China expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to what it described as smears and slanders targeting Hong Kong’s judicial system, following international criticism of the guilty verdict handed down to media tycoon and pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai on Monday (15 December).
China’s foreign ministry did not name any countries but urged relevant nations to respect China’s sovereignty and Hong Kong’s legal system.
Spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters, “We urge the relevant countries to not make irresponsible remarks on the trial of judicial cases in Hong Kong and not to interfere in Hong Kong’s judiciary or China’s internal affairs in any form.”
Hong Kong’s High Court on Monday found Lai guilty of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and conspiracy to publish seditious material in the city’s highest-profile trial under a China-imposed national security law, a ruling that could see the 78-year-old jailed for life.
“There is no doubt that Lai had harboured his resentment and hatred of China for many of his adult years,” Judge Esther Toh told a packed courtroom.
Judges Alex Lee and Susana D’Almada Remedios also sat on the panel. Lai, founder of the now-shuttered Apple Daily, wore a pale green jumper and grey jacket, sitting with his arms folded.
The landmark case has intensified scrutiny over Hong Kong’s judicial independence amid a years-long crackdown on political dissent following the 2019 pro-democracy protests. Supporters view Lai as a champion of press freedom, while Beijing regards him as a key figure behind the protests and a conspirator advocating for U.S. sanctions against Hong Kong and the mainland.
He's already spent nearly five years in detention facing multiple legal proceedings under the sweeping national security law. A pre-sentencing hearing is scheduled for 12 January, where Lai may request leniency. His lawyer, Steven Kwan, said the decision to appeal would follow the sentencing.
Hong Kong leader John Lee and national security police chief Steve Li expressed support for the verdict.
“The Judiciary is confident and unafraid of any intimidation and firmly discharges its responsibility to safeguard national security,” Lee said.
International criticism
Rights groups and foreign governments have criticised the verdict. The UK called Lai’s prosecution politically motivated and demanded his immediate release. The U.S. has repeatedly raised his case with Chinese authorities, including President Donald Trump’s discussion with his counterpart Xi Jinping in October.
Beh Lih Yi, Asia-Pacific director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, described the verdict as a “sham conviction” and “a disgraceful act of persecution,” saying Lai’s only crime was defending democracy through journalism.
Amnesty International and other pro-democracy activists also condemned the outcome.
China defends verdict
Chinese and Hong Kong officials have maintained that Lai received a fair trial, arguing that the national security law applies equally to all and that freedoms are not absolute when national security is at stake.
China’s national security office in Hong Kong described Lai as a “pawn of external anti-China forces” seeking to instigate a “colour revolution” in the city.
Lai’s family say his health has deteriorated after more than 1,800 days in solitary confinement, suffering from diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart palpitations.
The case marks a pivotal moment in Hong Kong’s post-protest era, with the city’s largest opposition party, the Democratic Party, disbanding under pressure from Beijing, signalling the near disappearance of organised democratic opposition.
The verdict comes amid heightened sensitivity in Hong Kong, still reeling from a deadly fire last month that claimed at least 160 lives. Authorities have warned against any attempts to use the tragedy to incite unrest or revive pro-democracy protests.
The United States has bombed Iran for an 11th consecutive night as the war’s cost reaches $37.5 billion, while President Donald Trump threatens a he...
Rescue teams in Afghanistan were searching for survivors and recovering bodies on Tuesday after devastating flash floods swept through the eastern pro...
Prosecutors on Tuesday began outlining in graphic detail their murder case against the indie pop vocalist known as D4vd, accused of fatally stabbing ...
The United States has bombed Iran for an 11th consecutive night as the war’s cost reaches $37.5 billion, while President Donald Trump threatens a heavy strike on the suspected Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site and Tehran warns that any attack could trigger a wider regional escalation.
Rescue teams in Afghanistan were searching for survivors and recovering bodies on Tuesday after devastating flash floods swept through the eastern province of Nuristan, killing at least 23 people and leaving more than 100 others missing.
Prosecutors on Tuesday began outlining in graphic detail their murder case against the indie pop vocalist known as D4vd, accused of fatally stabbing and dismembering his 14-year-old girlfriend after she threatened to make their relationship public.
Iran has strongly condemned the recent U.S. attack on the construction site of the Karoon Nuclear Power Plant in Darkhovin, Khuzestan Province. Tehran officials are urging the UN to adopt a “zero-tolerance” policy regarding attacks on civilian nuclear centers under the world body’s verification.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 20th July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 21st of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Kylian Mbappé has become the first player to win the FIFA World Cup Golden Boot on more than one occasion. The French forward won the award presented to the top goalscorer of the tournament for the second time, despite France being knocked out in the semi-finals.
Overnight U.S. strikes caused blackouts in southwestern Iran and hit the northwestern city of Tabriz for the first time. Separately, a U.S. soldier died in northern Iraq during a controlled detonation of an unexploded Iranian drone.
President Donald Trump said the United States will target Iran’s heavily fortified Pickaxe Mountain site “pretty soon” as he meets with Lebanese president Michel Aoun. Meanwhile, U.S. forces carried out a 10th consecutive night of strikes on Iran while Tehran continues to target Gulf countries.
The United States has bombed Iran for an 11th consecutive night as the war’s cost reaches $37.5 billion, while President Donald Trump threatens a heavy strike on the suspected Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site and Tehran warns that any attack could trigger a wider regional escalation.
Rescue teams in Afghanistan were searching for survivors and recovering bodies on Tuesday after devastating flash floods swept through the eastern province of Nuristan, killing at least 23 people and leaving more than 100 others missing.
French lawmakers have approved a ban preventing children under the age of 15 from using social media, making France the first country in the European Union to introduce a legal age limit for online platforms.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has dismissed Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, replacing him with General Mykhailo Drapatyi in one of the most significant military leadership changes since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Southeast Asia remains the epicentre of scam centres running illegal online fraud schemes that target victims worldwide and generate billions of dollars annually. The UN estimates scam losses across East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand reached up to $114.1 billion in 2025.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment