Trump says China may release the detained pastor but tycoon Lai 'is a tough one'
Trump said Xi will strongly consider releasing detained pastor Ezra Jin, while Jimmy Lai’s case remains difficult after a 20-year prison sentence.
- On Friday, President Donald Trump pressed Chinese President Xi Jinping to secure the release of imprisoned Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai and Pastor Jin Mingri during their two-day summit.
- Authorities sentenced the 78-year-old Lai to 20 years in prison in February on disputed collusion and sedition charges, while police detained Jin in October alongside nearly 30 Zion Church staff members.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated the U.S. is open to "any arrangement" for Lai's freedom, though Trump reported from Air Force One that Xi is "seriously considering" releasing the pastor while deeming Lai's case "a tough one."
- Sebastien Lai, the tycoon's son, lauded Trump as an "incredible negotiator" and expressed hope for his father's release, even as the Chinese Foreign Ministry maintained that Hong Kong affairs remain strictly within China's internal jurisdiction.
- While precedent exists for high-level prisoner releases, such as the 2012 case of activist Chen Guangcheng, Trump and Xi reportedly "talk past each other" on broader geopolitical issues like Taiwan and Iran despite the summit.
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Washington Roundup: Trump-Xi summit yields little for Lai; hospice Medicare moratorium
WASHINGTON (OSV News) — President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded a high-stakes summit in Beijing on May 15. While the two leaders did not announce any clear resolutions to key issues, including Taiwan, they concluded their meeting by emphasizing stability in relations between the two major powers. In Washington the same week, lawmakers and advocates said they hoped Trump would secure the release of political prisoners o…
Trump Suggests Xi is Unlikely to Release Catholic Publisher Jimmy Lai.
Following a summit in Beijing, President Donald J. Trump revealed that Chinese President Xi Jinping is unlikely to release Catholic media mogul Jimmy Lai, but may consider releasing a detained pastor.PULSE POINTS WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump, following a summit in Beijing, stated that Chinese President Xi Jinping is unlikely to release Jimmy Lai, a Roman Catholic pro-democracy media mogul who has been imprisoned for decades. Trump me…
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