Jimmy Lai Instructed Taiwan Apple Daily to Arrange Meeting with Hong Kong Activists, Paralegal Testifies

On day 64 of Jimmy Lai's trial in Hong Kong, paralegal Chan Tsz-wah testified that Lai instructed the publisher of the Taiwan Apple Daily to arrange a meeting between members of the "Fight for Freedom, Stand with Hong Kong" advocacy group and Taiwanese officials. However, the meeting did not occur.

According to Chan's testimony, Lai allegedly used him as a middleman to relay instructions to the activists, urging them to instigate economic sanctions and other hostile acts against Hong Kong and mainland China. Lai also claimed he had been "discussing with the United States" about ways to support the 2019 unrest in Hong Kong.

The testimony revealed that Lai instructed Chen Yue-shing, the then-Taiwan Apple Daily publisher, to arrange a meeting between the activists and Taiwanese government officials, including Executive Yuan member Audrey Tang Feng and the government-funded General Association of Chinese Culture. Lai also shared a news article related to the promulgation of the national security law with Chan, who expressed concerns for Lai's and politician Martin Lee Chu-ming's safety. However, Lai stressed his commitment to the fight for freedom.

During a meeting at Next Digital's headquarters, Chan expressed concern about promoting international sanctions in light of the national security law, but Lai believed the law was more symbolic than impactful and insisted on moving forward to call for sanctions. Lai's assistant, Mark Simon, suggested that activist Andy Li Yu-hin should join the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China on behalf of "Fight for Freedom, Stand with Hong Kong".

Why this matters: The testimony sheds light on Jimmy Lai's alleged involvement in coordinating with foreign entities and activists to support the 2019 Hong Kong protests and call for sanctions against Hong Kong and China. The trial, dubbed the "trial of the century" in Hong Kong, is attracting significant domestic and international interest as Lai faces charges related to national security and fraud.

Chan's testimony provides insight into Lai's alleged role in instructing activists and seeking international support for the Hong Kong protests, despite concerns about the implications of the national security law. As the founder of the Apple Daily newspaper and a vocal anti-Beijing activist, Lai's trial is being closely watched as it unfolds in Hong Kong's legal system.

Key Takeaways

• Paralegal Chan testified that Lai instructed activists to meet Taiwanese officials, but the meeting did not occur.
• Lai allegedly used Chan as a middleman to urge activists to instigate sanctions against Hong Kong and China.
• Lai claimed he had been discussing with the US about supporting the 2019 Hong Kong protests.
• Lai insisted on moving forward with calls for sanctions despite concerns about the national security law.
• Lai's trial is attracting significant attention as he faces charges related to national security and fraud.