https://www.scmp.com/rss/66761/feed Jimmy Lai is a former media boss known for his brash business style as well as his anti-Beijing activism, which was often reflected in his tabloid-style Apple Daily newspaper. He was a vocal participant in the Occupy Hong Kong protests of 2014 and remained a leading opposition activist and supporter of the anti-government protests triggered by the extradition bill. On August 10, 2020, he was arrested on suspicion of colluding with foreign forces and fraud. On December 10, 2022, he was sentenced... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Bernard Chan Bernard Chan The sentencing of Jimmy Lai Chee-ying has been cited by several Western officials and media outlets as further evidence that Hong Kong’s legal system is in decline. Lai, the founder of the now-closed Apple Daily newspaper, faced multiple charges, including two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and one count of conspiracy to publish seditious publications. He was convicted last December and sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment in February. That same month, however, the Court of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348705/dont-let-geopolitical-rivalry-skew-debate-over-jimmy-lais-sentencing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348705/dont-let-geopolitical-rivalry-skew-debate-over-jimmy-lais-sentencing?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu The government has filed an application to confiscate properties linked to crimes committed by former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying in accordance with Hong Kong’s national security laws. A government spokesman on Thursday also said the application filed with the Court of First Instance aimed to achieve the “important objectives of preventing and suppressing acts and activities endangering national security”. Lai, 78, founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily tabloid-style newspaper was sentenced... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3348846/hong-kong-authorities-seek-forfeiture-order-properties-tied-jimmy-lais-crimes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3348846/hong-kong-authorities-seek-forfeiture-order-properties-tied-jimmy-lais-crimes?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 13:21:19 +0000 Chen Xiaofeng Chen Xiaofeng On March 23, Hong Kong’s government brought into force amended implementation rules for Article 43 of the national security law. This is not a new power grab or an expansion of authority. It is a technical, evidence-based refinement of the 2020 implementation rules that have governed national security enforcement since the law took effect. Rooted in common law principle and aligned with global legislative practice, the amendments clarify operational gaps, strengthen procedural certainty and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3347880/lets-be-clear-national-security-law-update-not-power-grab?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3347880/lets-be-clear-national-security-law-update-not-power-grab?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Fiona Chow Fiona Chow A Hong Kong court has dropped a charge against the former financial chief of Jimmy Lai Chee-ying’s flagship media company after he testified for the prosecution against his ex-employer in a fraud trial. The ruling came after the Court of Appeal last week quashed Lai’s fraud conviction for operating a consultancy office from the premises of his now-defunct tabloid newspaper, Apple Daily, finding that the prosecution had failed to prove that the media mogul had made a “false representation” or was... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3348102/charge-dropped-against-ex-apple-daily-executive-who-turned-prosecution-witness?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3348102/charge-dropped-against-ex-apple-daily-executive-who-turned-prosecution-witness?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 06:33:33 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma Hong Kong has condemned the United Kingdom for undermining the city’s rule of law and meddling in local affairs after British authorities pledged to use “every opportunity” to press for the release of former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, who was jailed for 20 years over national security offences. The government issued a strong rebuttal in the early hours of Friday, dismissing London’s comments as “misleading and irresponsible” after the UK expressed concerns over Hong Kong’s erosion of human... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3348075/hong-kong-slams-uk-undermining-citys-rule-law-calls-release-jimmy-lai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3348075/hong-kong-slams-uk-undermining-citys-rule-law-calls-release-jimmy-lai?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 03:29:47 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok The founder of an independent bookstore in Hong Kong and three staff have been arrested for selling a biography of former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee‑ying and other publications deemed seditious by authorities, the South China Morning Post has learned. Pong Yat-ming, who founded Book Punch in 2020 in Sham Shui Po, was detained along with three female employees. They face accusations of selling seditious publications and breaching the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, a source said on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3347759/hong-kong-bookstore-owner-3-staff-held-selling-jimmy-lai-biography?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3347759/hong-kong-bookstore-owner-3-staff-held-selling-jimmy-lai-biography?