The Commissioners Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Monday urged foreign media agencies in the city to report fairly and objectively on the case of Jimmy Lai Chee-ying and refrain from politicizing legal matters.  

In a letter published on its official website, the office said Lai’s sentencing fully demonstrated the determination of Hong Kong’s judiciary to safeguard national security and uphold the rule of law. 

The High Court on Monday sentenced the former media mogul to 20 years in prison for conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and conspiracy to publish seditious materials. 

“We sincerely hope that journalists of foreign media agencies based in Hong Kong will respect the independence of Hong Kong’s judicial process, uphold journalistic professionalism, and report on the case with objectivity and fairness, refraining from politicizing legal matters,” the office said.

“We believe that a stable and prosperous Hong Kong serves the interests of all parties. We urge all the friends from the media to cherish the hard‑earned stability of Hong Kong and, through your reporting, present to the world a truthful, law‑based, and open Hong Kong.”

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The office said Lai’s sentence represented not only the fulfillment of justice, but also a clear warning to anyone who attempts to challenge legal boundaries.

“Jimmy Lai’s sentence reflects the severity of his horrific crimes. The evidence presented at the trial was overwhelming and conclusive,” it said.

The office said Lai for years incited social unrest by manipulating public opinion, actively lobbied Western governments to impose so-called “sanctions” against both the central government and the Hong Kong SAR government, and persisted in activities aimed at destabilizing Hong Kong even after the HKSAR National Security Law had taken effect.

In meetings with US politicians, Lai appealed for foreign intervention in Hong Kong affairs and had no qualms about publicly stating that he was fighting for the United State, even when being called a “traitor”, the office said.

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These actions far exceeded the bounds of protected speech, violated the rule of law and social order, jeopardized Hong Kong’s stability and prosperity, and breached the fundamental principle of “one country, two systems”—amounting to serious criminal offenses that threatened national security, it added.

The office said Lai’s trial was closely observed not only by members of the public and the press, but also by a number of foreign consular officials, who witnessed the trial in person.

Conducted without external influence, the proceedings adhered to rigorous standards of fairness, were grounded in clear facts and robust evidence, and culminated in a legally sound verdict, it added.