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NBC News
4 days ago
- Politics
- NBC News
Jimmy Lai trial enters final stretch as Trump says he hopes to 'save' Hong Kong pro-democracy tycoon
HONG KONG — The marathon national security trial of pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai is nearing conclusion in Hong Kong as President Donald Trump vowed to 'do everything I can to save' the media tycoon from what critics say is political persecution by Chinese authorities. Closing arguments in the landmark trial, which began in December 2023, were set to begin this week after a five-month break following the end of Lai's testimony in March. But they were postponed twice on Thursday and Friday, first due to a severe thunderstorm that closed courts and then to allow time for Lai, who has complained of heart palpitations, to receive medication and a portable heart monitor. They are expected to resume Monday and last about 10 days, with a verdict by the three handpicked judges coming in October at the earliest. Lai, a 77-year-old British citizen who is one of the Chinese territory's most prominent democrats, was arrested in August 2020 under a Beijing-imposed national security law over his role in mass anti-government protests in 2019 that sometimes turned violent. He has since spent almost 1,700 days in solitary confinement, during which time his son says his health has declined significantly. Lai has pleaded not guilty to two national security charges of conspiring to collude with foreign forces and a third count under colonial-era legislation of publishing seditious materials in Apple Daily, his now-defunct pro-democracy tabloid. If convicted, he could face life in prison. The U.S. and other governments have criticized the case as politically motivated and called for Lai's immediate release. Trump said Thursday that he would 'do everything I can to save him' in talks with Chinese officials, even if Chinese President Xi Jinping 'would not be exactly thrilled' to let him go. Trump appeared to be softening a claim he made about Lai last year, when he said on a podcast that '100%, I'll get him out' of China and that it would be 'so easy.' 'I didn't say 100% I'd save him. I said 100% I'm going to be bringing it up. And I've already brought it up,' Trump said Thursday in an interview with Fox News Radio, without giving details. The government of Hong Kong, a former British colony that returned to Chinese rule in 1997, said Wednesday that Lai was receiving a fair trial and accused 'external forces' of trying to interfere in Hong Kong courts. Hong Kong and mainland Chinese officials say the national security law and related local legislation were necessary to restore stability in the international financial hub after the protests. With a verdict still weeks away, the hearing on Friday drew fewer people than rulings and sentencings in recent cases such as the sedition trial against two Stand News journalists or the subversion trial against 47 pro-democracy politicians and activists. But members of the public still lined up hours before the hearing amid heavy police presence to secure seats in the main courtroom and catch a glimpse of Lai. First in line was local activist Lui Yuk-lin, who arrived before 1 a.m. and said she was concerned about Lai's health. 'He used to have a big belly. But after many years in jail, it's now gone,' said Lui, who wore a T-shirt bearing the American flag and the words 'Land of the Free.' Members of the public gallery waved at Lai, wearing a white windbreaker and thick-rimmed black glasses, as he appeared in the courtroom Friday in a glassed-in area surrounded by four guards. Lai smiled and waved back at supporters. Western diplomats were also in attendance. During his 52 days of testimony, Lai denied allegations that he lobbied the U.S. to impose sanctions on Hong Kong and China. He said that while Apple Daily held anti-communist views, he did not use the media outlet to promote Hong Kong independence. Lai also referred to himself as a 'political prisoner' at least twice during questioning, drawing fierce rebukes from the bench. Lai has already been convicted in three separate cases related to unauthorized assembly and is serving five years and nine months in prison over a 2022 fraud conviction, cases that have also been criticized as politically motivated. Spectators waved again as Lai exited the courtroom on Friday. 'I hope his family can stay strong and bold,' Lui said. 'We support him.'
