Trump Appeals to China’s Xi Over Detention of Hong Kong Media Tycoon Jimmy Lai

Updated by Faith Barbara N Ruhinda at 0926 EAT on Tuesday 16 December 2025.

US President Donald Trump has said he has personally appealed to Chinese President Xi Jinping to release imprisoned Hong Kong pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai, citing deep concern over the 78-year-old’s health following his conviction.

On Monday, Hong Kong’s High Court found Lai guilty on three charges under the city’s national security law, a ruling that rights groups condemned as a severe blow to press freedom in the financial hub. The conviction comes amid a broader crackdown on dissent and independent media in Hong Kong, raising alarms among international observers and foreign governments.

Trump’s appeal to Xi highlights growing tensions between Washington and Beijing over human rights and press freedom. The White House said that the United States considers the detention of journalists and pro-democracy figures in Hong Kong a matter of serious concern, and that such actions could affect broader diplomatic and economic relations.

China, for its part, has repeatedly defended the national security law as a necessary measure to maintain stability in Hong Kong and has criticized foreign interference as a violation of its sovereignty. The Biden administration has similarly expressed concern about the erosion of Hong Kong’s autonomy, warning that punitive measures could follow if the crackdown continues.

Lai, founder of the now-shuttered Apple Daily newspaper, has long been a vocal critic of Beijing, and his imprisonment is seen by many analysts as a signal to other pro-democracy activists and independent journalists operating in the city.

Prosecutors accused Jimmy Lai of orchestrating conspiracies to encourage foreign governments to take action against Hong Kong or China, and of publishing material that “excited disaffection” against Chinese authorities. Lai pleaded not guilty and now faces a possible life sentence following his conviction.

“I spoke to President Xi about it, and I asked him to consider his release,” US President Donald Trump told reporters on Monday, without specifying when he made the request. “He’s an older man, and he’s not well. So I did put that request out. We’ll see what happens.”

Trump met Xi in October in South Korea, where he is believed to have raised Lai’s case with the Chinese leader. Following Trump’s comments, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the verdict underscored Beijing’s determination to suppress dissent. “The conviction shows China’s resolve to silence those who seek to protect freedom of speech and other fundamental rights,” Rubio said.

Lai, founder of the now-defunct pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily, has become one of the most prominent pro-democracy figures targeted under Hong Kong’s national security law, and his imprisonment has drawn widespread international condemnation.

“Reports indicate that Mr. Lai’s health has severely deteriorated during more than 1,800 days in prison,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement. “We urge the authorities to bring this ordeal to an end as soon as possible and to release Mr. Lai on humanitarian grounds.”

The United Kingdom also condemned Jimmy Lai’s conviction, describing it as a “politically motivated prosecution” and calling for his immediate release. Lai, who has been detained since late 2020, is a British citizen.

His son, Sebastien Lai, urged the UK to increase pressure on Beijing. “It’s time to put action behind words and make my father’s release a precondition to closer relationships with China,” he said at a news conference in London.

Lai’s daughter, Claire, said her father would abandon political activism if freed. “He just wants to reunite 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 fundamentally not a man who operates on illegal ground.”

A devout Catholic, Lai has drawn support in the United States from a coalition of democracy advocates, press freedom groups, and Christian activists, a constituency that forms a significant part of former President Trump’s political base.

According to Al Jazeera, the forced closure of Jimmy Lai’s Apple Daily in 2021, once known for its fiercely critical reporting, marked a turning point for Hong Kong’s media landscape. Since then, news organisations have scaled back coverage critical of China amid fears of prosecution under the city’s national security law. Hong Kong’s global press freedom ranking has plummeted to 140th out of 180 countries, according to advocacy group Radio Free Asia (RFA).

“Although it’s an expected verdict, when the news came out, the feeling of ‘finally it’s here’ hit us,” said Edward Li, a former editor at Apple Daily now residing in Taiwan.

“Not only does Hong Kong no longer have Apple Daily; Hong Kong no longer has a strong voice to criticise and monitor the government… which is why we feel the need to fill that role,” Li added.

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