107 US lawmakers urge Trump to press Xi on Jimmy Lai's release
More than 107 bipartisan members of the US Congress have urged President Donald Trump to raise the case of jailed Hong Kong pro-democracy activist and media tycoon Jimmy Lai during his upcoming summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, warning that the 78-year-old's health is rapidly deteriorating in custody. The bicameral letter, dated 7 May, calls for Lai's immediate release on humanitarian grounds.
The Letter and Its Signatories
Led by Representative Chris Smith and Senator Rick Scott, the letter was signed by a broad cross-party coalition including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell, Nancy Pelosi, Ro Khanna, Tom Cotton, Cory Booker, Tim Kaine, Raja Krishnamoorthi, and Amy Klobuchar. The rare bipartisan consensus reflects how Lai's case has transcended the usual partisan divides in Washington's China policy debate.
