My meeting with Paul Wolfowitz not sinister, says Jimmy Lai

Next Media chairman Jimmy Lai Chee-ying and his top aide yesterday hit back at reports that linked his meeting last month with former US deputy defence secretary Paul Wolfowitz with the debates on Hong Kong's political reform.

Sing Tao Daily and Eastweek Magazine reported that Lai and Wolfowitz met on a yacht in Sai Kung for five hours.

They did not mention what was discussed, but Sing Tao's last line reads: "It's intriguing that [Wolfowitz] suddenly appeared in Hong Kong before July 1, and met Lai for five hours."

The US consulate refused to comment on the reports.

Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said she did not know a lot about the meeting. But she said Beijing was against foreign forces intervening in Hong Kong's affairs.

Lai said in his own online show that he and Wolfowitz had known each other for a long time. He said he had never received foreign funding nor had any links with foreign powers.

Asked why the meeting lasted so long, Lai replied: "We don't just chat on the boat. We go swimming too."