Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has announced that the UK government has summoned China's ambassador in a forceful diplomatic move following the conviction of British media tycoon Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong.
A 'Politically Motivated' Prosecution
In a statement to the House of Commons on Monday evening, Ms Cooper strongly condemned what she described as a 'politically motivated prosecution'. The 78-year-old pro-democracy activist and founder of the defunct Apple Daily newspaper was found guilty by a Hong Kong court of conspiracy and sedition charges. These charges were brought under the national security laws imposed by Beijing in 2020, following widespread anti-government protests.
Ms Cooper told MPs that Jimmy Lai, a British citizen, had been 'targeted for peacefully exercising his right to freedom of expression'. She highlighted that he now faces a potential prison sentence which, given his age, could mean life imprisonment.
UK Government's Firm Stance
The Foreign Secretary revealed that, on her instruction, the Foreign Office had summoned the Chinese ambassador to underline the UK's position 'in the strongest terms'. She reiterated the government's call for Mr Lai's immediate release and for an end to the prosecution of all individuals charged under the national security law.
'It remains imperative that the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities end the deliberate targeting of opposition voices through arrest warrants and bounties in the UK and elsewhere,' Ms Cooper added, signalling ongoing concerns about extraterritorial reach.
Cross-Party Condemnation and Future Diplomacy
The case has drawn sharp criticism from across the political spectrum. Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel labelled the proceedings a 'political show trial' and an 'outrage to democracy, personal freedom and liberty'. She urged Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to directly raise the case with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his expected trip to China next month and to demand Mr Lai's release and return to Britain.
Mr Lai, who was arrested in 2020 and has spent much of his time since in solitary confinement, pleaded not guilty to all charges. The UK's decisive diplomatic response underscores the escalating tensions between London and Beijing over human rights and legal freedoms in Hong Kong.
