From Fox News · Newt Gingrich · · 1m 20s
Newt Gingrich: Xi Should Bring Jimmy Lai to Washington
Xi Jinping's Washington visit could include Jimmy Lai, a Hong Kong democracy advocate jailed for 20 years.
In brief
Xi Jinping's Washington visit could include Jimmy Lai, a Hong Kong democracy advocate jailed for 20 years. Chinese President Xi Jinping should bring Jimmy Lai, a Hong Kong democracy advocate jailed for 20 years, to Washington for release during his upcoming meeting with President Trump. Originally reported by Fox News.
Newt Gingrich's proposal
Newt Gingrich suggests Chinese President Xi Jinping bring Jimmy Lai to Washington during his upcoming meeting with President Trump.
Jimmy Lai's imprisonment
Jimmy Lai, 78, a British Catholic newspaper publisher, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in February 2026 for national security and sedition offenses.
Lai's detention context
Lai's detention is seen as an example of the Chinese Communist Party silencing public dissent in Hong Kong, nearly universally rejected by the Western world.
Trump's stance on Lai
President Trump has called for Lai's release since 2024 and reportedly raised it with Xi during May meetings.
International pressure
The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and G7 countries have called for Lai's immediate release.
Lai's health and conditions
Lai has spent over five years in solitary confinement with health issues including diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart problems.
Gingrich's recommendation
Releasing Lai would signal good faith in U.S.-China relations without resolving trade or Taiwan disagreements.
The key point
Chinese President Xi Jinping should bring Jimmy Lai, a Hong Kong democracy advocate jailed for 20 years, to Washington for release during his upcoming meeting with President Trump.
