Trump Says Xi Called Jimmy Lai Case Difficult After Beijing Meeting

U.S. President Donald Trump said he is not optimistic about the release of Hong Kong media executive Jimmy Lai Chee-ying after raising the issue with Chinese leader Xi Jinping during a two-day summit in Beijing. Trump made the comments to reporters on Air Force One while returning to the United States.

He quoted Xi as saying Lai was a tough case to resolve. "[Xi] said Jimmy Lai is a tough one for him to do; he went through a lot, right or wrong, they went through a lot," Trump told reporters.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said Beijing views Lai as a key participant in anti-China activities in Hong Kong. Guo stated that Hong Kong affairs are China's internal affairs and that the central government supports the Hong Kong judiciary in handling the case according to law. Lai was sentenced to 20 years in prison for violating Hong Kong's national security law.