Global group allegedly supported by Hong Kong mogul Jimmy Lai set up trust fund in US, lobbied UK to take action against Beijing, court hears

Group advertised in various British publications calling for then-incoming PM Boris Johnson to hold China to its commitments made on Hong Kong, witness says

It also set up trust fund in US at suggestion of Lai’s personal assistant to retain US$1.8 million in crowdfunding donations, he adds

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Apple Daily Founder Jimmy Lai. His national security trial entered its 47th day on Monday. Photo: Winson Wong

Published: 9:25pm, 18 Mar 2024

An international group allegedly supported by media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying set up a trust fund in the US to avoid enforcement actions by Hong Kong authorities and lobbied Britain to confront Beijing, his national security trial has heard.

Detained activist Andy Li Yu-hin explained on Monday how the campaign, titled “Fight for Freedom, Stand with Hong Kong” (SWHK), pushed for global action against China over the city’s crackdown on the 2019 anti-government protests.

Li said the group involving him and UK-based campaigner Finn Lau Cho-dik advertised in various British publications calling for then-incoming prime minister Boris Johnson to hold China to its commitments on Hongkongers’ democratic rights and freedoms.

The group set up the Project Hong Kong Trust in the United States at the suggestion of Mark Simon, Lai’s personal assistant and a former US intelligence agent, to retain US$1.8 million in crowdfunding donations, the court heard.

Andy Li testifies against Jimmy Lai as a defendant turned prosecution witness. Photo: Handout

“[He] wanted to avoid the money being kept in Hong Kong’s banking system as far as practicable to reduce the risk of the money being frozen,” Li, a defendant turned prosecution witness, told West Kowloon Court.

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