Trump says freeing jailed activist Jimmy Lai is ‘tough’ after Xi meeting
Hopes had been pinned on the US president helping to free the 78-year-old British citizen during Beijing summit talks
Donald Trump has said he was told the case of jailed Hong Kong democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai “is a tough one” when he raised the case with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
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Family and supporters of the 78-year-old had hoped that the US president would help to free Lai, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison by Beijing in February under a security law.
The media tycoon was an influential figure in the former British territory’s pro-democracy movement, founding the now-shuttered pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper in Hong Kong.
He was arrested in 2020 in a crackdown after massive anti-government protests, the results of which have virtually silenced dissent in Hong Kong.
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Now, according to Lai’s legal team, he is suffering from health problems, with fears raised that he may die behind bars.
Returning from his two-day visit to China, Trump said he believed Xi was seriously considering freeing a church pastor detained in China.
However, Trump was less hopeful over the plight of Lai, saying “I did bring it up, but it’s a tougher one for him. He said Jimmy Lai is a ‘tough one’ for him.”
Later, in an interview with Fox News, Trump said: “I bought up Jimmy Lai. I would say the response to that was not positive.”
"He went through a whole thing and I said, 'Well, we'd appreciate if you would release him. He's gotten old, and he's probably not feeling too well. It would be nice.' And I did not feel optimistic. I have to be honest with you about that one," Mr Trump told the broadcaster.
Lai’s daughter Claire paid thanks to Trump, saying: “He has earned his reputation as liberating the unjustly detained and I am confident he and his administration will be the ones to free my father.”
Lai's case sparked global concerns over the national security clampdown in Hong Kong. Foreign governments, including the UK and US, have raised concerns about Lai since he was arrested in 2020.
However, Hong Kong's government has insisted his case had nothing to do with press freedom.