Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai wanted Apple Daily to prepare list for US of officials to face sanctions after Trump executive order, court hears
- Ex-Apple Daily associate publisher Chan Pui-man says her former boss once asked her whether the newspaper could follow up on Trump executive order
- Court hears evidence on Apple Daily’s decisions to play up certain events after national security law came into force
A forwarded text message sent by Lai on July 15 that year said the order was “quite expansive” and allowed the Trump administration to freeze the property of anyone who engaged in acts that undermined the city’s democratic institutions, as well as those involved in “censorship or other activities with respect to Hong Kong that prohibit, limit, or penalise the exercise of freedom of expression or assembly by citizens of Hong Kong”.
Hong Kong’s Jimmy Lai ignored objections to Trump campaign, court hears
“I’d say we should work up a s*** list on those involved in censorship, which can include intimidation,” Lai reportedly said.
Chan, a defendant turned prosecution witness, said she believed Lai intended for Apple Daily to suggest which individuals should be caught in the sanctions net.
“In the end, was any such list prepared?” prosecutor Ivan Cheung Cheuk-kan asked.
“No,” the witness replied. “We in a news report could only talk about the impact the executive order had on Hong Kong.
“Of course, that would include [proposed] sanctions on some Hong Kong officials and others, but to suggest someone [be sanctioned] through news reporting, we found that to be very difficult to be achieved.”
‘Hong Kong’s Lai wanted to mobilise international front against mainland China’
Lai, 76, has pleaded not guilty to two conspiracy charges of collusion with foreign forces under the Beijing-imposed national security law, as well as a third of conspiracy to print and distribute seditious publications under colonial-era legislation.
The court on Thursday heard evidence of Apple Daily’s decisions to play up certain events after the national security law came into force on June 30, 2020.
Cheung highlighted a feature story published on July 1, 2020, that took aim at the “sinners who sold out Hong Kong”, including political figures who “endorsed the evil law and buried self-governance away”.
The report contained an illustration showing government officials and Beijing loyalist politicians desecrating a Bauhinia emblem.
Chan said the article was a record of the roles and stances of different parties at the time. She added it reflected how Lai saw the national security law.
The court heard Lai shared one of the articles on social media with a statement: “A ‘Law’ has to use #PoliceBrutality to show its effect for us to have a taste of life living on the grip of communism.”
The prosecutor questioned the tabloid’s lack of coverage of the pro-government bloc’s views on the matter.
Chan said the editors believed the speech deserved a prominent position in the paper because Lai had “attached greater importance to the views of the United States” and that he had been critical of the Chinese Communist Party.
The witness said Trump triggered the sanctions after signing the Autonomy Act.
‘Hong Kong’s Lai told Apple Daily to play up Beijing’s alleged Covid cover-up’
Chan added Lai had maintained regular contact with overseas political pundits after the national security law took effect in the hope that foreign countries would penalise Hong Kong officials.
She said continued production of the broadcast series “Live Chat with Jimmy Lai” in the post-national security law era had caused concern in the newsroom.
“In fact, we were a bit surprised at the time, as he continued to produce that live chat series,” she added.
The witness said “media outlets which paid a lot of attention to Lai” were highly critical of the show, which the tycoon used to exchange his views on issues related to Hong Kong and the mainland with mostly overseas guests.
“My understanding is that he hoped to make use of this kind of international pressure and attention, and even after the national security law took effect, he still held on to this view that international pressure was useful,” she told the court.
Chan added such pressure also included the threat of sanctions, added Chan and said she remembered Lai saying he hoped city officials could be penalised.
The prosecution is expected to put their final questions to Chan when the trial resumes on Monday.