HKFP
02-08-2025
- Politics
- HKFP
HKFP Monitor August 2, 2025: Advocacy space shrinks as LGBTQ event axed, academia falls in line
Welcome back to HKFP Monitor. This week, we covered the cancellation of Hong Kong's biggest LGBTQ event after yet another last-minute venue pullout, new rules pushing public universities to align with Beijing, and a podcast taken down over 'sensitive' comments. We also dived into the ongoing debate over the same-sex partnerships bill within the pro-establishment camp, plus viral clips from the year's first Black Rainstorm Warning – and how netizens mocked the lack of 'advanced planning' by officials. Hong Kong's biggest LGBTQ event, Pink Dot, has been cancelled this year after organisers failed to secure their usual venue at the West Kowloon Cultural District. No reason was given for the sudden withdrawal. Large-scale LGBTQ events have become rare in Hong Kong. The last Pride Parade was held in 2018. In recent years, organisers have switched to indoor bazaars instead of street marches. The cancellation also comes as a controversial government bill granting limited rights to same-sex couples faces pushback from conservative lawmakers. The advocacy space has tightened since the national security law came into effect in June 2020, forcing more than 60 civil society groups to shut down. At the same time, sudden cancellations of venue bookings have become more common – impacting NGOs, opposition parties, and even artists. In September 2023, the Democratic Party had to cancel its fundraising dinner after two restaurants pulled out at the last minute – one blamed typhoon damage. Once the city's largest pro-democracy party, it now faces disbandment, with key figures jailed or barred from running in the city's overhauled elections. Singer-activist Denise Ho, who was arrested for suspected involvement in the Stand News sedition case, has also struggled to book venues. In 2021, her concert at the Hong Kong Arts Centre was axed over vague 'public safety' concerns. A planned live show in May 2024 was also scrapped and moved online. For the first time, Hong Kong's University Grants Committee has explicitly told its eight publicly funded universities to follow guidance from Beijing and align with remarks by Chinese leader Xi Jinping. This new directive appeared in the latest University Accountability Agreement signed by the eight public universities in late June. Schools were urged to support Hong Kong's integration with the mainland, with a focus on 'invigorating China through science and education.' They were also told to follow Xi's views on driving Hong Kong's growth and nurturing young talent, including the 'four musts' and 'four proposals' from his 2022 Hong Kong visit. The latest accountability deal seems to be another step in keeping local universities in check, following the 2019 protests and unrest – during which campuses became battlegrounds between police and protesters. Since then, most universities have cut ties with student unions, while 'democracy walls' and sculptures marking the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown were removed. University councils were also reshaped to boost the number of external members, while reducing student influence. In September 2024, the Hong Kong government slammed a Human Rights Watch and Hong Kong Democracy Council report that warned of a 'severe decline' in academic freedom since the national security law. The report cited self-censorship and professors avoiding 'sensitive' topics. Officials dismissed the report as 'fabricated,' insisting academic freedom remains a core value in Hong Kong. Meanwhile, state media attacks continue. This week, Beijing-backed Ta Kung Pao targeted the Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) over a poll showing weaker support for Chief Executive John Lee, contradicting another survey that claimed 70% approval. The paper also went after two honorary researchers – American academic Morton Holbrook and Taiwan's Michael Hsiao – calling them 'anti-China forces' and accusing them of smearing the Chinese and Hong Kong governments. CUHK responded by stating both scholars were unpaid and would have their honorary titles revoked. The university said it would also suspend future hires who may violate local laws. LOCAL MEDIA MONITOR The episode in question, which discussed the passing of renowned food critic Chua Lam, was removed from platforms including Xiaohongshu (RedNote), Ximalaya, and Bilibili. Chua is considered one of Hong Kong's 'Four Great Talents,' along with writers Louis Cha and Ni Kuang, and lyricist James Wong. Leung mentioned that Chua's early columns appeared in Next Magazine, a now-defunct publication, which he called a 'very sensitive' topic. He added that bringing up its owner – jailed pro-democracy tycoon Jimmy Lai – is considered 'unhealthy.' Still, he named 'Jimmy' and noted that Apple Daily, also under Lai's Next Digital, once 'pushed certain things in Hong Kong to a peak.' Towards the end, Leung discussed political commentary by the 'Four Great Talents,' saying some views expressed by Cha, better known by his pen name Jin Yong, could land someone in jail in today's climate. He also commented on the city's current downturn, saying Hong Kong's economy is 'very bad,' with a wave of business closures, while officials focus on 'soft resistance.' Leung told HK01 on Wednesday that his team was notified they couldn't post for 15 days. While expecting the podcast to return on August 6, they declined to speculate on the reason for the takedown. Constitutional crisis? The government's plan to let same-sex couples married overseas register their partnerships in Hong Kong has sparked debate within the pro-establishment camp, with politicians and legal scholars split on the issue. This week, Gu Mingkang, a scholar at the Education University of Hong