TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Tuesday said Taiwan stands with Jimmy Lai and others defending freedom, warning that Hong Kong’s experience shows democracy and liberty are never guaranteed.
The president said that Lai’s 20-year sentence under the Hong Kong national security law once again proves that Beijing’s claim of “one country, two systems” is long defunct, per CNA. He said the judiciary has “become a tool for depriving people of liberty, suppressing freedom of speech and press, and denying people their right to hold authorities accountable.”
He said Lai had long spoken out for freedom and democracy, but endured more than five years of detention and a two-year trial. This, he said, shows Chinese authorities have betrayed the Sino-British Joint Declaration and are seeking to create a chilling effect, posing a serious threat to universal values supported by the international community.
The president said that “Hong Kong’s experience is a painful warning, reminding everyone that democracy and freedom are never guaranteed.” He again called on Beijing to immediately release Lai and to stop using the judiciary as a cover for political persecution.
He also urged the international community to remain vigilant against the expansion of totalitarianism and its impact on universal human rights. The president said Taiwan will continue to uphold democratic values and stand shoulder to shoulder with international partners to defend its hard-won freedoms.
