Hong Kong: media mogul Jimmy Lai found guilty
A Hong Kong court has found pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai guilty of "conspiracy to collude with foreign forces" following a two-year trial. The sentence will be handed down to the 78-year-old at a later date. For Europe's media, the verdict highlights the dictatorial nature of the Chinese system.
Hundreds of pages to conceal iron fist
China is trying to keep up the pretence that the rule of law is being upheld in Hong Kong while, at the same time, undermining democracy, The Irish Times concludes:
“The Hong Kong court's verdict was rationalised in an 850-page judgement, a measure of how seriously Beijing itself viewed the trial and conviction of newspaper mogul Jimmy Lai. And a measure of how much it needed to justify to the world the verdict of this show trial and the city's notional commitment to the rule of law since independence from the UK in 1997. ... In parallel, on Sunday, under pressure from the authorities, Hong Kong's biggest pro-democracy party, the Democratic Party, voted to dissolve after more than 30 years of activism.”
The threat from China can't be ignored
The verdict against Jimmy Lai highlights Beijing's ruthlessness, Berlingske notes:
“Western companies based in Hong Kong must consider the risk of becoming embroiled in legal disputes in the city. They must also ask themselves whether they can afford to support a dictatorship like China's by contributing to the Chinese economy. ... We cannot allow Europe's industry to be put out of business by imports of cheap cars, solar cells and wind turbines from China. We must protect our intellectual property and prepare to defend ourselves through research and innovation. ... We should not forget that China threatens the democratic values we uphold.”
Up the pressure on Beijing
The British government should push for Jimmy Lai's release, The Spectator demands:
“It was yet another dark day for Hong Kong and a direct assault on the values of freedom, human rights and the rule of law. ... Prime Minister Keir Starmer must lead the charge. If his visit to Beijing goes ahead as reported in January, then top of the agenda must be to demand and secure Lai's release on medical grounds. He must make any trade deals, and any agreement on the controversial new Chinese embassy in London, conditional upon his immediate release and his right – should he and his family choose to do so – to leave Hong Kong.”