Trump Expresses Regret Over Jimmy Lai’s Sentence, Urges Xi Jinping to Secure His Release

US President Donald Trump has expressed deep regret over the sentencing of jailed Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai and has called on Chinese President Xi Jinping to consider his release.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Trump said, “I feel very bad about it. I have spoken to President Xi and asked him to consider releasing him.” Trump did not specify when he made the request to the Chinese leader.

“He is an elderly man and he is ill. That’s why I made the request. Now we’ll see what happens,” Trump added.

Even before returning to the White House for a second term, Trump had stated his desire to see Jimmy Lai freed. Lai is a prominent businessman and the founder of the pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily.

Trump and Xi Jinping met in South Korea in October last year, and it is widely believed that Trump raised the issue of Lai’s release during that meeting.

Following Trump’s remarks, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted a statement on social media platform X, criticizing the verdict. Rubio said the ruling demonstrates how China silences those who seek to protect freedom of speech and fundamental rights.

He also recalled that China had pledged to maintain a separate judicial system in Hong Kong before taking control of the territory from Britain in 1997.

In a separate statement, Rubio said, “According to reports, Jimmy Lai’s health has severely deteriorated after more than 1,800 days in prison. We urge the authorities to take humanitarian considerations into account and release him promptly to bring this situation to an end.”

Jimmy Lai, a devout Catholic, has drawn strong support from democracy advocates and press freedom activists in the United States, as well as from Christian rights groups that have consistently called for his release. These groups are known to form a significant part of Trump’s support base.

The 78-year-old Lai, who suffers from diabetes, was convicted on Monday on three charges under Hong Kong’s national security law. He has been in detention since late 2020, and the verdict could result in him spending the rest of his life in prison.

Lai’s sentencing is widely seen as part of China’s broader crackdown following the mass pro-democracy protests that swept Hong Kong in 2019.