RSF urges Trump to seek Jimmy Lai's release in China visit
Synopsis
With Trump's rare China state visit underway, Reporters Without Borders is invoking the ghost of Liu Xiaobo to warn that Jimmy Lai — 78, ailing, and nearly 1,950 days into detention — could face the same fate if international pressure fails. Over 100 US lawmakers have joined the call, making Lai's release a litmus test for what Trump's diplomacy with Beijing actually delivers.
Key Takeaways
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has urged President Trump to press for Jimmy Lai's release during his 13–15 May China state visit.
Jimmy Lai , 78, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in February 2026 under Hong Kong's National Security Law .
Lai has been in detention since December 2020 — nearly 1,950 days — and reportedly suffers from severe weight loss and deteriorating health.
More than 100 bipartisan US Congress members last week called on Trump to raise Lai's case with Xi Jinping .
Since 2020 , Hong Kong authorities have prosecuted at least 28 journalists , with eight currently detained.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has urged United States President Donald Trump to press for the immediate release of Jimmy Lai — founder of Hong Kong's Apple Daily newspaper and pro-democracy activist — during his scheduled state visit to China from 13 to 15 May. The call comes as Lai approaches 1,950 days in detention and serves the longest-ever prison sentence handed down under the Hong Kong National Security Law imposed by Beijing.
RSF's Urgent Appeal
Aleksandra Bielakowska, Advocacy Manager at RSF Asia-Pacific, stated: "The US must take urgent and decisive action to secure the immediate release of a man who has dedicated his life to defending democracy and press freedom. President Trump has repeatedly stated that securing Jimmy Lai's freedom is a priority — now those words must be matched with a concrete intervention."
Bielakowska also invoked the death of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo, who died in a Chinese prison amid what RSF described as insufficient international pressure. "That failure must not be repeated. Jimmy Lai cannot be allowed to suffer the same fate," she said.
Lai's Sentence and Deteriorating Health
In February 2026, Lai was sentenced to 20 years in prison under Hong Kong's National Security Law. Six other Apple Daily staff members received sentences ranging from 6 to 10 years in the same crackdown on independent media. According to RSF, since his initial detention in December 2020, Lai has allegedly been subjected to harsh conditions — including solitary confinement — resulting in severe weight loss and significantly deteriorating health.
Congressional Pressure on Trump
Last week, more than 100 bipartisan members of the US Congress wrote to President Trump urging him to raise Lai's case directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The lawmakers warned that the 78-year-old activist's health is rapidly deteriorating, adding political weight to RSF's appeal ahead of the summit.
Broader Press Freedom Crisis in Hong Kong
RSF noted that since 2020, the Hong Kong government has prosecuted at least 28 journalists, of whom eight remain currently detained. The organisation described a systemic pattern of harassment, including online and offline surveillance, doxxing, and threats against journalists operating in the territory. This comes amid a broader and accelerating crackdown on independent press that has effectively dismantled Hong Kong's once-vibrant media landscape.
Trump's China visit — the first by a sitting US president in nearly a decade — will be closely watched by press freedom advocates and foreign policy analysts alike, as it presents a rare diplomatic window to raise Lai's case at the highest level.
Point of View
Yet the administration's track record on human rights leverage is thin. RSF is right to invoke Liu Xiaobo — the international community watched a Nobel laureate die in custody, and the lesson was that quiet diplomacy alone is insufficient. With over 100 US lawmakers now on record, Trump faces a rare moment of bipartisan accountability: if he leaves Beijing without raising Lai's case in a verifiable, public way, the gap between his stated priority and his actual diplomacy will be impossible to ignore.
NationPress
28 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Jimmy Lai and why is he imprisoned?
Jimmy Lai is the founder of Hong Kong's pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily and a prominent activist. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison in February 2026 under the Hong Kong National Security Law, following his detention in December 2020 amid Beijing's crackdown on independent media.
What is Reporters Without Borders asking Trump to do?
RSF is urging President Trump to use his 13–15 May state visit to China to directly press President Xi Jinping for Jimmy Lai's immediate and unconditional release, arguing that Trump's previously stated commitment to Lai's freedom must now translate into concrete diplomatic action.
Why is Jimmy Lai's health a concern?
According to RSF, Lai has allegedly been held in solitary confinement since his detention in December 2020, resulting in severe weight loss and significantly deteriorating health. At 78 years old, advocates warn his condition is rapidly worsening, drawing comparisons to Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo, who died in Chinese custody.
How has the US Congress responded to Jimmy Lai's case?
More than 100 bipartisan members of the US Congress wrote to President Trump last week urging him to raise Lai's release directly with Xi Jinping during their upcoming summit, citing the activist's rapidly deteriorating health as a matter of urgency.
What is the broader press freedom situation in Hong Kong?
Since 2020, Hong Kong authorities have prosecuted at least 28 journalists, eight of whom remain in detention. RSF reports that journalists in Hong Kong face systematic harassment, surveillance, doxxing, and threats as part of an ongoing crackdown on independent media.
