In response to a joint G7 and EU statement condemning Jimmy Lai's national security conviction—as covered in prior coverage—Beijing and Hong Kong authorities issued sharp rebukes, dismissing foreign pressure as futile and reaffirming the rule of law amid ongoing tensions over the city's autonomy.
On Thursday, the Commissioner's Office of China's Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong and local officials responded to a joint statement from G7 foreign ministers (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK, US) and the EU high representative. The statement called for an end to such prosecutions and Lai's immediate release, citing deteriorating rights in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong's three-judge panel had previously ruled Lai guilty of masterminding conspiracies to incite sanctions and publish seditious material via his Apple Daily newspaper.
The Chinese office called the G7+EU statement 'no more than a piece of wasted paper,' comparing foreign meddling to 'a mantis trying to stop a chariot or an ant trying to shake a tree.' Hong Kong officials defended the proceedings as essential for national security.
Lai, detained since the 2019 protests, highlights Beijing's tightening control. Sentencing remains pending after the 2024 verdict.