TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Imprisoned pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai (黎智英) testified in a Hong Kong court on Friday, denying accusations that he acted as an "agent" between the US and Taiwan to influence foreign policy on China.

Prosecutors allege the 77-year-old facilitated meetings between US officials and former Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), according to the Hong Kong Free Press. Lai has been in prison since 2020, facing charges of conspiring with foreign powers and publishing "seditious" content in the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper.

Lai rejected claims that he was an agent but admitted he was “happy” to help improve ties between the US and Taiwan. He explained that the Tsai administration sought insights into Washington's stance toward Taiwan during Donald Trump’s presidency in 2016.

Prosecutor Anthony Chau alleged that Lai paid retired US Army General Jack Keane and former US Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz over US$3.25 million (NT$ 101 million) for consulting services to Taiwan between 2017 and 2019. Chau also referenced James Cunningham, a former US consul general in Hong Kong, whom Lai recommended to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office and sought to set up a meeting for with Tsai in 2017, according to the South China Morning Post.

Lai testified that he introduced the former US officials to Taiwanese leaders to provide foreign policy advice. He also recommended that Taiwan pursue long-term trade agreements with the US rather than rely on "goodwill."

However, Lai emphasized that his efforts were transparent. "A middleman of the Taiwan government, you could put it this way, but that was not true… I was happy to help, but that doesn’t mean I’m a middleman," he said. Lai described his assistance to Taiwan as "one-way," maintaining that any influence on US policy was incidental and beyond his control.

The trial is set to resume on Tuesday.