Hong Kong judges question whether Jimmy Lai’s letter campaign to Donald Trump an attempt to trigger diplomatic action

Jimmy Lai’s legal team argues letter campaign kicked off to convince China to take back decision to impose national security law on city

But prosecution witness Cheung Kim-hung says campaign designed to attract US sanctions against China

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Jimmy Lai’s national security trial entered its 19th day on Tuesday. Photo: AP

Published: 8:20pm, 30 Jan 2024

Judges overseeing Jimmy Lai Chee-ying’s national security trial have questioned whether a campaign launched by the tycoon to seek then US president Donald Trump’s intervention in Hong Kong affairs could be downplayed as a mere attempt to trigger diplomatic action.

Lai’s legal team argued at West Kowloon Court on Tuesday the mogul started the “One Hongkonger One Letter to Save Hong Kong” campaign four years ago to convince the central authorities to take back their decision to impose the national security law on the city.

The court earlier heard the now-defunct Apple Daily tabloid promoted the idea “Trump saves Hong Kong” in various print and digital advertisements in May 2020, which contained a template letter for petitioning the US politician, as well as ways to draw his attention to the city.

The West Kowloon Magistrates Court. Jimmy Lai started “One Hongkonger One Letter to Save Hong Kong” campaign four years ago. Photo: Yik Yeung-man

Ex-publisher Cheung Kim-hung, a defendant turned prosecution witness, testified that the campaign was designed to attract US sanctions against China.

Defence Senior Counsel Robert Pang Yiu-hung, however, said Lai’s true intent was to prevent the central authorities from taking “a disastrous course of action”.

“What was sought in that letter was the ‘public support and the diplomatic efforts of the United States’, nothing more than that,” the lawyer said.

That submission raised eyebrows on the bench. Madam Justice Esther Toh Lye-ping, one of three High Court judges hearing the case, said the open letter was a request to Trump rather than the central government.