Jimmy Lai pushed for foreign sanctions only in a less explicit approach after NSL implemented: Cheung Kim-hung

Next Digital founder Jimmy Lai Chee-ying continued to push for foreign sanctions only in a less explicit way even after the national security law was enacted, former Apple Daily publisher Cheung Kim-hung said on Friday. 

Today was the last day Cheung, 62, testified at West Kowloon Court as prosecution accomplice witness against his former boss Lai, 76, as the trial entered the 22nd day. 

The prosecution showed that Cheung messaged former editorial writer Yeung Ching-kee an article published by state-backed Ta Kung Pao, which discussed whether advocating citizens to promote violence and oppose the Central Government would constitute the offense of inciting subversion under NSL. 

The prosecution also displayed the discussions between Cheung and Yeung. Cheung then said he was certain that Lai continued to seek foreign sanction against China by drawing attention from the international world but adopted a rather less explicit approach. 

Cheung also said Lai had not changed his stance even after the implementation of NSL. 

When asked about the “NSL Responding Committee” chat group on WhatsApp, Cheung said Lai was not in the chat group because they could not discuss anymore and everything would be decided by Lai had Lai been added to the group. 

Cheung noted although Apple Daily had its own editorial independence, it should also be in line with the directions mapped out by Lai. 

The defense then pointed out that the publication changed its editorial direction that all articles must not breach the NSL after the law was imposed by Beijing. Cheung replied this was not a verbal instruction or a policy in black and white. 

Apple Daily was just trying to adopt some measures to prevent staffers from crossing the red line of national security, Cheung added. 

“Even after the NSL was implemented, Lai didn’t say Apple Daily should have any changes in its editorial directions,” Cheung said. 

After the defense finished cross-examining Cheung, former associate publisher Chan Pui-man was summoned by the prosecution to testify in court. 

Chan recalled that she joined Apple Daily as senior reporter in December 1996. She was promoted to editor-in-chief in 2015 and associate publisher in 2017 until being arrested in 2021. 

The prosecution asked if the publication could be categorized as a political newspaper in its early stage of establishment, and Chan answered that Lai was very concerned about getting the market support for the newspaper. Thus, the content was focused on entertainment news in order to attract more readers. 

She continued that there had been less entertainment news reported since the Occupy Central movement in 2014. 

Chan added that Lai would hold unscheduled meetings in the office and spoke about his business ideology, personal stance including topics over Occupy Central, to the middle and senior management. 

Lai also attended the protests of in Admiralty to support the opposition camp and was interviewed by press at scene. After 2014, colleagues felt that Lai was “standing a bit forward at social movement” and Lai had gained his international fame, Chan said. 

The trial continues next Monday (Feb 5).