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 14:48:56 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan Beijing on Friday warned Washington against making moves involving Hong Kong or Taiwan ahead of the expected visit by US President Donald Trump later this month. It condemned US calls for the release of jailed former Hong Kong media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying and reiterated opposition to American arms sales to Taiwan. Speaking at a regular press briefing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said Lai “should be severely punished according to the law”, and accused external forces of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346526/beijing-warns-us-over-jimmy-lai-hong-kong-and-taiwan-arms-sales-ahead-trump-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346526/beijing-warns-us-over-jimmy-lai-hong-kong-and-taiwan-arms-sales-ahead-trump-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 11:30:43 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong The former executive editor-in-chief of Hong Kong’s defunct Apple Daily newspaper, founded by Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, has lodged an appeal against his 10-year sentence imposed under the national security law. Lam Man-chung’s lawyer filed the application at the Court of Appeal on Friday, ahead of the statutory 28-day deadline for criminal appeals expiring on Monday. The 56-year-old is the second defendant to seek a reduced sentence after Fung Wai-kong, 62, managing editor of Apple Daily’s English... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3345937/former-apple-daily-executive-editor-appeals-10-year-sentence-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3345937/former-apple-daily-executive-editor-appeals-10-year-sentence-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 05:51:51 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong Former Hong Kong media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying has decided not to appeal against his conviction and 20-year jail sentence imposed in a landmark national security trial, the South China Morning Post has learned. A member of Lai’s Hong Kong legal team, who asked not to be named, confirmed to the SCMP on Friday that Lai would not file an application to the Court of Appeal before the usual 28-day deadline for lodging an appeal in criminal proceedings expires on Monday. “We can confirm we have clear... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3345656/jimmy-lai-opts-against-appeal-20-year-sentence-after-national-security-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3345656/jimmy-lai-opts-against-appeal-20-year-sentence-after-national-security-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 03:41:29 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma A former Apple Daily senior executive jailed for national security offences in Hong Kong has lodged an appeal against his 10-year term, the first in a landmark trial that saw the founder of the now-defunct tabloid-style newspaper sentenced to 20 years in prison. Court documents reviewed by the South China Morning Post on Tuesday showed that Fung Wai-kong, former managing editor of Apple Daily’s English edition, had filed his appeal with the city’s High Court on Monday. Fung was sentenced to 10... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3345277/ex-apple-daily-executive-first-appeal-sentence-landmark-hong-kong-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3345277/ex-apple-daily-executive-first-appeal-sentence-landmark-hong-kong-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 09:42:45 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Nearly 670 Hongkongers have been granted settlement in the United Kingdom under its bespoke BN(O) visa pathway, although the total number of applicants has fallen short of the British government’s lowest “core” estimate five years after its launch. While tens of thousands of Hongkongers are set to qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain, or settled status, this year, experts suggested that uncertainties over the UK’s long-term settlement of migrants could deter future applications. The UK... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3344988/670-hongkongers-granted-settlement-uk-under-bno-visa-scheme-launch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3344988/670-hongkongers-granted-settlement-uk-under-bno-visa-scheme-launch?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 13:42:04 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft A Hong Kong appellate court has quashed Jimmy Lai Chee-ying’s fraud conviction for operating a consultancy office from his now-defunct tabloid-style newspaper, Apple Daily, finding that the prosecution had failed to prove the media mogul had made a “false representation” or could be held liable for concealment. In a judgment delivered on Thursday, the Court of Appeal ruled that although Apple Daily had breached its contract by allowing Dico Consultants to operate from its premises, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3344665/ex-media-boss-jimmy-lai-wins-appeal-over-fraud-conviction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3344665/ex-media-boss-jimmy-lai-wins-appeal-over-fraud-conviction?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 02:29:07 +0000 Grenville Cross Grenville Cross After being sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment for national security offences on February 9, Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai Chee-ying will decide if he wishes to appeal. He may challenge his convictions and/or sentences and has about two weeks to make up his mind. Given the length of his trial (156 days), the mountain of evidence and the legal issues, it will take time for any appeal to be resolved. Meanwhile, foreign actors have turned their attention to securing Lai’s early release. The lead... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3344253/speedy-pardon-jimmy-lai-case-unlikely?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3344253/speedy-pardon-jimmy-lai-case-unlikely?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma Hong Kong’s Correctional Services Department has launched exchange tours to mainland China for former young offenders convicted of crimes related to the 2019 social unrest to boost their understanding of national development and culture. Rounding up the department’s work over the past year, Commissioner of Correctional Services Wong Kwok-hing said on Monday that Project PATH, a rehabilitation programme for offenders jailed for 2019 protest-related activities, would be extended to cover those... