- Donald Trump announced he will raise the case of jailed Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai during an upcoming summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on 14-15 May.
- Lai, a British citizen and founder of the now-defunct pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for collusion and sedition in February, a verdict that drew widespread international condemnation.
- Trump had previously stated he asked President Xi to "consider" Lai's release and promised during his campaign to "100 per cent get him out" of jail.
- The 78-year-old's lengthy sentence means he is likely to die in prison, with growing concerns from his family and supporters regarding his health.
- Lai was recently awarded a freedom of speech prize by Germany's Deutsche Welle, an honour the Hong Kong government dismissed as politically motivated, while also criticising the city's low press freedom ranking by Reporters Without Borders.
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