Trump Raises Jimmy Lai Case With Xi Amid Rights Concerns

Trump with Xi Jinping

Image Credit: japantimes

Former US President Donald Trump has said he personally asked Chinese leader Xi Jinping to consider releasing Jimmy Lai, the Hong Kong media tycoon and pro-democracy activist who was convicted this week under the city’s Hong Kong National Security Law.

Speaking to reporters at the White House on Monday, Trump said he had raised the issue directly with Xi, expressing concern over Lai’s age and health. “I feel so badly,” Trump said. “I spoke to President Xi about it and I asked to consider his release.” He added that Lai is “an older man and he’s not well,” and said he would wait to see how China responds.

Trump did not specify when the conversation with Xi took place, but his remarks came shortly after a Hong Kong court found Lai guilty of colluding with foreign forces. The conviction is part of an ongoing Jimmy Lai trial that has drawn widespread international scrutiny and criticism from human rights groups and foreign governments.

Lai, 78, is the founder of the now-defunct newspaper Apple Daily, once one of Hong Kong’s most outspoken pro-democracy publications. He has been in detention since December 2020 and is expected to be sentenced early next year. Under the national security law, he faces a potential life sentence, in addition to penalties related to a separate conviction for publishing what authorities described as seditious material.

The case has become a flashpoint in US-China relations, with Washington and its allies repeatedly raising concerns about freedom of press and human rights in Hong Kong since Beijing imposed the security law in 2020. Critics argue the legislation has been used to silence dissent and dismantle the city’s once-vibrant civil society, a claim China strongly denies.

Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee welcomed the verdict, saying Lai’s actions had “damaged the country’s interests and the welfare of Hong Kongers.” He defended the national security law as necessary to restore stability following years of political unrest. Beijing has consistently maintained that the law targets only a small group of individuals who threaten national security.

China’s foreign ministry dismissed international criticism of the trial, calling it “brazen defamation and smearing of the judicial system in Hong Kong.” Officials reiterated that the case was handled according to law and accused foreign governments of interfering in China’s internal affairs.

The UK government has also reacted strongly to the ruling. UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper described Lai’s conviction as a “politically motivated persecution” and called for his immediate release. Addressing Parliament, she said Lai had been targeted for peacefully exercising his right to free expression and criticised the erosion of legal protections once guaranteed under Hong Kong’s autonomy framework.

Cooper confirmed that the UK had summoned China’s ambassador to formally convey its objections. She described the situation as “heartbreaking,” adding that it was deeply troubling for a British citizen to face such treatment in Hong Kong. Lai holds British citizenship, a factor that has further intensified diplomatic pressure on Beijing.

International rights organisations have echoed these concerns, describing the proceedings as unjust and warning that the case sends a chilling signal to journalists, publishers, and political activists across the region. Many see the Jimmy Lai conviction and sentence as emblematic of the broader crackdown on independent media in Hong Kong.

The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio statement earlier this week also raised concerns about the trial, reiterating Washington’s position that Lai is being punished for exercising fundamental freedoms. US officials have repeatedly called for his release and urged China to respect international commitments on civil liberties.

Lai’s family has spoken publicly about concerns over Lai’s health, citing his age and prolonged detention. His son, Sebastien Lai, previously warned that his father’s physical condition could deteriorate further if he remains in prison, raising fears that he may not survive a lengthy sentence.

Trump’s appeal to Xi adds a new dimension to the case, highlighting the geopolitical implications of Trump’s request for Jimmy Lai’s release. While it remains unclear whether Beijing will respond to the appeal, the issue continues to test diplomatic relations between China, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

As Lai awaits sentencing, his case stands as a prominent symbol of the ongoing debate over political freedoms in Hong Kong and the international community’s ability to influence outcomes under China’s national security framework.

This story was originally featured in BBC