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3344358/hong-kong-protests-former-young-offenders-sent-mainland-china-exchange-tours?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3344358/hong-kong-protests-former-young-offenders-sent-mainland-china-exchange-tours?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 10:36:15 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words The sentencing of Jimmy Lai Chee-ying to 20 years in prison marks a pivotal moment in Hong Kong’s journey towards restoring the rule of law and social stability. This landmark ruling, followed by the State Council’s release of a white paper on safeguarding national security in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3344096/jimmy-lai-case-verdict-and-state-councils-white-paper-send-strong-message?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3344096/jimmy-lai-case-verdict-and-state-councils-white-paper-send-strong-message?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Feb 2026 03:30:07 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words Hong Kong’s High Court has sentenced Jimmy Lai Chee-ying to 20 years in prison for violating the national security law, following his conviction in December last year for conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and conspiracy to publish seditious materials. Some mainstream... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3343997/orderly-hong-kong-can-remain-open-and-outward-looking?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3343997/orderly-hong-kong-can-remain-open-and-outward-looking?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 03:30:08 +0000 Zhang Muyang Zhang Muyang As a long-time observer of Hong Kong affairs – and someone who cares deeply about the city – I have often felt that external debates about Hong Kong have been louder than careful assessments of how the city is actually evolving. Since the implementation of the national security law, discussion of Hong Kong has often become polarised. Less attention has been paid to outcomes and observable change. From where I stand, however, a clear shift is under way: the city has moved from prolonged... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3343500/hong-kongs-success-debunks-false-binary-security-vs-freedom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3343500/hong-kongs-success-debunks-false-binary-security-vs-freedom?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun The Chinese foreign ministry’s arm in Hong Kong has lodged “solemn representations” with local envoys for Britain, the US, Australia and the EU over remarks made by their officials and politicians about the sentencing of former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying. The Commissioner’s Office of China’s Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong issued a statement on Saturday, saying it had summoned representatives from the countries and the bloc on Wednesday and Thursday. “The commissioner’s office lodged solemn... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3343589/beijing-slams-us-uk-australia-and-eu-over-jimmy-lai-sentencing-remarks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3343589/beijing-slams-us-uk-australia-and-eu-over-jimmy-lai-sentencing-remarks?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 12:01:26 +0000 Denise Tsang,Fiona Sun Denise Tsang,Fiona Sun Safeguarding national security is crucial for Hong Kong to fully implement the “one country, two systems” governing principle and ensure the city’s stability, which will aid its development and attract foreign investors. That was the key takeaway from a high-level meeting hosted by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Saturday to discuss a white paper issued by Beijing earlier this week, only the third such report released by the State Council on local affairs since 2014. The document focused on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3343584/protecting-national-security-seen-key-hong-kongs-stability?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3343584/protecting-national-security-seen-key-hong-kongs-stability?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 10:37:37 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo There is this old British chestnut that says justice must not only be done, but must be seen to be done. Justice has been amply served in the 20-year sentence handed down to former media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, but it has not been seen to be done in many quarters, especially in the West. There is the reality of justice and the appearance of it, and the two don’t always or even usually coincide. There are two main reasons behind the widespread Western criticism of Lai’s case. One is that... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3343269/western-media-criticism-jimmy-lai-case-verdict-needs-fact-check?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3343269/western-media-criticism-jimmy-lai-case-verdict-needs-fact-check?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 01:30:10 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. ‘Time is ripe’: why China is eyeing another vast canal link to Southeast Asia China has almost finished building the US$10 billion Pinglu Canal to deepen trade ties between its southwestern provinces and Southeast Asia. Now, it is... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3343399/chinas-canal-link-southeast-asia-malaysias-illegal-temple-row-scmps-7-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3343399/chinas-canal-link-southeast-asia-malaysias-illegal-temple-row-scmps-7-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 04:34:10 +0000 Cui Jianchun Cui Jianchun On February 9, the rule of law and justice scored another victory in Hong Kong when a local court sentenced Jimmy Lai Chee-ying to 20 years in prison for violating the national security law. This sends a clear and resounding message to the world that Hong Kong is a society rigorously governed by law, and any lawbreakers will be brought to justice. Lai reaped what he sowed. The evidence of his crimes is irrefutable. He relentlessly pushed for so-called international lobbying, went to great... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3343025/jimmy-lai-ruling-shows-hong-kongs-resolve-uphold-rule-law?