CPJ urges Trump to prioritize Jimmy Lai’s release in meeting with Xi Jinping

New York, May 12, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists urges U.S. President Donald Trump to do everything possible to secure the release of jailed Hong Kong publisher Jimmy Lai during his meeting this week with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Lai, a British citizen and founder of the defunct pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for collusion with foreign forces and sedition in February this year, in a court ruling that is effectively a life sentence for the 78-year-old. Lai’s conviction has become emblematic of the general crackdown on press freedom and civil liberties in Hong Kong since Beijing imposed the National Security Law in 2020.

CPJ welcomes Trump’s commitment to raise Lai’s case with Xi for a second time during his Beijing visit scheduled for May 14-15.

“President Trump’s promise to raise Jimmy Lai’s case with Xi Jinping must be tied to concrete commitments,” said CPJ CEO Jodie Ginsberg. “Trade talks and normalization of U.S.-China relations should be conditional on credible efforts from Beijing to address human rights violations, including the arbitrary detention of journalists. Given Lai’s advanced age of 78 and serious health concerns, the urgency of his release cannot be overstated.”

CPJ urges Trump to demand the immediate and unconditional release of Lai, given his age and health concerns, and to make his case a high-priority issue in diplomatic discussions with China.

More than 100 U.S. lawmakers sent a letter to Trump ahead of the visit urging him to secure the release of Lai in light of his declining health, before his case becomes an “irreversible tragedy.”

Hong Kong remains an international financial hub that is home to tens of thousands of U.S. citizens and a base for more than 1,400 U.S. companies. Lai’s imprisonment raises broader concerns about judicial independence, transparency, and the rule of law in Hong Kong — issues that directly impact U.S. and international interests in the city.

Trump previously raised Lai’s case during an October 2025 meeting with Xi in South Korea and renewed his promise to “save” the successful businessman during his national security trial last year.

Lai has been in jail since 2020 and spent much of his detention in solitary confinement. His age and prolonged periods of isolation with restricted access to daylight and limited opportunity to exercise have taken a toll on his health, according to his family and lawyers. Lai suffers from multiple illnesses including hypertension, diabetes, and cataracts.