The Chinese Foreign Ministry's Hong Kong office has issued a forceful rebuke against foreign governments attempting to influence judicial proceedings in the Special Administrative Region, following international reactions to the high-profile Jimmy Lai case verdict.
In a statement released Monday, a spokesperson for the Commissioner's Office denounced what they called "blatant interference" from Britain, Australia, the U.S., Germany, and the European Union. The official emphasized that Lai's case – which recently concluded in Hong Kong courts – represents a matter of local jurisprudence, not international diplomacy.
"This case strictly concerns the lawful exercise of Hong Kong's independent judicial power," the spokesperson stated. "Certain countries continue to employ double standards under the guise of human rights advocacy while deliberately ignoring the basic norms of international relations."
The statement clarified that the proceedings against Lai, a media tycoon, were conducted according to Hong Kong's legal framework and bear no relation to press freedom protections. Authorities warned that external attempts to influence judicial outcomes through political pressure would "fundamentally undermine the rule of law" in the region.
This development comes as Hong Kong marks 28 years since its return to China in 2025, with officials reaffirming commitment to the "one country, two systems" principle. The mainland's liaison office in Hong Kong has publicly supported the judicial decision, calling it "a testament to the robustness of Hong Kong's legal system."
