US President Donald Trump says China harbours “hatred” for Jimmy Lai and casts doubt on whether Hong Kong’s jailed pro-democracy media tycoon will be released. Lai, 78, is the founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily. He was sentenced in February to 20 years in prison on charges described as foreign collusion.
Trump’s comments are framed around his upcoming engagement with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Multiple outlets report that Trump is not optimistic about obtaining Lai’s release through diplomacy, with some coverage linking the remarks to his scheduled meeting with Xi next week at the Apec gathering in Shenzhen. Bloomberg also emphasises Trump’s view that Xi is unlikely to agree to release Lai.
Across the reports, the focus remains on Trump’s assessment of China’s stance toward Lai and the prospects of any prisoner release, rather than new details about the case itself. The coverage reflects a broader diplomatic thread: how Trump’s relationship with Xi could—or could not—affect the situation for a prominent Hong Kong figure.
