Hong Kong’s Jimmy Lai vowed to keep up US sanctions calls after security law introduced, urged Apple Daily to keep ‘pro-resistance’ approach, court hears

Ex-publisher Cheung Kim-hung says Jimmy Lai was undeterred by 2020 introduction of national security law, urging focus on mainland China coverage in English edition

Media tycoon maintained tight grip on platform, launched a month before law came into affect, witness says

4-MIN READ4-MIN

People queue to enter West Kowloon Court. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Published: 2:42pm, 25 Jan 2024Updated: 8:38pm, 25 Jan 2024

Jimmy Lai Chee-ying vowed to press on with calls for US sanctions following the introduction of the national security law in Hong Kong, instructing his now-defunct Apple Daily tabloid to continue its “pro-resistance” approach after he was remanded in custody more than three years ago, a court heard on Thursday.

Ex-publisher Cheung Kim-hung, a defendant turned prosecution witness, said he sought Lai’s instructions on the newspaper’s operation during a visit to Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre in December 2020, after the tycoon was denied bail.

“Mr Lai told us not to be afraid and carry on with what we had been doing,” he told West Kowloon Court. “So I managed Apple Daily and hosted [weekly] meetings according to Lai’s original [editorial] directions.”

Ex-publisher Cheung Kim-hung in custody in 2021. He says Jimmy Lai sought to support “yellow” businesses, referring to those that backed the 2019 anti-government protests. Photo: Dickson Lee

Cheung told other senior management staff that Lai displayed “great fighting spirit” despite being locked up.

Lai, 76, has denied two conspiracy charges of collusion with foreign forces under the Beijing-decreed national security law, and a third count of conspiracy to print and distribute seditious publications under colonial-era legislation.

One of the foreign collusion charges targets an alleged anti-China campaign linked to Apple Daily, over which Lai was said to have had complete editorial policy control.

Cheung recalled a senior management meeting in mid-2020 when Lai “casually” talked about how busy he was handling interview requests from foreign media agencies.