Jimmy Lai: Prison Sentence

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Asked Minister to clarify why Jimmy Lai is referred to as a British National instead of a citizen, questioned the lack of sanctions against Chinese officials violating Sino-British agreement and installing national security law. Also criticised granting planning permission for Chinese embassy in London without leverage on Mr Lai's release or justice.

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Expressed concern for Jimmy Lai's health condition, including rotting teeth, diabetes, heart issues, and recent weight loss. Urged Chinese authorities to end his ordeal by exercising clemency, allowing him to be reunited with family.

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Compliments her right hon. Friend for securing an urgent question on Jimmy Lai's sentencing and demands transparency from the government regarding discussions between Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and President Xi Jinping about Jimmy Lai’s release. Criticises the government for failing to secure Jimmy Lai’s release despite giving China permission for a super-embassy spy hub in London.

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Asks how the government will build an international coalition to put pressure on China for Jimmy Lai's release.

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Questions if the government has summoned the Chinese ambassador to condemn the sentencing and asks for guarantees to protect Hong Kong activists in the UK from further persecution.

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Asks if there are now no more procedural reasons for working with international allies to negotiate Jimmy Lai’s release.

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Asks if there are any other items the Prime Minister could negotiate for Jimmy Lai's release.

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Asks the Minister to keep Jimmy Lai's freedom of religion or belief in mind as they work for his release.

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Advocates focusing entirely on securing clemency for Jimmy Lai.

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Asks about representations being made to Chinese counterparts for the release of Jimmy Lai, referencing a UN working group opinion.

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In December, I asked the Prime Minister to make it clear that his visit to Beijing could go ahead only if Jimmy Lai was released. He responded: 'It is important that we continue to engage, so that we can raise this issue'. That clearly achieved nothing. Will the Minister also bear in mind the fact that alongside Jimmy Lai, six other senior members of Apple Daily received lengthy prison sentences in what Reporters Sans Frontières has described as 'the complete collapse of press freedom in Hong Kong'? What action will the Government take during the two-week period in which an appeal has to be lodged to ensure the release of not just Jimmy Lai but all of them?

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As chair of the all-party parliamentary group on Hong Kong, I want to say on my behalf and that of many of its members how we horrified we are. This case exemplifies the systematic dismantling of Hong Kong’s judicial independence. The proceedings under the national security law do not operate within the independent or impartial judicial framework, and judges are designated by the Executive of the Hong Kong special administrative region. Trials are conducted without juries, evidential thresholds are lowered and the fundamental principle of the presumption of innocence is gone. How will the Government ensure that, on behalf of not just Jimmy Lai but all Hongkongers who live in the UK, we protect them from nefarious activity and this illegal law?

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As my hon. Friend the Member for Hazel Grove said, Jimmy Lai’s conviction is a massive failure for the Prime Minister, who said that he could change outcomes. This sends a worrying signal to Hongkongers living in Wokingham and across the UK, many of whom face intimidation from China when they are simply standing up for their civil liberties. What steps are the Government taking to protect pro-democracy Hongkongers in Wokingham and across the UK, who feel themselves to be under threat from Chinese authorities in our country? These residents are very concerned, and many of them fear for their lives.

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I thank the Minister for her answers, but I think it is fair to say that when the sentence was handed down, the CCP baked in that our reaction would be to reiterate calls for Jimmy Lai’s release and put out warm words and demands regarding his wellbeing. Of course, there are now concerns that he may be transferred to a prison inside China, where access to legal representation will be even more difficult. What practical and tangible changes will be made today as a result of this shift in the relationship with China, now that it has sentenced a British citizen to 20 years, and is the Minister able to say a bit about what actions her Department is going to take in the weeks ahead to give practical support to Jimmy Lai, so that we do not have another statement or question in a few weeks’ time lamenting an appeal that was unsuccessful?

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I say to the hon. Member for North Northumberland and to the Minister that this is not party political—the last Government were as bad, if not worse. The Minister spoke about condemnation in the strongest terms. That is a complete waste of breath; the Chinese Government understand one thing, which is that there has to be a cost. Will the Minister sanction those responsible?

