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Trump says China is unlikely to free jailed Hong Kong publisher Jimmy Lai, citing a "great level of hatred," days before his Shenzhen meeting with Xi Jinping.
- Trump said Beijing is unlikely to release Jimmy Lai, 78, who is serving a 20-year sentence under Hong Kong's national security law.
- The remarks come days before Trump meets Xi on the sidelines of the APEC gathering in Shenzhen.
- Trump contrasted Lai with other cases he has resolved, signalling low expectations for any humanitarian release.
Lead
President Donald Trump said China is unlikely to free Jimmy Lai, the jailed founder of Hong Kong's Apple Daily newspaper, describing "a great level of hatred" toward him in Beijing. He made the comments in an interview with Salem News Channel, ahead of a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping scheduled for next week at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation gathering in Shenzhen.
"I've gotten others out. Jimmy Lai's a little bit of a different story," Trump said. He added that Xi had explained the Hong Kong unrest to him, describing Lai as the leader of the pro-democracy movement and saying the episode had caused Beijing "tremendous distress."
Lai is a 78-year-old British citizen. In February 2026 he was sentenced to 20 years in prison on charges of foreign collusion and sedition.
What Did Trump Say About Jimmy Lai?
Trump said Lai's case differs from other releases he has secured because Beijing views him as the symbolic leader of the 2019 protest movement. The remark is a marked shift in tone from December 2025, when Trump said he had raised Lai's case with Xi and urged his release.
Trump pointed to his success in May 2026 in obtaining freedom for Ezra Jin, founder of an underground church in China, as proof that such requests can work. He did not suggest the same outcome was likely for Lai.
The statement lowers public expectations before the talks. It also gives Washington room to avoid a visible failure if Xi declines to move on the case.
Why Does the Lai Case Matter for US-China Relations?
The Lai case matters because it sits at the intersection of human rights, press freedom and Hong Kong's status as an international financial hub. Lai is the most prominent figure prosecuted under the national security law imposed in 2020. His conviction became a benchmark for how far Beijing will go in curbing dissent in the territory.
For Beijing, the case is a question of sovereignty and legal authority. Chinese officials have consistently framed the prosecution as a domestic matter and rejected foreign calls for clemency. A release would carry a political cost at home, since Lai is portrayed as a figure who colluded with foreign forces.
For Washington and London, the case is a test of whether diplomatic leverage can produce results on Hong Kong. Lai holds British citizenship, so the United Kingdom has also pressed for his release on humanitarian grounds, citing his age and health.
What Is on the Table in Shenzhen?
The Shenzhen meeting is expected to centre on trade and economic stability rather than human rights. The US-China trade truce is set to expire in January, and both sides are seeking to keep tariff levels, port fees and supply-chain restrictions from escalating again.
Expectations for the bilateral encounter are modest. The APEC leaders' meeting brings together roughly 1,000 business executives, with artificial intelligence on the formal agenda, and larger agreements are widely expected to wait for later diplomatic occasions. The Lai case is therefore likely to be raised privately, if at all, as one item in a crowded agenda.
Trump's framing suggests he will treat it as a secondary issue. His emphasis on Xi's explanation of the Hong Kong events indicates he has already heard Beijing's position and does not expect a reversal.
Geopolitical Dimension
The comments illustrate the limits of transactional diplomacy on politically sensitive cases. Beijing has shown willingness to release lower-profile detainees when it receives something in return, such as progress on trade. A figure whom the Chinese leadership regards as a threat to national security falls into a different category.
Hong Kong's authorities have also built a legal record that would make a release difficult to justify without a formal mechanism, such as medical parole. That route has been used in other jurisdictions but has not been signalled here.
For investors and corporate leaders, the case matters less for its direct economic effect than as a gauge of Beijing's tolerance for external pressure. Hong Kong's role as a gateway for capital into mainland China depends on confidence in its legal institutions, and the treatment of Lai remains a recurring point of concern for foreign business groups.
What Comes Next for Lai and the US-China Agenda?
Lai is likely to remain in custody in the near term, and the Shenzhen meeting is unlikely to change that. The main variables over the next three to twelve months are:
- Trade truce: an extension or replacement before January would reduce tariff risk for exporters and technology supply chains.
- Humanitarian options: any move on Lai's release would most plausibly come through a medical or compassionate channel and not through a political concession.
- UK position: London will continue to press the case as a matter of citizen protection, though its leverage over Beijing is limited.
Trump's public pessimism also reduces the risk that a failed request becomes a flashpoint at the summit, helping both sides keep attention on trade.
Outlook
Trump has signalled that Jimmy Lai's release is improbable, pointing to the depth of Beijing's hostility toward him. The Shenzhen meeting is expected to focus on extending the trade truce and stabilising economic ties, with the Lai case a secondary issue. Absent a medical or humanitarian breakthrough, the 78-year-old publisher is set to remain in prison.
