Sebastian Lai discusses father's imprisonment

As President Xi Jinping meets with President Trump, attention

is also turning to

the fate of jailed Hong Kong pro-democracy activist and

publisher, Jimmy Lai. His family is making a renewed push for his

release. Joining me now is Sebastian Lai, the son of the

baptized Catholic and jailed Hong Kong businessman

and publisher,

Jimmy Lai. Sebastian, thank you so much for joining us today.

Thank you so much for having me.

You have made a very emotional plea for your father to be released and allowed to

come home. What do you want President Trump

and President Xi Jinping to

understand about what your father and family are going through right now?

It's, um,

it's, it's, it's,

it's horrible, you know? Uh, he's been in solitary confinement for six

years in a

maximum security prison, uh, six years by the end of this year.

Um, his health is, is, is failing. Um,

we don't know how much longer he has.

It's a, this is a 20-year sentence over his head,

so there's no way

he's gonna serve that.

China's President Xi is, of course, in Washington today to meet with President

Trump. What action do you want the US government

to take to help secure your

father's release?

We, we've been so grateful for the support

that we've received from the, uh, from

America and its, and its people. Uh, President Trump has been a real champion

of my

father's. Uh, and I just wanna thank him from the bottom

of my heart.

Uh, he has raised it, uh, um, twice already,

um, when he's met President Xi. Uh, I understand, uh, from

interview that he said that he, that he will, uh, um,

that he's not a man who gives

out. He, he, he will, he'll keep being on the case.

I, I, I really do wish that he raises it again.

Uh, and makes it very clear to Xi Jinping

that there's no, there's no upside in

keeping my father in prison. It's, it's, it's all downside.

And if he dies-

Mm

... well, that, that would be a, a tremendous and disgraceful, uh,

thing that

China and, uh, uh, and Hong Kong would've done.

Absolutely. And so many people have that sentiment too, that they

are making sort

of a modern-day martyr out of your father.

When looking at your family, everyone is dealing with a lot.

Yeah.

Your sister now has a challenge with her health.

Yeah.

It's been six years, as you mentioned.

Do you have any more updates about how your father's doing?

Um, yeah. So my, my sister, uh, got, just recently got diagnosed with,

uh, with cancer.

Um, and you know, I just have... It's,

you know, I, I heard that my father found out about the news,

the news, and I, I

can't imagine how he,

how he must be feeling in, in, in, in solitary and, and,

you know, in Hong Kong not being able to be there

with his daughter to, to hold her

hand through this absolutely horrible time for her.

Do you have hope he'll be released?

And also, do you have a message for him if he possibly could have

ever been watching this, or for people who support him?

Um,

I,

I, I, I, I do have hope. I think if anybody can do it,

it would be President Trump,

who's released so many people, freed so many people around the world.

If I had a message for him, it would be how

incredibly proud I am of him, and how there's so many people around the

world that,

that, that, that pray for him and, and, um,

and to hang, hang on.

Our viewers, of course, know your father's story.

Be assured of their prayers.

Sebastian Lai, thank you so much for coming in today.

Thank you very much for having me.