Lai forced on the defensive over Taiwan

Eunice Lam

On the 114th day of Jimmy Lai Chee-ying's trial, doubts arose among the judges over his stance on Taiwan.

This skepticism was triggered by remarks in a 2020 interview, in which he referred to Taiwan as a country.

But Lai, 77, firmly denied ever supporting Taiwan as an independent state.

His denial came as he continued testifying at the resumption of his national security trial at the West Kowloon magistrates' court following a two-week adjournment.

On his Live Chat with Jimmy Lai program on October 1, 2020, featuring then Next Digital director Mark Clifford and Hoover Institution research fellow Michael Auslin, Lai praised the United States for "upgrading its relationship with Taiwan," citing the importance of Taiwan's chip technology to America.

Lai also said "Taiwan will be a very unique country." But on the witness stand, he said he did not view Taiwan as a "sovereign country" and did not advocate its independence.

Judge Esther Toh Lye-ping said there was a contradiction between what Lai said on the stand and his assertion in the program that "Taiwan is creating a country, and the relationship with the US is becoming its future."

Lai said he meant Taiwan was becoming a "stronger place" due to its improving US ties.

He also said on the program it was inevitable that the United States would step up its military support for Taiwan, noting that the West had recognized threats posed by China and had formed a strong alliance against Beijing.

"All of a sudden, they realized there's [an] enemy, and that enemy energized the whole West to reevaluate what they have done wrong. I think this is very healthy for the West," he said.

When the defense asked who he considered the "enemy," Lai responded that it was China. "I was just stating the facts about how the West views China."

Lai said he was not personally concerned about Beijing but viewed it as the enemy of Hong Kong.

He also said the then ex-US president, Donald Trump, would "play hardball" with China but denied on the stand he was suggesting a harsh approach.

In an Apple Daily column on October 11, 2020, Lai said the US had strengthened diplomatic and military cooperation with Taiwan but denied on the stand trying to encourage such cooperation or aiming to incite hatred against Beijing and Hong Kong.