Kong, wrote in Ming Pao to rebut City University of Hong Kong legal academic Zhu Guobin. In an earlier op-ed published in Ming Pao, Zhu had warned that if lawmakers reject the bill, it could be seen as going against a 2023 Court of Final Appeal ruling – putting the judiciary in an 'awkward' spot and possibly triggering a constitutional crisis. Gu disagreed, saying that passing or rejecting a bill is part of the legislature's normal function. He argued that calling it a 'constitutional crisis' is just sensationalism, and shows either a lack of understanding or disrespect for the city's constitutional setup. In early July, University of Hong Kong law professor Albert Chen offered a similar view to Zhu's, warning that failing to follow the court's ruling would be a 'major shock' to Hong Kong's constitutional system. Black rainstorm chaos: Photos and videos of serious flooding in Hong Kong went viral this week after the year's first Black Rainstorm Warning was issued on Tuesday. One clip showed a man walking on a road barrier near Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, as water covered both roads and sidewalks. Eastern District was among the hardest hit – another video showed water gushing down a hillside on Yiu Hing Road in Shau Kei Wan, turning into mini waterfalls and flooding nearby areas. Some joked it looked like Niagara Falls. A viral photo also showed flooding outside Quarry Bay MTR station, where a big crowd of commuters were stuck at the exit. Memes quickly spread, with many questioning why the Observatory only raised the warning at 9.10am – just after most people had already started work. Others mocked the lack of 'advanced planning,' a phrase used by Chief Secretary Eric Chan earlier last month when explaining a premature class suspension decision. Barely any rain fell the next day, sparking public backlash at the time. HKFP PHOTO OF THE WEEK Hong Kong's non-binary artist Holok Chen and an activist, who chose to stay anonymous, staged a performance on Monday outside the Cotton Tree Drive Marriage Registry in Central and spoke to reporters. The two were dressed as monsters – Chen in a wedding gown and the activist in a tuxedo. Chen explained that their outfits were a response to how lawmakers have been 'demonising' the LGBTQ community during discussions on the government's proposed framework for granting limited rights to same-sex couples. 'I want to create a speculative future where monsters, even monsters of different taxonomy, can live, can love, can kiss and can enjoy their divine union,' they said.
Japan Forward
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Japan Forward
Facing the Invisible Tank: Journalist Ronson Chan, Self-Censored in Hong Kong
このページを 日本語 で読む In this five-part series, JAPAN Forward spotlights individuals in Hong Kong who continue to push against the sweeping effects of the National Security Law. In Part 1, we feature journalist Ronson Chan, whose cautious words today stand in stark contrast to the outspokenness that once defined his career. "The nature of 'One Country, Two Systems' has changed," said Ronson Chan, Hong Kong's most well-known journalist, after a brief pause. I had never heard him speak so cautiously before. He was answering my question: "What did you think when you first read the text of the Hong Kong National Security Law?" It's been five years since the law was enacted. But in our first interview, Chan had used much stronger language to describe it. His unexpected self-censorship made me realize just how much the times have changed. Back to the night of June 30, 2020. In the office of the online media outlet Stand News, Chan and more than a dozen colleagues were poring over the newly released text of the National Security Law. He froze when he reached the section outlining the penalties for secession: serious offenses could carry a life sentence, and even active participation would result in at least three years in prison. He was stunned. The wording was alarmingly vague and incompatible with Hong Kong's legal system. Yet the law explicitly stated that it would take precedence over existing Hong Kong laws. That meant the authorities could apply it any way they wanted. Under "One Country, Two Systems," Hong Kong had long enjoyed freedoms that didn't exist in mainland China. But now, what would become of that system? That night, Chan couldn't shake his unease. Anti-government demonstration held in Hong Kong in 2019. (©Sankei by Kinya Fujimoto) During the anti-government and anti-Chinese Communist Party protests that swept through Hong Kong in 2019, Ronson Chan rose to prominence by livestreaming scenes directly from the streets. He openly criticized police violence against journalists and the growing restrictions on press freedom. His bold, unfiltered commentary resonated with the public. In 2021, he became chairman of the Hong Kong Journalists Association, emerging as one of the most visible figures in the city's media landscape. Even after the National Security Law came into effect, he continued to call on the authorities to uphold press freedom. Now, five years since the law went into force, Chan was the first person I spoke to about the current state of Hong Kong. He spoke more cautiously than he had during our last meeting in late 2023. "Society has certainly changed," he said. "How exactly?" I asked. "There's a lack of transparency — not just in the government, but in the private sector too." "Can you explain what you mean?" "In the past, if something suspicious happened, the media would investigate, and the people involved would be forced to respond. Now, the truth never comes to light." "Why not?" "Because of self-censorship — by both the media and the public." Chan offered a concrete example. In February 2025, a Hong Kong high school student died during a study trip to Hangzhou, China. The trip was