his continuing incarceration.”
Trump has repeatedly said that he would raise Lai’s case with China.
