Jimmy Lai: I have never asked US politicians to do anything against Hong Kong and China
The Apple Daily magnate testified today [Nov. 20] for the first time. He is accused of being the “mastermind” behind the 2019-2020 pro-democracy demonstrations and the advocate of US sanctions against personalities in Hong Kong and China. Lai explained that he is only “a businessman with social interests”.
Hong Kong (BC.it) – Tycoon Jimmy Lai, in prison on charges of violating the national security law, said today that he has never asked US or other politicians to “do anything against Hong Kong and China”. It is the first time that Lai has spoken out in the trial in which he is accused of “conspiracy and collusion with foreign forces” and of having published “seditious” material. The trial, which began last December, is in its 93rd day. Lai has been in prison since December 2020, has been denied bail and has spent periods in solitary confinement.
In previous months, the prosecution had accused him of being “the mastermind” behind the pro-democracy demonstrations of 2019-2020 and of having supported US sanctions against personalities in the Hong Kong government and the Communist Party in China. To support the prosecution's thesis, there were many WhatsApp messages that demonstrated the tycoon's international contact network and the testimonies of some of the defendants who were his co-workers, who at a certain point decided to collaborate with the prosecution. Lai's testimony, in English and with a frank and direct style, seems to nullify all the accusations. He defined himself as "a businessman with social interests". Lai first clarified why he threw himself into the media business, a choice he made after June 4, 1989 (Tiananmen massacre), guided by the principle that "more information" means "more freedom". Lai first founded a weekly, "Next", then the daily newspaper "Apple Daily", which later became the most read newspaper by the democratic movement.
One of the accusations – also leveled at him by his former collaborators – is that “Apple Daily” became more “political” after the so-called “umbrella revolution” in 2014, when the center of Hong Kong was occupied for months by a sit-in of students and adults who were demanding the direct election of the parliament and the chief executive. Lai pointed out that after 2014, the democratic movement became more active in society and the newspaper could not fail to report this new greater commitment.
His former collaborators had accused him of having given strict editorial guidelines for the newspaper. Lai instead said that he trusted them and never wanted to influence their choices. After all, he had contributed only one editorial to the newspaper, at the beginning of publication, in which he stated that “the heart of the values of Apple Daily were the heart of the people of Hong Kong”. And he specified: “rule of law, freedom, pursuit of democracy, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, freedom of association”.
The prosecution, prompted by its witnesses, had spent weeks talking about the so-called “lunch box meetings,” with the newspaper’s staff, as a tool to impose editorial policy. Lai explained that these meetings discussed economic issues; each week he met with a different group, so that with the same group the meeting occurred every six weeks … perhaps a bit too little to impose a policy on a daily newspaper.
But the most important point is his testimony against the charge of collaborating with foreign forces, which could cost him a life sentence. Lai’s defense lawyer, Steven Kwan, showed a page with all the alleged connections and photos of the personalities that, according to the prosecution, Lai had contacted to impose sanctions on Hong Kong and China. Lai noted that he had never met several of them, others he did not know, or met them briefly, and others he met during their visits to Hong Kong during the 2019-2020 demonstrations.
The hottest issue is his trip to the United States in July 2019, where he met Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Lai explained that he had gone to Washington to meet US politicians and clarify the situation in Hong Kong at that time and that it was Pence and Pompeo who asked to see him. But – he said – “I asked them to speak for Hong Kong, not to do something”.
Also interesting is what emerged on the relationship between Lai and Paul Wolfowitz, former US Secretary of Defense: the latter had been a consultant to Lai from 2013 to 2017 for some economic investments in Myanmar. His consultancy had been paid. On the other hand, he firmly stated: “I have never paid any [foreign] politician to do something for Hong Kong”.
However, he made donations to the Democratic Party and the Civic Party of Hong Kong. Lai also said he has never supported the independence of Hong Kong or Taiwan, although he regards Taiwan as “the only democratic experience in the history of the Chinese world.” According to the defense, Lai’s testimony will last 15 days.
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