Jimmy Lai trial: Hong Kong activist considered creation of government-in-exile as part of sanctions bid against city, court hears

Activist turned prosecution witness Andy Li exchanged messages with middleman linked to media tycoon, discussed opposition camp’s future after 2020 security law

Prosecutors alleged Lai financed ‘Fight for Freedom, Stand with Hong Kong’ lobbying group and gave instructions to Li through Chan on triggering economic sanctions

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A witness has told West Kowloon Court he and a middleman had discussed possible leaders for the opposition movement after the 2020 national security law took effect. Photo: Jelly Tse

Published: 4:36pm, 9 Apr 2024Updated: 5:16pm, 9 Apr 2024

A Hong Kong activist reportedly backed by media mogul Jimmy Lai Chee-ying considered setting up a government-in-exile to boost efforts to attract international sanctions against the city and mainland China, a court has heard.

Andy Li Yu-hin also said on Tuesday that his text exchanges with a middleman affiliated with the tycoon included plans to become an opposition leader and sever ties with his family in case he was arrested under the national security law imposed by Beijing on the city four years ago.

Messaging logs dated August 2020 showed the middleman, known as “T” and later identified as Wayland Chan Tsz-wah, a paralegal, appealed to Li to prepare to become a fully fledged international lobbyist.

Prosecutors alleged Apple Daily founder Lai financed the “Fight for Freedom, Stand with Hong Kong” (SWHK) lobbying group and gave instructions to Li through Chan on triggering economic sanctions and other hostile acts by foreign governments.

Texts between Chan and Li, now a prosecution witness, also discussed which city political personality they felt should lead the opposition movement in the post-national security law era.

The names discussed included ex-opposition lawmaker Sixtus Baggio Leung Chung-hang, former British consulate trade officer Simon Cheng Man-kit, United States-based activist Brian Leung Kai-ping and Andy Chan Ho-tin, an ex-activist for independence.