Trump Raises Jimmy Lai’s Detention with Xi at South Korea Meeting

At their recent summit in South Korea, US President Donald Trump brought up the case of jailed Hong Kong media figure Jimmy Lai, pressing Chinese President Xi Jinping to consider releasing him and calling such a move a constructive step for US-China relations, according to officials briefed on the exchange.

The public appeal is among the most prominent interventions by a US leader in the long-running legal battle of Jimmy Lai, the 77-year-old publisher whose prosecution has become a focal point for concerns about Beijing’s tightening control over Hong Kong.

Officials say Trump flagged concerns about Lai’s health and welfare, arguing that freeing him would help China’s international standing. He did not outline any concrete agreement, but devoted a few minutes of the meeting to emphasising Lai’s situation.

A senior US official said the president raised the matter as promised, and that the two leaders handled the subject in a respectful, constructive manner.

Jimmy Lai, founder of the shuttered pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily, has been held at Hong Kong’s Stanley Prison in solitary conditions for more than 1,700 days. He faces charges including conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and publishing seditious material — accusations rights groups say are politically driven.

During his campaign, Trump pledged he would “100% get Lai out of China,” framing the issue as one of press freedom and human rights. The president’s renewed emphasis reflects ongoing diplomatic friction between Washington and Beijing over Hong Kong.

Lai’s son, Sebastien Lai, thanked Trump for raising the case and said he hoped the president’s intervention would persuade Xi to free his father before it becomes too late.

Chinese officials have insisted Lai’s prosecution is a domestic legal matter and rejected outside interference. A spokesperson for China’s embassy in Washington said Lai’s actions seriously harmed Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability and warned that attempts to influence the judicial process would not succeed.

Beyond the human rights exchanges, Trump described the meeting as “productive,” highlighting progress on trade issues, rare earth shipments and measures to curb fentanyl production. The leaders reportedly did not address Taiwan during their roughly 90-minute discussion.

With Jimmy Lai awaiting a verdict after a lengthy national security trial, his detention remains a focal point for international criticism. Rights organisations and Western governments continue to call for his release, viewing his case as emblematic of shrinking free speech in Hong Kong.