On Dec. 18, The Wall Street Journal published a letter from the spokesperson of the Commissioner's Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), refuting a recent negative editorial by the paper concerning the Jimmy Lai case. The letter pointed out that Jimmy Lai's collusion with external forces has seriously endangered national security, and that the editorial's defense of him is utterly absurd. It emphasized that the trial of Jimmy Lai's case lasted over 150 days, with a judgment spanning 855 pages, fully demonstrating the rigor and fairness of the judicial process.
The letter also criticized the editorial for calling on foreign governments to exert diplomatic pressure to interfere with the judiciary of the HKSAR, stating that such actions trample on China's national sovereignty and violate international law. The letter unequivocally warned The Wall Street Journal that the rule of law is not a bargaining chip, and the red line of national security cannot be challenged.
The full text of the letter is provided below:
To the Editorial Board of The Wall Street Journal:
Your December 15th editorial, "After the Jimmy Lai Verdict", has truly reached new heights of absurdity. It slanders this judgment as a "show trial", glorifies Jimmy Lai yet again as "a newspaper owner passionate about freedom", downplays his collusion with external forces as merely "rallying support", while completely turning a blind eye to his calls for foreign sanctions against China and his public declaration to "fight for America". We wonder: would your editors dare to openly urge foreign nations to impose sanctions on the United States or declare themselves "fighting" for another country? Despite a trial spanning over 150 days and an 855-page verdict, you are still insisting there is "no serious evidence". Such an editorial is itself a "show editorial".
Unable to find fault with the judicial process, you instead are pinning your hopes for Jimmy Lai on so-called "diplomatic discussions". You openly call on U.S. and UK leaders to pressure China, arrogantly claim that "freeing Jimmy Lai would be a favor to Beijing" and even take pains to draft some talking points for the leaders. Calling for Jimmy Lai's release through pressure is an insult both to the rule of law and to diplomacy.
Your carefully orchestrated "diplomatic script" is nothing but a fantasy that disregards international law and national sovereignty. We will have none of it. The rule of law is never up for sale, and the red line of national security is not up for challenge.
(Source of letter: Spokesperson of the Commissioner's Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the HKSAR)
Related News:
Comment