Hong Kong is China’s internal matter – analyst on Jimmy Lai sentencing

The former media tycoon has been sentenced to 20 years in jail for instigating anti-Beijing riots

The High Court of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Monday sentenced former media tycoon Jimmy Lai to 20 years in prison, drawing renewed attention from some Western governments, while Chinese officials and analysts stressed that the case falls squarely within China’s internal affairs.

Lai, 76, was found guilty in December on two charges of conspiring to collude with external forces and one charge of conspiracy to publish seditious materials. The charges stem from his role as the founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper and his activities during the 2019 unrest in Hong Kong.

The sentencing has prompted criticism from some Western governments, including the United Kingdom, which called it a “monumental injustice” and described Lai as “the most high-profile political prisoner” in the world. In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said the case is “purely an internal affair,” urging foreign countries to “refrain from making irresponsible remarks.”

Analysts argue that Western reaction overlooks the severe nature of the charges. In an interview with RT, geopolitical analyst and podcaster Carl Zha dismissed foreign criticism as “grandstanding,” characterizing Lai as an oligarch who “bankrolled the 2019 Hong Kong protests.”

“They’re trying to make some grandstanding about Jimmy Lai … as if he was arrested for practicing journalism, which is totally ridiculous. This is a man – a Hong Kong oligarch with immense wealth – who decided to put his money behind stirring up a terrible riot that happened in Hong Kong,” Zha said, referencing Lai’s past statements advocating a tough US stance against China.

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Addressing claims of political persecution, Zha contrasted the judicial process in Hong Kong with what he described as a lack of accountability for high-profile figures in the West.

“We would not have a case like Epstein in China because, in China, they execute pedophiles,” he said.

Regarding UK-China relations, Zha suggested the diplomatic friction would be limited.

“This is a storm in a teacup. Britain has more serious things to worry about,” he said, noting London’s recent efforts to reset ties with Beijing. “Hong Kong is no longer a matter for Britain after 1997, when it was formally handed over to China. Whatever happened in Hong Kong is an internal matter for China.”