Chinese embassy condemns UK’s ‘flagrant interference’ in Hong Kong affairs after jailed media tycoon Jimmy Lai’s son meets British foreign secretary

“The UK opposes the national security law and will continue to stand by Jimmy Lai and the people of [Hong Kong],” the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Beijing imposed the national security law on Hong Kong in 2020 to crack down on secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign organisations.

Lai, a British national, is the founder of the now-defunct, opposition-friendly Apple Daily newspaper. He is set to face trial next Monday for charges related to the security law.

The media mogul is accused of two counts of conspiracy to collude with external forces and one count of collusion with external forces under the national security legislation, as well as one count of publishing allegedly seditious publications under a colonial-era sedition law.

Jimmy Lai trial will show how ‘bad’ his actions were: Hong Kong security chief

In response to the meeting, the Chinese embassy said the country firmly opposed British politicians’ emboldening of Lai, describing him as “one of the most notorious anti-China elements bent on destabilising Hong Kong.”

It strongly condemned the UK’s “egregious interference” in the city and called Lai a “major plotter and instigator of the anti-China riots in Hong Kong”.

It added that support for the jailed media tycoon constituted “a flagrant interference in a case that had already entered judicial proceedings”.

“This further exposes Jimmy Lai’s long-term collusion with the UK side,” the embassy said, stressing that the Hong Kong government taking legal action against Lai was “entirely lawful, legitimate and justified”.

Lai, who turned 76 a few days ago, has been detained in Hong Kong since December 2020. He was previously sentenced to five years and nine months in prison for other offences.

Since Lai’s imprisonment, his son has travelled to the US, Canada and the UK to lobby for support for his father.

The younger Lai earlier said he was worried his father might be convicted in the coming trial and spend the rest of his life in prison.

Lai received the honorary citizen award from France last Saturday, accepting it on behalf of his father.

On the same day, imprisoned activist Chow Hang-tung was named among 12 recipients of a human rights award by France and Germany.

Organisers of the Franco-German Prize for Human Rights & the Rule of Law honouring “the inalienable human rights of all people” said the winners fought for universal rights, often risking their own safety in the process.

Hong Kong court grants partial victory to Jimmy Lai, 6 others in protest appeal

Chow is a former member of the now-defunct Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China, the organiser of the June 4th vigils in the city.

Chow and two others were found guilty in March for failing to comply with a notice issued by national security police asking for details about the group’s members, donors, financial reports and activities dating as far back as 1989.

They are appealing to overturn their convictions on the grounds that they have been denied a fair trial.

Chow, who has been detained for more than two years as she awaits a separate subversion trial, remains in custody.