Hong Kong prosecutors yesterday began closing arguments in the trial of pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai (黎智英), arguing that he had shown “unwavering intent” to ask for foreign sanctions against Hong Kong and China.
The 77-year-old founder of the now-shuttered Apple Daily newspaper has pleaded not guilty to two counts of foreign collusion, with authorities accusing him of using various platforms to lobby Western nations.
The charges are brought under the territory’s national security law, which Beijing imposed in 2020 after Hong Kong experienced huge and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests the year before.
Photo: AFP
Prosecutors yesterday cited Lai’s web of foreign connections to argue he had “unwavering intent to solicit sanctions, blockades or other hostile activities” against China and Hong Kong, adding that the intent was “long-term and persistent.”
In his closing arguments, prosecutor Anthony Chau (周天行) highlighted Lai’s trips to the US at about the time of the 2019 Hong Kong protests, including one in July when he met with then-US vice president Mike Pence.
“The court will remember that, in any event, [Lai] himself did advocate and request for sanctions, which he said was against officials and not the state,” said Chau, referring to Lai’s earlier testimony.
Lai has denied calling for sanctions against China and Hong Kong as a whole, and has said he never advocated separatism.
The trial was scheduled to begin its final stages on Thursday last week, but was postponed twice — first due to bad weather and then to address Lai’s medical needs.
The defense had said on Friday last week that Lai was experiencing heart “palpitations” and had an episode where he felt like he was “collapsing.”
Chau yesterday said that Lai had been prescribed medication and was wearing a heart rate monitoring device, which was given to him on Friday last week.
“[Lai] has made no complaint on his heart condition or general health condition and is fit to attend court,” Chau said.
Judge Esther Toh (杜麗冰) also read out a memo by a senior medical officer saying that Lai was “physically and mentally fit for court.”
Concerns have been raised previously over Lai’s health by his family and rights groups. The media tycoon has been kept behind bars since December 2020, reportedly in solitary confinement, and has lost weight during that time.
The Hong Kong Government in a statement on Friday last week said that the “medical care received by Lai Chee-ying in custody is adequate and comprehensive.”
Dressed in a white shirt and pale windbreaker, Lai appeared in court yesterday without any medical equipment visible on his body.
He smiled and waved to supporters and family members in the public gallery when he entered.
He listened to the court proceedings via a set of headphones and closed his eyes for a few minutes during the morning session.
The long-running trial, which began in December 2023, is entering its final stages as Western nations and rights groups continue to call for Lai’s release.
Aside from the collusion offense — which could land him in prison for life — Lai is also charged with “seditious publication” related to 161 articles, including op-eds carrying his byline.
Taiwan is projected to lose a working-age population of about 6.67 million people in two waves of retirement in the coming years, as the nation confronts accelerating demographic decline and a shortage of younger workers to take their place, the Ministry of the Interior said. Taiwan experienced its largest baby boom between 1958 and 1966, when the population grew by 3.78 million, followed by a second surge of 2.89 million between 1976 and 1982, ministry data showed. In 2023, the first of those baby boom generations — those born in the late 1950s and early 1960s — began to enter retirement, triggering
ECONOMIC BOOST: Should the more than 23 million people eligible for the NT$10,000 handouts spend them the same way as in 2023, GDP could rise 0.5 percent, an official said Universal cash handouts of NT$10,000 (US$330) are to be disbursed late next month at the earliest — including to permanent residents and foreign residents married to Taiwanese — pending legislative approval, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. The Executive Yuan yesterday approved the Special Act for Strengthening Economic, Social and National Security Resilience in Response to International Circumstances (因應國際情勢強化經濟社會及民生國安韌性特別條例). The NT$550 billion special budget includes NT$236 billion for the cash handouts, plus an additional NT$20 billion set aside as reserve funds, expected to be used to support industries. Handouts might begin one month after the bill is promulgated and would be completed within
NO CHANGE: The TRA makes clear that the US does not consider the status of Taiwan to have been determined by WWII-era documents, a former AIT deputy director said The American Institute in Taiwan’s (AIT) comments that World War-II era documents do not determine Taiwan’s political status accurately conveyed the US’ stance, the US Department of State said. An AIT spokesperson on Saturday said that a Chinese official mischaracterized World War II-era documents as stating that Taiwan was ceded to the China. The remarks from the US’ de facto embassy in Taiwan drew criticism from the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, whose director said the comments put Taiwan in danger. The Chinese-language United Daily News yesterday reported that a US State Department spokesperson confirmed the AIT’s position. They added that the US would continue to
IMPORTANT BACKER: China seeks to expel US influence from the Indo-Pacific region and supplant Washington as the global leader, MAC Minister Chiu Chui-cheng said China is preparing for war to seize Taiwan, Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said in Washington on Friday, warning that Taiwan’s fall would trigger a regional “domino effect” endangering US security. In a speech titled “Maintaining the Peaceful and Stable Status Quo Across the Taiwan Strait is in Line with the Shared Interests of Taiwan and the United States,” Chiu said Taiwan’s strategic importance is “closely tied” to US interests. Geopolitically, Taiwan sits in a “core position” in the first island chain — an arc stretching from Japan, through Taiwan and the Philippines, to Borneo, which is shared by
RSS