Jimmy Lai’s sentence a wake-up call, civic groups sayBy Fion Khan / Staff writer, with agenciesHong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai’s (黎智英) trial is a wake-up call to Taiwan and the free world, civic groups said today, warning that Taiwan should be aware that the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) authoritarian red line would only continue to expand. Lai’s sentence, the heaviest so far under China-imposed national security legislation, has drawn widespread criticism. Hong Kong would not be the last victim, he said, urging people to continue watching the territory and Lai’s case to safeguard democracy. The national security legislation was a "legal shield" that had "neutralized this major threat" and restored order, the white paper said. Hong Kong's practice of safeguarding national security had "consolidated the security foundation" of the territory’s "one country, two systems" governance model and "further enriched China's national security system,” it added.

Source: Taipei Times February 10, 2026 11:57 UTC