A landmark ruling of Jimmy Lai Chee-ying’s marathon trial has revealed how the former media boss used his personal ties with foreign political figures to solicit intervention before and after the national security law took effect five years ago.
In an 857-page judgment handed down on Monday, three High Court judges ruled that Lai intended to tap his vast political network to trigger sanctions against Beijing and the Hong Kong government, knowing that his requests would be heeded.
The 78-year-old founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper was convicted and faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment on two conspiracy counts of collusion with foreign forces and a third count of conspiracy to print and distribute seditious articles.
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The trial at West Kowloon Court heard extensive evidence regarding Lai’s relationships with political figures in the United States, Taiwan and Britain.
While the preponderance of evidence was dated before the national security law took effect in June 2020, the judges said it nonetheless showed Lai’s intent to continue his push for sanctions and hostile activities by the West after collusion became a crime.
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He first sought the US’ intervention in Taiwan affairs in 2017 by recruiting two former American officials, ex-army general Jack Keane and former deputy defence secretary Paul Wolfowitz, to provide consultancy work for the self-ruling island’s then leader Tsai Ing-wen.