jimmy lai

In China, We Pray Trump Will Advocate For Jimmy Lai and Other Imprisoned Christians

President Trump’s historic visit to China this week to meet with Xi Jinping has featured colorful pomp and pageantry, including red carpets, brass bands, even cheering and smiling children waving flags.

At a banquet inside China’s Great Hall of the People, the summit also included warm and friendly toasts between the leaders.

“Our two countries should be partners rather than rivals,” said Xi Jinping. 

Having brought along more than a dozen top American CEOs and other corporate executives, Mr. Trump emphasized the longstanding business ties between the nations.

“This bond of commerce and respect stretches back 250 years as the foundation of a future that benefits both our nations,” he said. The president then prepared to raise his glass and concluded: “To the rich and enduring ties between the American and Chinese people – it’s a very special relationship and I want to thank you again.”

By “special,” President Trump is undoubtedly referring to America and China’s economic interdependence. Representing the world’s two largest economies, the United States utilizes and regularly relies on Chinese manufacturers, and the Middle Kingdom sells to American markets and heavily depends on our dollars.

Politically and spiritually speaking, though, the two nations are worlds apart.

While America is a constitutional republic with multiple parties and free elections, China is a one-party socialist republic governed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). 

While Americans enjoy broad religious freedoms, any religious expression in China is heavily regulated and controlled by the state and the CCP. In simple terms, China isn’t shy about arresting people who don’t comply with their onerous rules regarding faith expression, which includes being in a state-controlled registered church.

Back in 2000, a bipartisan United States government commission created what’s called the “Congressional-Executive Commission on China” (CECC) to monitor and keep track of human rights violations in the country. As you can imagine, it’s challenging to maintain these records due to the extreme level of secrecy within communist China. But according to the most recent data, upwards of 3,000 individuals are being held for expressing their basic human rights.

One such individual is Jimmy Lai, a devout believer in Jesus Christ and a firm defender of democracy — a toxic combination for Communist China.

Mr. Lai was born in China, escaped to Hong Kong and started a clothing store that eventually prospered. He then took those proceeds and launched several pro-democracy newspapers and magazines. 

Jimmy was eventually arrested in August of 2020 under China’s “National Security Law” — legislation intended to root out pro-democracy agitators and anyone whose behavior was deemed subversive.

Pastor Wang Yi is another Christian on the list. He was arrested for “inciting subversion of state power” at the Early Rain Covenant Church. He was sentenced to nine years in prison.

It’s not clear if President Trump or anyone within the United States delegation has or plans to bring up the plights of either Lai or Wang or the many other Christians being held in Chinese prisons – but we pray they will do so. When asked about Jimmy Lai in a previous interview, President Trump said, “I’m going to do everything I can to save him. We’ll see what we can do.”

Amidst the various pressing issues on the table in China – from the Iran war to Taiwan to companies eager to make trade deals – it’s easy to see why the plight of religious prisoners may not be capturing headlines.

Thankfully, we know the Lord is aware of those believers in China who are being held hostage because of their faith and unwillingness to bend a knee to the CCP. In fact, we also know Jesus anticipated oppression and situations like this would happen. That’s why He said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10, ESV).

We pray for Jimmy Lai, Pastor Yi, and all the Christians being persecuted. We also pray for the boldness of President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, that they would find an opening to appeal for greater religious freedom and the release of those currently being held hostage because of their Christian faith.

Jimmy Lai and the Cost of Convictions

A few weeks ago, a Chinese court sentenced businessman and politician Jimmy Lai to 20 years in jail. Because Lai is 78 years old, this amounts to a lifetime sentence.  

Of course, jailing dissidents is a standard operating procedure for Communist dictatorships, but Lai is no standard dissident. A billionaire with connections around the world, he could have escaped to Paris, the U.S., or the Caribbean. Instead, he chose to stay in his adopted home of Hong Kong, even after Beijing took control. As Mark Clifford put it in an appropriately named book about Lai, The Troublemaker: 

Instead of fleeing, he doubled down. In his last five months of freedom, he livestreamed weekly video programs featuring politicians, diplomats, journalists, and religious figures. He preferred to go to jail for freedom and democracy rather than abandon the city that, he says, “gave me everything.” 

Lai was born in the late 1940s between the end of World War II and the Chinese Revolution. As a child, his mother was persecuted by the Communist authorities, and he witnessed the beginnings of the state-sponsored famine of 1958 to 1962 that claimed tens of millions of lives. In search of a better life, he snuck into the British territory of Hong Kong with only a few dollars in his pocket. 

After sleeping on the floor of the textile factory where he worked, Lai eventually moved up to management and finally ownership. Self-made and self-taught, he continued to expand his business interests, even to the point of supplying department stores across the United States. Still not satisfied, Lai established a weekly magazine and a daily newspaper.  

Though both reflected a “if it bleeds, it leads” tabloid style of journalism, they also covered Lai’s growing philosophy about free markets, free elections, and free speech. Especially after his conversion to Christianity, Lai’s publications have defended democracy, freedom of religion, and human rights. 

When Britain handed Hong Kong to China in 1997, the deal made was known as “two systems, one country.” While China would remain Communist, Hong Kong would retain its unique liberties. Many in the West assumed that Beijing would never risk its golden goose by altering the deal. 

In 2020, as the world was distracted by Covid, the National Security Law was enforced in Hong Kong. Elections, freedom of the press and association, trials by jury, were among the rights dropped in the name of protecting citizens. All the while, Jimmy Lai stood for and with the people of Hong Kong. He supported Hong Kongers as they protested, not only with his media empire, but also with his financial backing, and even his physical presence on the streets.  

It’s difficult to understand why Beijing would demand such complete loyalty, but that’s a consistent characteristic of dictatorships. Dissent is not an option. Dissenters are punished. A worldview that embraces truth as being higher than the leader and the movement is its greatest threat. As Francis Schaeffer wrote, “No totalitarian authority nor authoritarian state can tolerate those who have an absolute by which to judge that state and its actions.” 

Given the geopolitical situation, and Beijing’s commitment to make an example of him, Lai is unlikely to ever again see the freedom for which he has fought for so long. We should pray for him in his confinement and ensure that his story is not forgotten to the world. And we should also imitate him by insisting on those things that are eternal and true. After all, every Christian is called to live out our convictions, even if it costs us as greatly as it has Jimmy Lai.