US President Donald Trump has acknowledged that securing the release of British businessman and pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai from a Chinese prison could prove difficult, admitting that Beijing has considerable hostility towards the former Hong Kong media proprietor.
Speaking ahead of his planned meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen next week, Trump suggested that Lai’s involvement in Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement remained a major obstacle to his release.
The US President said Xi had previously explained Beijing’s position on the unrest in Hong Kong, portraying Lai as a central figure in the protests that challenged Chinese authority in the territory.
“President Xi explained what happened with Hong Kong,” Trump said in an interview with the US network Salem News Channel on Thursday. “And that Jimmy Lai was the leader and it caused them tremendous distress.”
China bears ‘great level of hatred’ towards Lai, says Trump
On being asked by Salem News Channel whether he intended to raise the 78-year-old’s imprisonment during his next meeting with the Chinese leader, Trump indicated that negotiations could be particularly challenging.
“There’s a great level of hatred there,” he said, adding that there was “great animosity” towards Lai.
Trump faces pressure over British national’s imprisonment
Trump’s comments come amid growing pressure on the White House to intervene in the case of Lai, a British citizen who has become one of the most prominent figures in the international campaign over political freedoms in Hong Kong.
The businessman, founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper, was sentenced to 20 years in prison following convictions relating to collusion and sedition under Hong Kong’s national security framework, Reuters reported.
His prosecution stems from his association with the pro-democracy movement and the widespread demonstrations that swept through the former British colony in 2019.
Lai was arrested on 10 August 2020, while Apple Daily’s offices were raided. The newspaper was subsequently forced to close after authorities intensified their crackdown under the national security law imposed by Beijing.
Xi has refused to agree to Lai’s release
Trump said he had previously discussed the cases of detained people with Xi and had succeeded in obtaining the release of some prisoners.
Among those he mentioned was Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri, the leader of an underground Chinese Christian church, who was later released.
However, the US President acknowledged that Lai’s circumstances were different and that Xi had so far refused to agree to his freedom.
“I have already gotten others released. Jimmy Lai is a slightly different case,” Trump said.
“He’s agreed to other people, he has not agreed to Jimmy Lai,” he added, referring to the Chinese President.
The remarks suggest that, despite Trump’s previous assurances, securing a breakthrough in Lai’s case may be considerably more complicated than initially anticipated.
Trump’s earlier promise to secure his freedom
During his campaign for a second presidential term in October 2024, Trump pledged to secure Lai’s release, describing the task as an “easy” one.
His latest comments, however, suggest that the issue remains unresolved and could become a sensitive point in Washington’s engagement with Beijing.
Lai’s case has attracted considerable attention in Britain, where concerns have been raised over his treatment, imprisonment and the wider implications for press freedom and political rights in Hong Kong.
Lai’s family raises alarm over deteriorating health
Concern is also mounting over Lai’s physical condition after more than six years in detention.
He has reportedly spent much of his imprisonment in solitary confinement, with his family warning that his health has deteriorated. Lai suffers from diabetes and a heart condition, according to his relatives.
His family has also raised concerns about the restrictions on his daily routine, claiming that he is permitted only 45 minutes of outdoor exercise each day.
His son, Sebastien Lai, has said that information about his father’s condition has become increasingly difficult to obtain.