Jimmy Lai denies pressuring US on Hong Kong and China issues

Jimmy Lai, the former publisher of Hong Kong's pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, began testifying in his national security trial on Wednesday. This trial is seen as a key moment for press freedom and the judicial system in Hong Kong.

Lai was arrested in 2020 after Hong Kong’s government launched a crackdown on pro-democracy protests that had been happening since 2019. He faces serious charges of colluding with foreign forces to threaten China’s national security and conspiring to publish seditious material. If found guilty, Lai could spend the rest of his life in prison.

During his testimony, Lai spoke about meetings he had with key US officials in 2019. At that time, Hong Kong was experiencing large anti-government protests. Lai met with former US Vice President Mike Pence and former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to discuss the situation in Hong Kong. 

He told the court that he never asked them to take action, but instead only asked them to speak out in support of Hong Kong.

“I asked Pence to say something in support of Hong Kong,” Lai testified. “But I never asked the US government to do anything beyond that. It’s beyond me.”

Lai also mentioned that his meeting with Pompeo was similar. He had a conversation with him about Hong Kong, but again, he did not request any action from the US government.

Lai’s case is very important because many people believe it reflects how much freedom the press still has in Hong Kong, especially under the national security law that China imposed on the city. Critics argue that this law has made Hong Kong less free since its return to Chinese rule in 1997.

The national security law has been used to arrest and prosecute many leading activists and pro-democracy figures. Lai was one of the most high-profile figures arrested under this law. Other activists have either been imprisoned, forced into exile, or silenced.

In his trial, prosecutors claim that Lai tried to get foreign countries, especially the US, to take action against China under the guise of fighting for democracy. They pointed to Lai's meetings with Pence, Pompeo, and US senators in 2019, where they discussed a controversial extradition bill. This bill sparked the large anti-government protests in Hong Kong. Prosecutors allege that Lai tried to get the US to support sanctions against Chinese and Hong Kong officials who had cracked down on the protesters.

Despite the charges, Lai has continued to be supported by many groups. Dozens of people gathered outside the courtroom on Wednesday, including a 64-year-old former Apple Daily reader named William Wong. Wong said he wanted to remind Lai that people in Hong Kong had not forgotten him. “I know he will testify himself, so I want to encourage him,” he said.

The trial has also drawn attention from international governments and human rights groups. The US and UK governments have called for Lai’s release, saying his detention is unfair. A group of UN human rights experts has also raised concerns about his treatment.

In a podcast before the US election, then-President-elect Donald Trump said he would speak to China’s President Xi Jinping to secure Lai's release. Meanwhile, Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee defended the prosecution, saying it was based on facts and necessary for national security.

Lai's son, Sebastien Lai, has also spoken out about his father's treatment in prison. He called it “inhumane,” noting that his father, now 77, has been in solitary confinement in a maximum-security prison for nearly four years.

The trial has been heavily criticized by media organizations and human rights groups around the world. Jodie Ginsberg, CEO of the Committee to Protect Journalists, called the trial a “show trial” and urged it to end before it is too late.