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China summons Western envoys in Hong Kong over Jimmy Lai sentencing criticism

By Thomson Reuters Feb 14, 2026 | 2:14 AM

BEIJING, Feb 14 (Reuters) – China’s foreign ministry commissioner’s office in Hong ​Kong said on ‌Saturday it had summoned the heads of the UK, U.S., Australian and European ‌Union ​missions over ⁠their officials’ negative ⁠comments on Jimmy Lai’s sentencing.

The office said it expressed “strong dissatisfaction and ​firm opposition” and urged those governments to ⁠respect China’s ⁠sovereignty and Hong ​Kong’s rule of law, stop “irresponsible” ​remarks on national security ‌cases and cease interfering in Hong Kong and China’s internal affairs.

Earlier ⁠this month, a Hong Kong court sentenced Lai, a ⁠prominent ‌China critic and ⁠former media tycoon, ​to ‌20 years in prison ​in ⁠a landmark foreign‑collusion case under the city’s national security law.

(Reporting by Beijing newsroom; Editing by Lincoln ​Feast.)