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The Government have been pretty generous to the Chinese Government—first the embassy, then the Prime Minister’s visit to China and trade concessions. In return, the Chinese Government have conferred a death sentence on Jimmy Lai. Will those in Hong Kong’s Administration and judiciary who undertook this politically motivated sham trial be welcome in the United Kingdom, or will they be sanctioned?

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As the Minister is aware, there is cross-party consensus that we are horrified by the jailing of Jimmy Lai. She will also be aware that there are consequences when a UK Government are perceived as being weak, including for British citizens. The Minister said that the Prime Minister spoke softly; he also spoke ineffectively, so will she tell us what is next?

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Parallel to the terrible injustice inflicted on Jimmy Lai, my constituent Chloe Cheung still has to live with a £100,000 bounty on her head. I spoke with her this weekend, and her resolve has never been stronger, despite knowing that anyone in the UK can claim that bounty. In the spirit of keeping the conversation going, can I ask the Minister to use everything in her power to convince the CCP to lift that bounty from Chloe and, indeed, all the other UK residents who have bounties placed on them under Hong Kong’s national security law? The only crime these people have committed is telling the truth about the repressive regime in Hong Kong.

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I am sorry, but this is really hopeless. I mean no disrespect to this particular Minister, but I am sure that you, Mr Speaker, have noticed, as I have, that whenever something indefensible comes up, the Government always put middle-ranking or junior Ministers on the frontline. Perhaps the Foreign Secretary is abroad or perhaps she is in her sick bed, but otherwise, why is she not voluntarily making a statement, rather than sending someone else to take the flak? This is really not fitting for the outrage that hon. Members—there are hon. Members on both sides of the House—feel about the fate of Jimmy Lai.

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I do not know whether the Minister has read Confucius, the Chinese philosopher of 2,500 years ago, and his “Silver Rule”, which talks about mercy and compassion. While all of us in this House will continue to campaign for Jimmy Lai’s release, can the Minister at least confirm whether there is consular access to Jimmy Lai, and not just consular communication? Will she call upon President Xi, who no doubt has studied Confucius, to revisit compassion and mercy and at least allow Jimmy Lai medical treatment, the correct diet and to be released from solitary confinement?

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The Trump Administration are not known for their record on human rights, yet the United States has been perfectly prepared to sanction Chinese Communist party officials who have been abusive, whereas the United Kingdom has sanctioned no one. Why is that, and when will the judges and prosecutors involved in Jimmy Lai’s sham trial be sanctioned by this Government?

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Strong words of condemnation are appropriate and necessary, but when will the Government’s actions match those words of condemnation?

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The Prime Minister was happy to trot back from China heralding the successes of the visit without having secured the release of Jimmy Lai, and now we see Jimmy facing a 20-year prison sentence—in effect, a life sentence. Does the Minister think that was a price worth paying?

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The Minister appears to have come to the Chamber today with absolutely nothing to say. The recent visit to China was an absolute disaster, with people taking burner phones and a burner plane—we even appear to have taken a burner Prime Minister. The Minister referred earlier to progress being made in these discussions, so can she outline exactly what progress has been made, and what was the response from the Chinese Government when the Prime Minister raised the case of Jimmy Lai with them directly?

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The Minister will have heard me ask numerous times over a number of years for interventions on behalf of Jimmy Lai, who is a British citizen, as other Members of this House have done—indeed, we have been very strong collectively. His sham trial has now ended and, unsurprisingly, Jimmy will be held in unknown conditions for 20 years until he is 98, if he lives that long. He will be denied his religious beliefs, with no mass, and will be unable to worship his God, as he so wishes to do. This surely cannot be acceptable to this Government, whose Prime Minister and Attorney General have been at the forefront of using human rights as a panacea for every decision. Are we in this House truly to believe that Government abandonment of Hong Kong has meant that there are no options for those who are British in Hong Kong and whose only crime is not agreeing with Beijing?