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3343025/jimmy-lai-ruling-shows-hong-kongs-resolve-uphold-rule-law?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 23:30:08 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Safeguarding national security does not come to an end with the jailing of former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying. A timely reminder came on Tuesday as Beijing published a white paper warning of zero tolerance of any offences in its “unrelenting fight” to defend national security. The State Council’s document expounded on the responsibility of the central government for national security, the achievements of the local government in fulfilling its constitutional duty in safeguarding national... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3343077/hong-kong-must-keep-unrelenting-fight-safeguard-national-security?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3343077/hong-kong-must-keep-unrelenting-fight-safeguard-national-security?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 23:15:13 +0000 Ronny Tong Ronny Tong After 156 days of hearings, Jimmy Lai Chee-ying’s case finally came to a close with the former media boss sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment. Western media and critics will no doubt say, what a harsh sentence for a “democracy advocate” and “freedom fighter”. However, Lai was not accused of fighting for freedom or demanding democracy in Hong Kong. His crimes were not even about his avowed hatred of the Communist Party. Western critics may be surprised to hear that hating the Communist Party is... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3343014/collusion-serious-offence-let-jimmy-lais-case-be-example?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3343014/collusion-serious-offence-let-jimmy-lais-case-be-example?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen The Chinese embassy in Britain has slammed London’s “malicious” plan to expand an immigration pathway for Hongkongers after the sentencing of former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying to 20 years in prison, accusing the UK of “manipulating” the issue. A spokesman for the Chinese embassy on Tuesday urged the UK government to stop interfering in China’s domestic affairs after it expanded the British National (Overseas) visa scheme in response to Lai’s sentencing. “The UK’s previous actions of this... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3343026/chinese-embassy-uk-slams-bno-expansion-manipulating-jimmy-lai-case?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3343026/chinese-embassy-uk-slams-bno-expansion-manipulating-jimmy-lai-case?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 06:33:14 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Hong Kong is stepping up its game as an international arbitration hub while pushing forward to help mainland Chinese companies go global with its professional services, the city’s deputy justice secretary has said. Deputy Secretary for Justice Horace Cheung Kwok-kwan on Tuesday described Hong Kong as an “indispensable bridge” between the rest of the country and the world, while the head of a key government legal body in Indonesia said Singapore remained the more “famous” arbitration hub. Cheung... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3343019/hong-kong-stepping-international-arbitration-hub-deputy-justice-secretary-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3343019/hong-kong-stepping-international-arbitration-hub-deputy-justice-secretary-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 05:29:42 +0000 Matthew Cheng,Jeffie Lam Matthew Cheng,Jeffie Lam Beijing has issued a white paper on Hong Kong’s role in safeguarding national security under the “one country, two systems” principle, stressing that the city’s struggle on this front “is persistent” and a “long-term and enduring task”. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Tuesday that the paper, published a day after former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying was sentenced to 20 years in prison for national security crimes, served as a stern warning to “traitors who betrayed the country and Hong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3342990/hong-kongs-national-security-work-ongoing-process-beijing-says-white-paper?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3342990/hong-kongs-national-security-work-ongoing-process-beijing-says-white-paper?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 02:44:39 +0000 Haining Gao Haining Gao China published a white paper about Hong Kong and national security a day after former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying was jailed for 20 years under the city’s national security law. “The Chinese government is publishing this white paper to review Hong Kong’s endeavors in safeguarding national security and the experience and insights gained in the process, and also to clear up confusion and misunderstandings surrounding the issue to build consensus, and to ensure the high-quality development of... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/article/3342988/hong-kong-and-national-security-china-white-paper?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/article/3342988/hong-kong-and-national-security-china-white-paper?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 02:37:49 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The jailing of former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying brings to an end one of the longest and most widely scrutinised criminal trials in the city’s history. Lai was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment for conspiring to collude with foreign forces and publishing seditious articles. The sentence reflects the gravity of his crimes. He is the most prominent opposition figure to be convicted under the national security law passed by Beijing in 2020. Six former executives of Lai’s now-closed Apple... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3342955/jimmy-lai-trial-shows-hong-kongs-rule-law-remains-robust?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3342955/jimmy-lai-trial-shows-hong-kongs-rule-law-remains-robust?