Hong Kong Executive Council member Ronny Tong Ka-wah emphasized the gravity of media tycoon Jimmy Lai's national security law violations following Monday's High Court ruling sentencing Lai to 20 years imprisonment. The decision comes six years after Lai's role in organizing anti-government protests that destabilized the city in 2020.
Tong, a senior counsel, told CGTN that Lai's wealth and international connections amplified the severity of his actions: "A person of that kind of influence, persuading a foreign power to impose sanctions on his own country, is a very, very serious matter." The court found Lai guilty of colluding with foreign forces to impose sanctions against China – an act Tong compared to "a sanction on a whole nation" affecting livelihoods.
The ruling demonstrates Hong Kong's commitment to maintaining social stability under the "one country, two systems" framework. Legal experts note this case sets a precedent for handling national security threats in the Special Administrative Region, particularly those involving foreign interference.