part of the government's ramped-up "patriotic education" efforts. The cause of death was never made public, triggering a wave of concern and speculation on social media. But authorities quickly declared it a suicide, and closed the case with no further explanation. And society fell silent. Elementary school students learn about the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. "Patriotic education" has expanded in the five years since the National Security Law was enacted. National Security Exhibition Gallery, Hong Kong. (©Sankei by Kinya Fujimoto) After the enactment of the National Security Law, the crackdown on the media intensified. Apple Daily , known for its outspoken criticism of China, was accused of violating the law and shut down in June 2021. Later that same year, Stand News, where Chan worked, was also forced to close after its senior executives were arrested. Since my last meeting with Chan in late 2023, the situation has only grown worse. In September 2024, the former editor-in-chief of Stand News — Chan's former boss — was sentenced to one year and nine months in prison under the Crimes Ordinance. He was accused of inciting hatred toward the government. It was a clear example of the judiciary rubber-stamping the Hong Kong government's efforts to silence dissent, backed by Xi Jinping's administration in Beijing. "You have to constantly think about what's okay to say and what isn't," Chan said. But there was one thing I needed to ask him. It was about his unexpected resignation as chairman of the Hong Kong Journalists Association in 2024. Just months earlier, in our 2023 interview, he had expressed a strong resolve to continue, saying: "If I don't do it, no one else will." When I brought it up, Chan explained: "Someone told me, 'You should step down as chairman.' I can't say who." In Hong Kong, it's widely believed that so-called "middlemen" — people with connections to Chinese authorities — operate behind the scenes. They steer sensitive matters in line with Beijing's interests. When I mentioned this, Chan became visibly agitated. "They're not middlemen," he said sharply. "They're people who actually hold power." Just for a moment, Chan's real voice broke through. Ronson Chan's motivation to become a journalist goes back to the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, when China's pro-democracy movement was brutally crushed by military force. At the time, Chan was just a primary school student. He remembers asking, "Why did the Chinese government kill the students?" One "why" led to another, and his interest in current affairs grew deeper. After Stand News was forced to shut down, Chan joined another online media outlet. But in early 2025, one of its senior staff members was arrested on financial crime charges, bringing a halt to their reporting activities. Despite the setback, Chan and a team of about 30 staff have been working tirelessly to restart their reporting. But it's a precarious situation. Chan says he has no plans to leave Hong Kong or quit journalism. "There's meaning in staying here as a journalist," he explained. Even with press freedom so heavily restricted? "It can't be helped. Even journalists in mainland China work under restrictions. But if reporters leave the field, they can't do anything." He's determined to keep reporting, even if it means going freelance. Though it's a struggle, he wants to stay on the ground. One day, he hopes to answer those "whys" — honestly and openly — from within Hong Kong. A banner reading "Five Years since Implementation of the National Security Law" stands out against a shuttered store in Hong Kong. (©Sankei by Kinya Fujimoto) On June 5, 1989, the day after the Tiananmen Square massacre, a man stood alone in front of a line of tanks, becoming a powerful symbol of China's pro-democracy movement. The National Security Law is like an "invisible tank" that has entered and taken control of Hong Kong. As of June 30, it has been five years since the law was put into effect. Since then, there have been people who — like the "Tank Man" — stood up bravely in defiance. Through their words and actions, I want to shine a light on how freedom has been eroded under the National Security Law. I aim to reveal how Hong Kong society has changed with the end of One Country, Two Systems. To suppress the anti-government and anti-Chinese Communist Party protests that escalated in Hong Kong in 2019, the Xi Jinping administration decided to bypass the Hong Kong government and implement the law. The text was not made available to the public in advance. Instead, the law was promulgated and came into effect simultaneously at 11 PM on June 30, 2020. Crimes prosecutable under the law include secession, subversion of state power, terrorist activities, and collusion with foreign forces to endanger national security. Acts of incitement, aiding, or abetting such crimes are also punishable. The law's long reach is meant to apply not only to actions committed in Hong Kong but also to conduct outside its borders — even by non-residents, including foreigners. ( Read the article in Japanese . ) Author: Kinya Fujimoto, The Sankei Shimbun このページを 日本語 で読む
HKFP
30-06-2025
- Politics
- HKFP
US-funded Radio Free Asia halts Cantonese service in face of Trump's funding cuts
