As President Donald Trump holds two days of talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, Catholics worldwide are praying that the case of prominent Hong Kong Catholic Jimmy Lai, who has spent more than 1,900 days in prison, is raised and advanced towards his release.

President Trump confirmed on May 11 that he would discuss Lai’s imprisonment with President Xi during the summit, which began on May 13. The US President also mentioned the case of Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri of Zion Church, describing both men as “really innocent people” being held captive. Trump said he would raise the release of Lai and Pastor Jin with Xi during his Beijing visit, according to Catholic media reports.

As of May 14, no public update had emerged on whether Lai’s case was addressed on the first day of talks, which focused heavily on Iran, the Strait of Hormuz, trade and Taiwan. Contemporary reporting on the summit said the leaders discussed issues including Iran, Taiwan, trade and technology, but did not report a concrete outcome on Lai’s case.

Jimmy Lai, 78, the founder of the pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, was convicted on December 15, 2025 of conspiring to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security and conspiracy to publish seditious articles. On February 9, 2026, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He has consistently pleaded not guilty, with his family and supporters describing the proceedings as a politically motivated “show trial”. He remains in solitary confinement in Stanley Prison. Reports from February 2026 confirmed the 20-year sentence and said Lai had pleaded not guilty to the national security and sedition charges.

Lai, who fled mainland China as a poor refugee boy shortly after the Communist takeover and built a successful career in clothing and media in Hong Kong, converted to Catholicism in the years leading up to the 1997 British handover.

He became one of the most visible Catholic voices in the city’s pro-democracy movement and a sharp critic of Beijing’s tightening control. His newspaper, Apple Daily, was forced to close in 2021 under intense pressure.

His daughter Claire Lai told Aid to the Church in Need: “The only thing that saves him is his faith.” She added that in prison her father “looks for Christ’s hands nailed to the cross, in contrast to the closed fist that symbolises communism.” In letters from prison, Lai has expressed deep gratitude and trust in Divine Providence. In one prayer shared by his daughter, he wrote: “Oh Lord my God, let me not walk my own way without thinking of you… I seek your leave for everything I do and give myself wholly to you.”

His son Sebastien Lai told The Wall Street Journal on May 11 that the 20-year sentence on a 78-year-old man in poor health “is a death sentence” if he is not released. Both children have spoken publicly of their father’s profound faith sustaining him through harsh conditions, including attempts to disrupt his Friday fasting.

The case has drawn sustained international attention. Lawmakers from both US political parties have urged President Trump to press for Lai’s release, joining human rights organisations and religious freedom advocates. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned Lai’s sentence and described the case as Hong Kong’s largest media trial.

Lai’s witness has been particularly moving for Catholics. His daughter Claire has spoken of how his imprisonment has deepened his faith, teaching the family the meaning of “godly grief” as described by St Paul. She has compared his endurance to the examples of St John Paul II and other saints who faced persecution with courage rooted in Christ’s Cross.

As the Trump-Xi summit continues, with major issues including trade, technology and regional security on the agenda, many Catholics are hoping that the cause of this prominent lay Catholic – described by supporters as sincerely pious and a defender of truth, freedom and human dignity – will not be overlooked.

No immediate outcome regarding Jimmy Lai had been reported from the Beijing meetings as of May 14.