Hong Kong Tycoon Jimmy Lai Faces Cross-Examination in National Security Trial

Prosecutors allege Lai colluded with foreign forces through meetings involving U.S. officials and Taiwan's former leader, charges he denies.

Jimmy Lai, founder of the now-closed pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, is being tried under Hong Kong's national security law, facing charges of collusion with foreign forces and publishing seditious materials.
Prosecutors claim Lai facilitated meetings between former U.S. officials and Taiwan's then-president Tsai Ing-wen to influence U.S.-Taiwan relations and oppose Beijing's policies.
Lai testified that he arranged the meetings for communication purposes but denied seeking to endanger China's national security or advocating for military upgrades in Taiwan.
The trial has drawn international criticism, with Western governments and rights groups calling for Lai's release and labeling the proceedings politically motivated.
If convicted, Lai, who has been in solitary confinement since 2020, could face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment under the national security law.