Overview
- Reuters, citing a U.S. administration official and people briefed on the talks, reported that President Trump raised Jimmy Lai’s case during his meeting with Xi Jinping in Busan.
- The discussion reportedly lasted under five minutes as Trump highlighted concerns about Lai’s health and suggested a release could benefit bilateral ties and China’s image.
- The White House declined to confirm whether Lai was discussed, and the topic did not appear in the official readouts from Washington or Beijing.
- China’s representatives reiterated that Lai’s actions were criminal and warned against external interference in Hong Kong’s legal process.
- Lai, a 77-year-old British citizen and Apple Daily founder, awaits a verdict after a national security trial, with family and lawyers reporting more than 1,700 days in solitary confinement and ongoing heart issues as his son publicly thanked Trump for the intervention.