中国外務省は、ドナルド・トランプ氏の国賓としての訪中を前に、香港の司法制度への揺るぎない支持を改めて表明し、黎智英氏の釈放を求める声を拒絶した。
中国外務省の郭紀昆報道官は、ドナルド・トランプ米大統領の3日間の国賓訪問開始の前日に開かれた定例記者会見で、この発言を行った。
郭氏は、黎智英氏を「香港を震撼させた暴動の首謀者であり、実行犯である」と断じた。また、香港問題は中国の国内問題であると強調し、中央政府は香港の司法当局が法に基づいて職務を遂行することを断固として支持すると述べた。
78歳の黎氏は、現在は廃刊となった『リンゴ日報』の創業者である。同氏は、外国勢力と結託して陰謀を企てた罪や、扇動的な出版物を発行・頒布した罪などの国家安全保障法違反で有罪判決を受け、現在20年の刑に服している。
習近平国家主席の招待による今回のトランプ氏の訪中は、2017年以来初となる米国大統領の中国訪問であり、米イラン間の停戦という状況下で行われる。
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China’s foreign ministry announced on Monday that US President Donald Trump will pay a state visit to the country from May 13 to 15 at the invitation of President Xi Jinping. It will be the first such trip by a US president since 2017.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun stated at a regular press briefing that Jimmy Lai should be severely punished according to the law and accused external forces of interfering in Hong Kong's judicial process and China's internal affairs. The remarks responded to Washington's hopes for Lai's release on humanitarian grounds and speculation about easing Hong Kong-related sanctions. The ministry urged the US to safeguard stable China-US relations and peace in the Taiwan Strait.
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Hong Kong's Court of Appeal overturned media tycoon Jimmy Lai's 2022 fraud conviction on Thursday, nullifying a nearly six-year sentence. The pro-democracy figure, a fierce Beijing critic detained since 2020, remains imprisoned on a 20-year national security term imposed earlier this month.
President Donald Trump is scheduled to travel to China this week for high-level talks.
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Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State sanctioned by Beijing, will take part in Donald Trump's upcoming trip to China, according to sources. Rubio had previously appeared reluctant to visit despite invitations. His attendance could help address frustrations in Beijing over the lack of preparation for the trip.
China's foreign ministry office in Hong Kong summoned US Consul General Julie Eadeh on Friday to protest a security alert issued by the US consulate on changes to Hong Kong's national security law. The alert informed Americans that refusing to provide police with smartphone passwords or decryption access during national security investigations is now a criminal offense. Beijing expressed strong dissatisfaction and urged the US to cease interfering in Hong Kong and China's internal affairs.
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Former President Moon Jae-in has said U.S. President Donald Trump's planned visit to China could provide fresh momentum for peace on the Korean Peninsula. In a keynote speech at a U.S. think tank in Los Angeles, he called on Washington and Pyongyang to resume stalled talks.