Pro-democracy figures remain defiant as Hong Kong faces national security law

As Hong Kong faces a potential exodus now the national security law is in place, several high-profile pro-democracy figures are remaining defiant.

One of them is Jimmy Lai, the millionaire media mogul and owner of pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, who insists he is staying put in the former British colony, just minutes after the national security law came into effect, on June 30th.

Beijing's national security law prohibits secession, subversion, terrorism and foreign collusion, with potential life sentences for those caught breaking it.

“It’s definitely the death now of Hong Kong. Whether we are now China or Xinjiang, we just have to see what happens,” he told the Telegraph.

“I think Beijing’s long-term plan has been to control and subdue Hong Kong,” he added.

Pro-democracy figures reacted quickly to the announcement, with the four leaders of activist group Demosisto resigning. One of those, Nathan Law, decided to leave Hong Kong altogether.

Mr Lai is also a British citizen and is a resident of Taiwan, but despite his multi-national citizenship, the tycoon admitted he isn’t allowed to leave Hong Kong anyway, because he’s facing six criminal charges within the city.

The charges include inciting others to participate in an unauthorised assembly from a protest in 2019.

But he insisted even if he were allowed to leave, he would not.

“If I leave I would disgrace myself and undermine the democratic movement. I would be a fool to leave. I will be here in Hong Kong until the last day,” he said in defiance.

But Mr Lai says that if "the situation gets worse" his wife and children will have to leave.

With the national security law strictly prohibiting foreign interference and subversion, Mr Lai said he could still face jail in Hong Kong, or even worse in mainland China.

“The law can be interpreted that whoever has approached foreign politicians or governments, would be labelled as subversion."

Mr Lai - who has met senior White House figures including Mike Pence and Mike Pompeo - fears he could be a target.

"People like me who have met so many politicians, like Pompeo, Pence - if the law is retroactive - I will be in hell, “ he nervously laughed.

In May, Mr Lai publicly appealed to US President Donald Trump for help and even published a plea for Mr Trump to intervene on the front page of a Sunday edition of his Apple Daily newspaper.

The millionaire believes Mr Trump is the kind of person China really fears because he plays "hardball". He expects to see the "start of bigger sanctioning and decoupling against China".

Mr Lai came to Hong Kong as a 13-year-old refugee from Guangzhou, mainland China, in the 1960s. He has been a target for Beijing since the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, which inspired him to distribute pro-student t-shirts manufactured by his company, Giordano. He had to close the company after Beijing exerted pressure.

Even today, he says he is never left alone.

“They send cars to follow me, intimidate me, they have people telling me it’s not just prison for life, I can be shot also,” he says.

But Mr Lai, 72, still works from his Apple Daily second-floor office in Hong Kong’s New Territories. The newspaper also has an office in Taiwan, correspondents in the US and has recently launched an English-version online.

“The situation is more dangerous now than Giordano. Apple Daily is opposition media for 30 years. But I have decided not to worry about it. Whatever happens, we will have to face it,” Mr Lai said.

In light of the new security law, two British-based banks, HSBC and Standard Chartered have recently endorsed Beijing’s decision, despite the UK government’s disagreement with the law.

Mr Lai explained that banks are in a "dilemma" because they make most of the money in Hong Kong, and if they do not comply with the law the banks will be "diminished".

Protesters and police recently clashed during street demonstrations on July 1st in the city, the day after the new law became active. The date also coincided with the handover anniversary from Britain, 23 years ago.

Whilst this was happening, in Westminster Boris Johnson confirmed that approximately three million Hong Kong residents would be offered the chance to settle in the UK by using their British National Overseas (BNO) status.

China has recently responded to the offer accusing the UK of "gross interference".

Currently, there are 350,000 BNOs in Hong Kong, with a further 2.6 million still eligible. BNOs are only available for residents who were born before 1997, when Hong Kong was handed back to the UK.

“I think the BNO is the greatest sanction against China. It is something good for Hong Kong people, but the UK is doing something in necessity for itself. After Brexit, a lot of non-English professionals would have to leave, so for Hong Kong people to replace the vacuum it is perfect,” Mr Lai said.

But Mr Lai stressed more should be done for the younger generation in Hong Kong, too.

“Those are the kids at the frontier fighting, those are the kids who need it the most,” he added.

Despite the UK offering an escape route for millions of Hong Kong citizens, Mr Lai says the national security law has greatly damaged the democratic movement.

“A lot of people have left or are planning migration. We will become a much smaller group, we have to stand firm and be prepared to go to prison,” he added.

But the pro-democracy leading figure shrugged off any worries about being extradited.

“I don’t think about this. I cannot back down. I’ve had a wonderful life and it’s clear to me your life isn’t about yourself."