<\/p>\n
Donald Trump has said he wants Chinese leader Xi Jinping to release Jimmy Lai as he voiced sadness over the Hong Kong media mogul\u2019s conviction<\/a> on national security charges.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel so badly. I spoke to President Xi about it, and I asked to consider his release,\u201d Trump told reporters on Monday, without specifying when he asked Xi.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s an older man, and he\u2019s not well. So I did put that request out. We\u2019ll see what happens.\u201d<\/p>\n The US president had said before he returned to the White House that he wanted to free Lai, a businessman who launched the pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily.<\/p>\n Trump met with Xi in October in South Korea, where he is believed to have raised Lai\u2019s case.<\/p>\n The US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, said on X shortly after Trump\u2019s remarks that the Hong Kong<\/a> verdict showed China\u2019s determination to \u201csilence those who seek to protect freedom of speech and other fundamental rights\u201d.<\/p>\n He noted that China<\/a> promised to uphold a separate system before Britain handed over the financial hub in 1997.<\/p>\n \u201cReports indicate that Mr Lai\u2019s health has severely deteriorated<\/a> during more than 1,800 days in prison,\u201d Rubio said in a statement.<\/p>\n \u201cWe urge the authorities to bring this ordeal to an end as soon as possible and to release Mr Lai on humanitarian grounds.\u201d<\/p>\n