Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Co-Chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), will host Claire Lai—the daughter of democracy and free speech champion, Jimmy Lai—at President Trump’s 2026 State of the Union address.

             “My wife, Marie, gave Claire her ticket to the State of the Union, because we are so deeply inspired by her courageous and tenacious campaign to obtain the release of her father—the Hong Kong free speech and religious liberty hero—Jimmy Lai,” said Rep. Chris Smith, the prime author of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act (HR 3289).

             “She and her brother, Sebastien—who testified at a 2023 congressional hearing I chaired on Jimmy Lai—have been absolutely amazing in their past and ongoing appeal to Xi Jinping to release their dad. They love and respect their father so much, which further inspires us all to act—including President Trump, who has raised Jimmy Lai’s unjust incarceration numerous times.”

             Over the past six years, Rep. Smith has been a vocal advocate for Jimmy Lai’s release, authoring legislation (HR 2522) and chairing numerous congressional hearings to raise awareness of his case and condemn the CCP’s corruption of Hong Kong’s judicial system.

             “Earlier this month, a CCP-controlled Hong Kong court unconscionably sentenced Jimmy Lai, a 78-year-old, to serve 20 years in a maximum-security prison; functionally, a life sentence. The only ‘crime’ that Jimmy committed was telling the truth, which is why we must remain resolute in our efforts to raise awareness of this grave injustice and to call for his immediate release.”

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