Closing arguments are because of start within the nationwide safety trial of Jimmy Lai, 77, a fierce critic of China’s Communist Get together.
United States President Donald Trump has renewed his promise to “save” jailed Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai, who’s on trial for alleged nationwide safety crimes over his pro-democracy activism and antipathy in direction of China’s Communist Get together.
“I’m going to do all the things I can to avoid wasting him. I’m going to do all the things … His identify has already entered the circle of issues that we’re speaking about, and we’ll see what we will do,” Trump informed Fox Information Radio within the US.
Trump’s remarks got here as closing arguments in Lai’s high-profile trial.
Closing arguments have been pushed from Friday to Monday after Lai’s lawyer mentioned he had skilled coronary heart palpitations.
The delay marks the second in as many days, after Hong Kong courts have been closed because of unhealthy climate.
Trump beforehand pledged to rescue Lai throughout an interview final October, simply weeks earlier than his election as president, and had mentioned he would “one hundred pc get him out”.
Lai is likely one of the most outstanding Hong Kongers to be charged below the town’s draconian 2020 nationwide safety regulation, and his trigger has made worldwide headlines.
The 77-year-old is a longtime opponent of China’s Communist Get together due to his possession of Apple Every day, a now-shuttered pro-democracy tabloid newspaper.
Thanks, President Trump, in your assist for Jimmy Lai at this crucial time.
“I’ll do all the things I can to avoid wasting [Jimmy Lai]. I’ll do all the things…His identify has already entered the circle of issues that we’re speaking about, and we’ll see what we will do. I… pic.twitter.com/EmscQHYQmX
— #FreeJimmyLai (@SupportJimmyLai) August 14, 2025
He’s dealing with two counts of “colluding with overseas forces” and a separate cost of sedition within the long-running nationwide safety trial that started in December 2023.
If discovered responsible, he may spend the remainder of his life in jail. He has all the time protested his innocence.
Lai was first arrested in 2020, simply months after Beijing imposed the brand new nationwide safety regulation on Hong Kong, which criminalised the town’s pro-democracy motion and categorised public protests as acts of secession, subversion and terrorism.
The regulation was later expanded in 2024 to incorporate additional crimes comparable to espionage and sabotage.
Lai has been in detention constantly since December 2020 and is serving separate jail sentences for collaborating in a banned candlelight vigil and committing “fraud” on an workplace lease settlement.
He has spent greater than 1,600 days in solitary confinement, in keeping with the United Kingdom-based Hong Kong Watch, regardless of his age and well being problems.
Lai was additionally denied the lawyer of his alternative throughout trial and entry to unbiased medical care.
A verdict in his trial is anticipated inside days.