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 23:15:15 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong Hong Kong’s High Court jailed former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying for 20 years on Monday for national security crimes, in what mainland Chinese authorities described as a “powerful declaration” that severe punishment awaited those who dared to challenge the law. In the toughest punishment to date under the city’s national security law, Lai is set to spend the rest of his life behind bars after being found guilty earlier on two conspiracy counts of collusion with foreign forces and a third of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3342970/ex-media-boss-jimmy-lai-jailed-20-years-under-national-security-law?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3342970/ex-media-boss-jimmy-lai-jailed-20-years-under-national-security-law?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 15:36:34 +0000 Ng Kang-chung,Connor Mycroft Ng Kang-chung,Connor Mycroft Hongkongers who were minors at the time of the 1997 handover to China will be eligible to apply for the British National (Overseas) pathway to UK citizenship independently of their parents, with 26,000 arrivals expected under the expanded scheme in the next five years. The move was a response to the 20-year prison sentence handed to former Hong Kong media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying for convictions of national security-related charges in the city on Monday morning. In a statement on Monday, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3342966/uk-expands-bno-scheme-more-hongkongers-following-jimmy-lai-sentencing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3342966/uk-expands-bno-scheme-more-hongkongers-following-jimmy-lai-sentencing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 14:26:15 +0000 SCMP Reporters SCMP Reporters A Hong Kong court sentenced former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying to 20 years in prison on Monday for violating the national security law, closing a chapter on what has become a geopolitical flashpoint between China and the West. In a hearing that lasted less than 10 minutes at West Kowloon Court, three High Court judges handed down penalties to Lai, six senior executives of his Apple Daily tabloid-style newspaper, three companies associated with the now-defunct outlet and two activists. Lai,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3342862/hong-kongs-jimmy-lai-faces-sentencing-national-security-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3342862/hong-kongs-jimmy-lai-faces-sentencing-national-security-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 01:45:58 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong A Hong Kong court will sentence former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying and his associates on Monday for conspiracy to collude with foreign forces in violation of the national security law. Three High Court judges who oversaw Lai’s high-profile trial are expected to hand down penalties on the 78-year-old defendant at 10am, according to the judiciary website. The justices, hand-picked by the city leader to adjudicate national security cases, will also sentence six former senior executives of Lai’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3342589/jimmy-lai-sentencing-set-monday-hong-kong-national-security-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3342589/jimmy-lai-sentencing-set-monday-hong-kong-national-security-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 02:46:41 +0000 Harvey Kong Harvey Kong Hong Kong’s security minister has said the city currently faces four primary risks to its national security, with “soft resistance” being one of the most significant threats. Speaking on a radio programme on Saturday, Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung also said police’s national security hotline had received 1.1 million reports since its inception in November 2020, with some leading to arrests. “Due to geopolitics, the risk of some external forces wanting to negatively influence Hong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3341979/soft-resistance-among-4-main-national-security-threats-hong-kong-chris-tang?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3341979/soft-resistance-among-4-main-national-security-threats-hong-kong-chris-tang?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Feb 2026 05:25:12 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Britain’s ties with China appeared to have reached a high when President Xi Jinping visited London in 2015. But in recent years, the relationship has severely fractured. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, ahead of his visit to Beijing this week, said it had gone from “the golden age to the ice age”. Now a thaw is under way. There is room for cautious optimism. Starmer, the first British leader to visit China since 2018, promised after his election victory in 2024 to reset the relationship. His trip,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3341872/starmers-visit-china-highlights-benefits-dialogue-over-confrontation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3341872/starmers-visit-china-highlights-benefits-dialogue-over-confrontation?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 23:15:10 +0000 Matthew Cheng,Connor Mycroft Matthew Cheng,Connor Mycroft British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has told Chinese President Xi Jinping that Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability are in the shared interests of both China and the United Kingdom in a high-profile meeting during his four-day trip to Beijing. Starmer, the first British leader to visit China since 2018, confirmed after the meeting, when asked by the media, that he had mentioned the landmark national security trial of jailed former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying with Xi. According to the state... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3341709/starmer-stresses-hong-kongs-stability-key-stronger-ties-meeting-xi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3341709/starmer-stresses-hong-kongs-stability-key-stronger-ties-meeting-xi?