President Trump has appealed to Chinese leader Xi Jinping after Jimmy Lai was convicted under the Hong Kong National Security Act in a case said to symbolize the collapse of press freedom in Hong Kong.
US President Donald Trump has personally appealed to Chinese President Xi Jinping to release convicted 78-year-old democratic media mogul Jimmy Lai, saying he is deeply concerned about his health.
On Monday, Hong Kong’s High Court found Mr. Lai guilty on three charges in his national security trial, a decision condemned by rights groups as a decisive blow to press freedom in China’s financial hub.
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Prosecutors accused Lai of orchestrating a conspiracy to encourage foreign governments to take action against Hong Kong and China, and of publishing material that “incites discontent” against Chinese authorities. Although Lai has maintained his innocence, he could be sentenced to life in prison if found guilty.
President Trump told reporters on Monday that he had “spoken with President Xi about this matter and asked him to consider releasing him,” but did not say when he made the request.
“He’s old and he’s not in good health. That’s why I made that request. We’ll see what happens,” Trump said.
President Trump met with President Xi Jinping in South Korea in October, where he is believed to have raised Lai’s case with the Chinese leader. Shortly after Trump’s comments on Monday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the ruling confirmed Beijing’s determination to suppress dissent.
Rubio said the convictions demonstrate China’s determination to “silence those who seek to protect free speech and other fundamental rights.”
Mr. Lai founded the now-defunct pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily and became one of the most prominent pro-democracy figures targeted by Hong Kong’s national security law.
“Reports indicate that Mr. Lai’s health deteriorated significantly during his more than 1,800 days in prison,” Rubio said in a statement. “We call on the authorities to end this ordeal as soon as possible and release Mr. Lai on humanitarian grounds,” he said.
Jimmy Lai spent more than 1,800 days in prison. I join President Trump’s call for China to end this ordeal and release Mr. Lai.
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) December 15, 2025
Britain also criticized Lai’s conviction as a “politically motivated prosecution” and called for his immediate release.
Mr Lai, who has been detained since late 2020, is a British national. His son Sebastian said Britain needed to increase pressure on the Chinese government.
“It’s time to replace words with action and make my father’s release a precondition for closer ties with China,” Lai’s son said at a press conference in London.
Lai’s daughter Claire said she would give up political activity if her father was released.
“He just wants to be reunited with his family. He wants to dedicate his life to serving our Lord and he wants to dedicate the rest of his days to his family,” she told The Associated Press in Washington.
“My father is not the kind of person who operates on land that is basically illegal,” she said.
Mr. Lai, a devout Catholic, has drawn support in the United States from a loose coalition of democracy advocates, press freedom groups and Christian activists, constituencies that form a key part of President Trump’s political base.
The forced closure of Mr. Lai’s Apple Daily, once known for its fiercely critical reporting, in 2021 marked a turning point in Hong Kong’s media landscape. Worried about prosecution in Hong Kong, news outlets have since scaled back critical coverage of China, and the city’s global press freedom rankings have plummeted to 140th out of 180 countries, according to advocacy group RFA.
Edward Lee, a former editor of Apple Daily and currently living in Taiwan, said, “Although the verdict was expected, when the news came out, we felt a sense of “finally here.”
“Not only does Hong Kong no longer have Apple Daily, but Hong Kong no longer has a strong voice to criticize and monitor the government…That’s why we feel the need to play our part,” Lee said.
