Trump hopes to ‘save’ detained Hong Kong democrat Jimmy Lai
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Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai has been held in solitary confinement for more than 1,500 days since December 2020.
PHOTO: AFP
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WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump on Aug 14 said he would see what he could do to help “save” detained Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai, even though Chinese President Xi Jinping would not be “thrilled”.
“I’m going to do everything I can to save him,” Mr Trump told Fox News Radio in an interview. “We’ll see what we can do... we’re going to do everything we can.”
Lai, 77, has pleaded not guilty to charges under Hong Kong's national security law of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces, as well as to a separate charge of conspiracy to publish seditious material. He has been held in solitary confinement for more than 1,500 days since December 2020.
Mr Liu Pengyu, a spokesman for China’s embassy in Washington, said Lai had been “a key orchestrator and participant in anti-China, destabilising activities in Hong Kong”.
“We strongly oppose external forces using judicial cases as a pretext to interfere in China’s internal affairs or to smear and undermine Hong Kong’s rule of law,” he said.
Mr Trump has said he would raise Lai’s case as part of negotiations with China over trade and tariffs.
On Aug 11, the US and China extended a tariff truce for another 90 days trade officials from both sides will meet again
