In a new letter sent to the White House today, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Senator Rick Scott (R-FL), and 105 other members of Congress urged President Trump to again advocate for Hong Kong political prisoner Jimmy Lai by asking for his humanitarian release during his upcoming meeting with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) President Xi Jinping.

                “Given Jimmy Lai’s advanced age and ailing health, we urge President Trump—a tenacious, vocal advocate for Jimmy’s freedom—to again raise Jimmy’s case and call for his humanitarian release during his upcoming meeting with General Secretary Xi Jinping,” said Smith, the Co-Chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC).

                “President Trump has an incredible, rare opportunity to speak to Xi, face-to-face, and personally ask him to free Jimmy Lai. The Lai family, and all advocates for free speech and democracy, would be eternally grateful if President Trump secured Jimmy’s release,” the China policy expert continued.

                In the letter, first obtained by the Washington Post, the group of bipartisan, bicameral lawmakers stressed the dire state of Lai’s deteriorating health and emphasized the necessity of his release: “On February 9, 2026, Mr. Lai—now 78—was sentenced to 20 years in prison under Hong Kong’s National Security Law. Given his age and condition, this sentence amounts to spending the rest of his life behind bars.

                “His health has declined in custody, and prolonged isolation and inadequate prison conditions only increase the risk of permanent harm,” the authors continued.

                The U.S. lawmakers—representing both sides of the aisle—also underscored the symbolic significance of Lai’s release, which would function as “a clear, practical path forward that reunites a family and prevents this case from becoming an irreversible tragedy—and an enduring symbol of repression that will echo far beyond Hong Kong.”

                At the conclusion of their letter, the lawmakers appealed to President Trump—who, in the past, has strongly advocated for Lai’s freedom—and asked him to intervene on the Lai family’s behalf: “Your direct engagement is critical to securing Mr. Lai’s immediate release on humanitarian parole, so he can receive appropriate medical care and reunite with his family.”

                Smith, a leading human rights lawmaker, has been a vocal and persistent advocate for 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.

                To increase international scrutiny of Jimmy Lai’s unjust imprisonment and sentencing, Smith brought Lai’s daughter, Claire, as his guest to President Trump’s 2026 State of the Union address. Lai’s son, Sebastien, also testified at Smith’s 2023 CECC hearing, entitled “One City, Two Legal Systems: Political Prisoners and the Erosion of the Rule of Law in Hong Kong.”

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