Radio Free Asia has halted its Cantonese-language service after 27 years due to funding cuts by US President Donald Trump's administration. In a letter posted to its website on Monday, the Cantonese service said it would cease publishing news from Tuesday – the 28th anniversary of Hong Kong's handover from Britain to China. 'Following funding cuts by the US government, the size of Radio Free Asia's team has continued to shrink. Our Cantonese service… will stop updating news from tomorrow,' the Chinese-language letter read. 'The news on our website will become history and stay there indefinitely,' the letter added. The letter also said there had been plans since last year to rename Radio Free Asia's Cantonese service as 'RFA HK,' following a huge surge in the Hong Kong audience since 2019, when the city was swept by large-scale pro-democracy protests and unrest. 'After Apple Daily, Stand News, and Hong Kong Citizen News disappeared, with self-censorship at mainstream media outlets in Hong Kong becoming increasingly common, the Cantonese service of Radio Free Asia became one of the news outlets that Hongkongers relied on,' the letter said. But in March, Trump signed an executive order to defund the outlet's parent agency, the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which also funds news organisations such as Voice of America. Apple Daily and Stand News – both outlets critical of the authorities in Hong Kong – were forced to shut down following government raids in 2021. In January 2022, online outlet Hong Kong Citizen News ceased operations, citing the 'deteriorating environment for the media.' Last year, two top editors of Stand News were convicted of sedition, while the trial of Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai on foreign collusion and sedition charges is still ongoing. He faces up to a life sentence if convicted. The closure of the Cantonese service followed shutdowns of other Radio Free Asia language services last month, including a rare Uyghur news service, as well as those in Tibetan and Burmese. Its Lao service was halted in March following Trump's cuts. As of this week, production in Mandarin, Korean, Khmer, Vietnamese, and English were still operating. Ongoing legal disputes Radio Free Asia has sued the Trump administration over the funding cuts. In April, a federal court issued a preliminary order to the US government to restore funding. Last month, Radio Free Asia said it would delay layoffs thanks to the preliminary court victory but added that it had yet to receive funding from the USAGM. Radio Free Asia was established in 1996 by the US Congress to provide reporting to China, North Korea and other countries in Asia with little or no press freedom. Its Cantonese service began operations in May 1998. But last year, Radio Free Asia closed its Hong Kong office after being labelled 'anti-China' by Beijing-backed newspapers Wen Wei Po and Ta Kung Pao. Last June, security chief Chris Tang accused Radio Free Asia of endangering national security under the guise of news operations, according to local media reports.
HKFP
25-06-2025
- Politics
- HKFP
Hong Kong court to hear former Stand News editor's appeal application against sedition conviction in Sept 2026
Hong Kong's Court of Appeal will hear the appeal application of a former senior editor at defunct media outlet Stand News against his sedition conviction in September next year. The three-day hearing will begin on September 22, 2026, according to the Judiciary's court diary. Patrick Lam, the former acting chief editor at Stand News, lodged the appeal to overturn his conviction in October last year, one month after he was sentenced alongside former chief editor Chung Pui-kuen at the District Court. The pair were found guilty of 'conspiracy to publish and reproduce seditious publications' in August. The parent company of Stand News was also found guilty of the colonial-era sedition charge. Chung was sentenced to 21 months in jail, while Lam was handed a 14-month jail term. But Lam was released immediately after District Court Judge Kwok Wai-kin determined that Lam would not have to serve extra time in jail after taking into account the 10 months Lam spent in pre-trial detention and his poor health. The judgment marked the first sedition conviction of journalists in Hong Kong since the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997. 'Tool to smear and vilify' Stand News was forced to shutter in December 2021 after national security police raided its newsroom and froze its assets. The two editors and the outlet's parent company were later charged under the colonial-era sedition offence, punishable by up to two years in jail. Judge Kwok ruled that the two editors were not conducting genuine journalism during the period of the offence, but instead 'participating in the so-called resistance.' Kwok found that the news outlet had published 11 articles ruled to be seditious, 'at a time when over half of the Hong Kong society distrusted [Beijing] and [the local] government, the police, and the judiciary.' The 11 articles, mostly opinion pieces critical of the authorities, caused 'potential detrimental consequences to national security,' the judge said. Stand News 'became a tool to smear and vilify the [Beijing] Authorities and the [Hong Kong] Government' during the 2019 protests and unrest, Kwok wrote. The homegrown national security law, known locally as Article 23, which came into effect in March 2024, raised the penalty for sedition to seven years in prison and 10 years if the offender is found to have colluded with a foreign element. Separate from the 2020 Beijing-enacted security law, the homegrown Safeguarding National Security Ordinance targets treason, insurrection, sabotage, external interference, sedition, theft of state secrets and espionage. It allows for pre-charge detention of up to 16 days, and suspects' access to lawyers may be restricted, with penalties involving up to life in prison. Article 23 was shelved in 2003 amid mass protests, remaining taboo for years. But, on March 23, 2024, it was enacted having been fast-tracked and unanimously approved at the city's opposition-free legislature. The law has been criticised by rights NGOs, Western states and the UN as vague, broad and 'regressive.' Authorities, however, cited perceived foreign interference and a constitutional duty to 'close loopholes' after the 2019 protests and unrest.
