Former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying has denied making unfounded allegations against Beijing of meddling in Hong Kong’s internal affairs, but admitted calling for continued resistance over claims there was no room for “constructive dialogue” with the city government.
Lai said in the article that the announcement marked “the beginning of the end of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region” and warned that Hongkongers would “return to slaves living at the mercy of Emperor Xi [Jinping]”.
The defendant also said he hoped the Communist Party of China would “temporarily exercise restraint in its persecution of Hong Kong” in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic and while the nation was subject to “censures and partial sanctions” by the United States.
In court, Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Anthony Chau Tin-hang argued Lai attempted to galvanise Apple Daily readers “by using exaggerated and totally unfounded statements”.
