Hong Kong’s Jimmy Lai defends his call for President Xi Jinping to resign

Former media boss also defends view that US should raise human rights issues in city and Xinjiang in trade talks with mainland China

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Jimmy Lai, founder of Hong Kong’s Apple Daily tabloid, at the newspaper’s offices in Tseung Kwan O in August 2020. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Published: 6:59pm, 13 Jan 2025Updated: 7:46pm, 13 Jan 2025

Former Hong Kong media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying has sought to justify his calls for President Xi Jinping to step down during his national security trial, maintaining Beijing’s strained ties with the West will be difficult to ease with the powerful leader in charge.

Lai on Monday also defended his appeal for the US government to raise concerns about Hong Kong and Xinjiang’s human rights issues during trade talks with mainland China, adding he did not consider such a move to be a hostile act.

The 77-year-old founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily tabloid returned to the witness box in West Kowloon Court to explain the allegedly offensive remarks he made in an online commentary programme after the national security law took effect in June 2020.

Lai decided to give evidence after the three presiding High Court judges found he had a case to answer on two conspiracy charges of collusion with foreign forces and a third count of conspiracy to print and distribute seditious publications.

In an episode of “Live Chat with Jimmy Lai” on December 1, 2020, Lai highlighted the significance of Western pressure on mainland China at a time when Xi was “in great crisis” during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The West’s pressure on China is very important because now is the best time to change China when it is in great crisis, especially Xi Jinping,” the ex-media boss told the show.

He also claimed Hong Kong would be “sorry” and “f***** up” if Xi remained in power for life.