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 10:30:25 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao In an era of ruptured global order, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s much-anticipated visit to China, scheduled for later this week, marks the culmination of London’s “re-engagement” strategy with Beijing, prioritising trade and growth amid escalating geopolitical risks, according to observers. The Chinese foreign ministry announced on Tuesday that Starmer would visit Beijing and Shanghai between January 28 and 31. Starmer’s government had expressed its desire for a stable and strategic... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341324/keir-starmers-china-trip-test-labours-push-reset-bilateral-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341324/keir-starmers-china-trip-test-labours-push-reset-bilateral-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 04:00:13 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The opening of the legal new year provides a rare opportunity for the leaders of the profession to jointly speak out on matters relating to the city’s rule of law. A common theme often emerges in the speeches. In recent times, the prime concern has been to defend judges from unwarranted attacks sparked by their rulings in politically sensitive cases. This year was no exception. The conviction and imminent sentencing of former media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying for national security offences... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3340935/hong-kongs-commitment-rule-law-clear?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3340935/hong-kongs-commitment-rule-law-clear?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 23:15:12 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Beijing and Hong Kong authorities have condemned a resolution strongly backed by the European Parliament to sanction officials and revoke the city’s special trade status to protest against former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying’s conviction in a national security trial. A spokesman for the foreign ministry’s arm in Hong Kong on Friday expressed “strong condemnation and opposition” while accusing the European Parliament of ignoring facts and distorting the truth. “The European Parliament has... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3340895/eu-parliament-backs-sanctions-against-hong-kong-officials-over-jimmy-lai-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3340895/eu-parliament-backs-sanctions-against-hong-kong-officials-over-jimmy-lai-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 14:41:49 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam The head of the Hong Kong Bar Association has called on the public not to apply “political lenses” to court rulings, following several high-profile national security cases that have put the spotlight on the city’s rule of law. Senior Counsel Jose-Antonio Maurellet, who was re-elected uncontested for a second term to helm the professional body on Thursday, also expressed full confidence in the city’s judicial independence. Maurellet said that amid heightened geopolitical tensions, national... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3340893/hong-kong-bar-association-chief-warns-against-applying-political-lenses-court-rulings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3340893/hong-kong-bar-association-chief-warns-against-applying-political-lenses-court-rulings?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 14:32:20 +0000 Matthew Cheng,Brian Wong Matthew Cheng,Brian Wong Hong Kong’s rule of law is “more robust and enduring than the outcome of any single case”, the city’s chief justice has declared after former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying was found guilty in a landmark national security case that drew international scrutiny and criticism. In his speech at a ceremony to mark the opening of the legal year on Monday, Chief Justice Andrew Cheung Kui-nung warned that any calls for the early release of a defendant based on his occupation or political causes were a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3340432/rule-law-hong-kong-more-robust-outcome-any-single-case-chief-justice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3340432/rule-law-hong-kong-more-robust-outcome-any-single-case-chief-justice?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 09:40:18 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng America’s ambassador to China, David Perdue, will visit Hong Kong at the end of January to speak at a business conference, according to sources. Perdue will address the Goldman Sachs Global Macro Conference Asia-Pacific 2026 on January 27, several people familiar with the matter told the South China Morning Post. They said the envoy was expected to spend “several days” in the city. The US consulate in Hong Kong, the Commissioner’s Office of the Chinese foreign ministry in Hong Kong and the Hong... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3340087/us-ambassador-china-david-perdue-visit-hong-kong-end-january-sources-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3340087/us-ambassador-china-david-perdue-visit-hong-kong-end-january-sources-say?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Jan 2026 02:31:00 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong Hong Kong lawyers should not think of competing head-on with mainland counterparts in the Greater Bay Area, but instead position themselves as common law specialists and collaborators in cross-border legal teams, Hong Kong Bar Association chairman Jose-Antonio Maurellet has said. His comments came during a fireside chat on the sidelines of the China Conference: Greater Bay Area event hosted by the South China Morning Post in Shenzhen on Thursday. Recent policy measures allow Hong Kong lawyers to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3340061/hong-kong-lawyers-should-not-aim-just-compete-specialise-greater-bay-area?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3340061/hong-kong-lawyers-should-not-aim-just-compete-specialise-greater-bay-area?