Chinese foreign ministry’s arm in Hong Kong hits out after UK official meets Jimmy Lai son

The Chinese foreign ministry’s arm in Hong Kong has slammed “hypocritical” British politicians, accusing them of interfering in the city’s affairs after the son of jailed former media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying met the UK foreign secretary to seek support for his father’s release.

The Commissioner’s Office of China’s Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong issued a strongly worded statement on Tuesday following Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s meeting with Sebastien Lai Sung-yan in London last week.

A post on social media account #FreeJimmyLai on Monday expressed gratitude to Lammy for the “constructive meeting” with Sebastien Lai and members of his father’s international legal team, and said “the UK government must do all it can”.

Jimmy Lai, 76, has been remanded in custody since December 2020 over two conspiracy charges of colluding with foreign forces and a third count of conspiracy to print and distribute seditious materials through his now-defunct Apple Daily tabloid newspaper. He holds a British passport.

In a social media post on Monday, Lammy said: “Thank you Sebastien for meeting me last week. Your father’s case is a priority for the UK government. We will continue to press for his immediate release and for consular access.”

The foreign ministry’s office in Hong Kong expressed “strong disapproval and firm opposition” to what it described as British politicians’ interference in Hong Kong’s judicial proceedings.