UK Prime Minister Raises Jimmy Lai’s Case with Xi Jinping During G20 Summit Amid Hong Kong’s Sentencing of 45 Pro-Democracy Activists

Under China's National Security Law in Hong Kong, Jimmy Lai, media tycoon and founder of Apple Daily, was escorted by police to the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club for evidence collection as part of an investigation on August 11, 2020. Lai was arrested alongside several family members and colleagues on charges of "collusion with foreign forces" under the new law. (Photo by Anthony Kwan/Getty Images)

People News - After six years of cooled relations due to issues involving human rights, Hong Kong, trade, and espionage, Chinese and British leaders met yesterday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, breaking the impasse. Chinese President Xi Jinping and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer held bilateral talks during the G20 Summit. According to U.S. media, Starmer raised concerns about the case of Jimmy Lai, the founder of Hong Kong’s Apple Daily and a staunch supporter of democracy, as well as his health. Starmer told Xi, “As we agreed, let’s avoid surprises.”

A press release from the UK Prime Minister’s Office noted that Starmer expressed his desire to have candid discussions on areas of divergence between the UK and China, including Hong Kong, human rights, and Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Both Starmer and former U.S. President Donald Trump had recently called for Hong Kong authorities to release Jimmy Lai.

Jimmy Lai is set to appear in a Hong Kong court on November 20 to defend himself against three charges under the National Security Law, including "conspiring to collude with foreign forces." This will mark the first time Lai breaks his silence after five previous hearings and nearly four years of imprisonment.

However, Starmer’s concerns appear to have little impact. On the morning of November 19, just a day before Lai’s court appearance, Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Magistrates’ Court resumed hearings for 45 defendants in a high-profile pro-democracy primary election case. The court is expected to deliver sentencing today. This case is the largest under Hong Kong’s National Security Law and will set precedents for future rulings, drawing significant international attention.

In early 2021, Hong Kong police arrested 53 pro-democracy figures, accusing them of organizing or participating in a July 2020 legislative council primary election, allegedly violating the National Security Law’s “subversion of state power” provision. Ultimately, 47 individuals were charged with "conspiracy to subvert state power." After 118 days of hearings, two defendants were excluded from the trial, while most have been in detention for over three years and eight months.

Under Hong Kong's National Security Law, the crime of “subversion of state power” carries three levels of penalties: Primary leaders or severe offenders: Life imprisonment or at least 10 years. Active participants: 3–10 years in prison. Other participants: Up to 3 years in prison, detention, or supervision.

At the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, British media reported that when Starmer raised concerns about Jimmy Lai’s imprisonment and health, Chinese officials pushed British journalists out of the room.

Former legislator Ted Hui, who participated in the 2020 primary and later fled Hong Kong to avoid prosecution, told the media that the judges are likely to adopt a "tiered system" of sentencing, classifying defendants based on their level of participation. He expressed concern that figures like Benny Tai, labeled as primary organizers, could face sentences exceeding 10 years.

Hui also stated that the "47-person case" targets a group of widely representative democratic figures who are deeply committed to the ideals of freedom and democracy. “This is essentially a trial against the broader Hong Kong public. It’s the most absurd and unjust case in Hong Kong’s judicial history,” he said.

On Saturday, November 16, Hong Kongers in Taiwan organized a solidarity rally in Taipei’s Ximending district. Participants unfurled a giant banner featuring portraits of the 47 defendants, chanting, “Free Hong Kong prisoners! Sanction Hong Kong judges!”

Organizer Tang Wai-hung expressed concern that the Hong Kong government might issue harsh sentences to set an example. He called for international pressure on Hong Kong authorities to secure the early release of all political prisoners.

Meanwhile, former U.S. Consul General to Hong Kong James Cunningham recently traveled to the UK to lobby parliament and think tanks to advocate for the release of Jimmy Lai and nearly 1,900 other political prisoners.

According to Agence France-Presse, both Jimmy Lai and the 45 convicted pro-democracy activists in the "47-person case" face the possibility of life imprisonment.