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 15:11:20 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong A former senior executive of the now-defunct Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily regrets not standing firmly by her journalistic principles against the editorial interference of her ex-boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, her lawyer has told a court hearing. Three High Court judges adjourned the sentencing of Lai and eight others until an unspecified date after defence lawyers wrapped up their mitigation arguments at West Kowloon Court on Tuesday. Appeals for leniency were made on behalf of five former senior... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3339727/executive-hong-kongs-apple-daily-regrets-not-standing-ex-boss-jimmy-lai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3339727/executive-hong-kongs-apple-daily-regrets-not-standing-ex-boss-jimmy-lai?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Jan 2026 08:13:05 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong Lawyers for a former newspaper publisher and two activists have called for less than 10 years’ imprisonment for their roles in attempts to instigate sanctions against Hong Kong and mainland China, saying they deserve additional reductions in securing Jimmy Lai Chee-ying’s conviction in his national security trial. Arguments over appropriate sentences for the former media boss and eight other defendants began on Monday at West Kowloon Court. Aside from Lai, the rest pleaded guilty before his... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3339637/jimmy-lai-trial-hong-kong-lawyers-publisher-activists-seek-reduced-jail-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3339637/jimmy-lai-trial-hong-kong-lawyers-publisher-activists-seek-reduced-jail-time?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 13:22:47 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong Hong Kong judges in Jimmy Lai Chee-ying’s national security trial have questioned whether the former media boss is entitled to a reduced sentence on health or custodial grounds, citing records showing he is in a stable condition and had requested solitary confinement of his own free will. The three High Court justices on Monday began hearing arguments on the length of the sentences to be handed down to the Apple Daily founder and eight others. The other defendants pleaded guilty before Lai’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3339630/hong-kong-judges-doubtful-if-jimmy-lais-health-justifies-sentence-reduction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3339630/hong-kong-judges-doubtful-if-jimmy-lais-health-justifies-sentence-reduction?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 12:39:09 +0000 Brian Wong,Connor Mycroft,Jess Ma Brian Wong,Connor Mycroft,Jess Ma Former Hong Kong media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying has returned to West Kowloon Court alongside eight co-defendants, as three judges hear mitigation arguments from defence lawyers in his high-profile national security case on Monday. The 78-year-old founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily is the most prominent figure yet to be convicted under the national security law imposed by Beijing in June 2020. Last month, he was found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3339524/jimmy-lai-trial-hong-kong-judges-hear-mitigation-arguments-defence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3339524/jimmy-lai-trial-hong-kong-judges-hear-mitigation-arguments-defence?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 01:32:21 +0000 Jess Ma,Harvey Kong Jess Ma,Harvey Kong A top Hong Kong official has condemned attempts by external forces and “anti-China absconders” to “smear” the government ahead of Jimmy Lai Chee-ying’s mitigation hearing, saying the former media boss’ conviction showed that any plots to undermine national security will fail. Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang Kwok-wai said on Saturday that such smear campaigns during Lai’s national security trial were proof that Hong Kong still faced risks that could not be taken... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3339452/hong-kong-slams-attempts-smear-government-ahead-jimmy-lai-mitigation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3339452/hong-kong-slams-attempts-smear-government-ahead-jimmy-lai-mitigation?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Jan 2026 12:50:50 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong Jose-Antonio Maurellet is set to serve for another term as chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association, with the current vice-chairpersons also to return. Senior Counsel Maurellet on Friday confirmed a circular stating that he had been nominated as chairman for the 2026-27 term. Martin Hui Siu-ting and Eva Sit Yat-wah, both senior counsel, would continue to serve as vice-chairpersons for the coming term, he added. But the association is set for a shift in administrative roles after Martin Wong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3338574/jose-antonio-maurellet-set-return-hong-kong-bar-association-chairman?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3338574/jose-antonio-maurellet-set-return-hong-kong-bar-association-chairman?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Jan 2026 15:01:27 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong’s headlines in 2025 were shaped by a wide cast of newsmakers, from political heavyweights to everyday residents. Among them were former lawmaker Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, gold medallist fencer turned legislator Vivian Kong Man-wai and a local mother who won widespread praise for speaking out after a hot-air balloon festival fiasco. The Post looks back at the figures who dominated the headlines over the past year. Regina Ip “Don’t block my way to the meeting … Move away,” the 75-year-old... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3338299/politicians-athletes-everyday-people-who-made-headlines-hong-kong-2025?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3338299/politicians-athletes-everyday-people-who-made-headlines-hong-kong-2025?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Jan 2026 02:00:13 +0000