The UK has pledged to step up engagement with Beijing after Hong Kong media tycoon and British citizen Jimmy Lai was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with the case resurfacing as a key issue following Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s recent trip to Beijing.
Westminster has said it will “rapidly engage” with Beijing following the sentencing of British citizen and prominent China critic Jimmy Lai, as pressure grows on Prime Minister Keir Starmer over the government’s approach to China and its obligations to Hong Kong under the Sino-British Joint Declaration.
The UK Foreign Office said it was “deeply concerned” by the ruling and reiterated calls for Lai’s release, warning that the verdict raised serious questions about the erosion of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong guaranteed under the treaty. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper described the ruling as effectively a life sentence for the 78-year-old and urged his release on humanitarian grounds.
"I remain deeply concerned for Mr Lai's health and I again call on the Hong Kong authorities to end his appalling ordeal and release him on humanitarian grounds so that he may be returned to his family. Following today's sentencing, we will rapidly engage further on Mr Lai's case," she said.
Lai’s case was discussed during Starmer’s recent visit to China, where the Prime Minister sought to reset diplomatic and economic ties with Beijing. Critics have argued that the sentencing risks undermining the UK’s efforts to balance engagement with China against concerns over human rights and its long-standing commitments to Hong Kong.
Opposition figures and human rights groups urged the government to take a firmer stance, calling for targeted diplomatic pressure and stronger coordination with allies. Some lawmakers accused Beijing of using national security laws to silence dissent and intimidate critics abroad, in breach of international agreements.
Lai, the founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper, has denied the charges and described himself as a political prisoner. His sentencing has become a symbolic test of the UK’s willingness to defend freedoms in Hong Kong under the terms of the Sino-British Joint Declaration.
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Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 21st May, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Britain has struck a major trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), expected to be worth around £3.7 billion ($4.96 billion) a year in the long run.
Britain’s unemployment rate has risen to 5% as the government urges supermarkets to cap prices on essentials including bread, eggs and milk amid mounting pressure over the cost-of-living crisis.
After Labour's devastating performance in the 8 May local elections, the party's internal architecture has cracked open with remarkable speed.
Asian stocks surged on Thursday as some vessels resumed passage through the Strait of Hormuz, while forecast-beating results at Nvidia and a suspended workers' strike at Samsung Electronics lifted shares of chipmakers.
United Nations World Urban Forum 13 continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 19 May with sessions and roundtable discussions focused on strengthening dialogue and advancing cooperation in urban development. Organisers say there are nearly 3 billion people globally who face some form of housing inadequacy.
Day four of the World Urban Forum (WUF) in Baku brings a packed agenda on sustainable cities and the global housing crisis, with sessions on green housing, smart cities, public spaces and urban rights taking place on Wednesday (20 May) at Baku Olympic Stadium in Azerbaijan.
At least 21 people have been killed and thousands evacuated after torrential rain triggered flooding, landslides and transport disruption across southern and central China, with authorities warning that more heavy rainfall is expected along the Yangtze River.
Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya warned on Tuesday (19 May) that Moscow could retaliate against Baltic states if Ukraine launches military drones from that region. Latvia, the United States and Ukraine responded strongly during a UN Security Council meeting.
NATO fighter jets were activated on Thursday (21 May) after at least one drone entered Latvian airspace, according to Latvia’s armed forces, marking the latest in a series of security incidents across the Baltic region linked to the war in Ukraine.
Russia pledged support for Cuba on Thursday after the U.S. indicted former Cuban president Raúl Castro on murder charges linked to the 1996 downing of exile planes, escalating tensions between Washington and Havana.
The European Union has moved closer to finalising a trade agreement with the United States in an effort to avoid a new tariff escalation threatened by President Donald Trump. The proposed deal is aimed at stabilising transatlantic trade ties amid mounting economic and political pressure.
Russia delivered nuclear munitions to field storage facilities in Belarus as part of major nuclear drills, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Thursday.
Russia and China plan to unveil a nearly one-kilometre cable car over the Amur river by the end of the year, the TASS state news agency reported on Thursday (21 May).
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