Jimmy Lai’s Hong Kong conviction becomes China-West flashpoint

Jimmy Lai Chee-ying’s guilty verdict in a landmark Hong Kong national security trial has become a political flashpoint, as China’s Western opponents demand the former media boss’ immediate release and Beijing strongly rejects their interference.

But while the High Court’s ruling on Monday could send the businessman turned opposition activist to jail for life, Western countries were unlikely to hit Hong Kong with more sanctions as they needed to cooperate with Beijing to offset unfair trade treatment by the United States, commentators said.

Lai was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to publish seditious articles and two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces, bringing an end to Hong Kong’s highest-profile national security case to date.

Local and mainland Chinese authorities welcomed the verdict as a demonstration of the rule of law and justice served upon a traitor, while officials in Western countries reiterated their claims that the case was “politically motivated” against a fierce critic of Beijing whom they painted as a hero for democracy.

Chinese foreign affairs spokesman Guo Jiakun said Beijing expressed strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to blatant attempts by “certain countries” to slander and discredit Hong Kong’s judiciary, referring to the immense pressure judges had been put under by foreign governments threatening to sanction them.