Letter to The Wall Street Journal
11 February 2026
The Editor
The Wall Street Journal
Dear Editor,
Your opinion piece “Jimmy Lai Gets a Death Sentence” (9 February) appears to be based more on the selective memory of your Editorial Board rather than clear facts and realities on the ground in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
Given the serious nature of Lai Chee-ying’s case, he received a total sentence of 20 years' imprisonment. The heavy sentence clearly reflects the very serious nature of the offences committed by Lai. The court's judgment illustrates that the rule of law in Hong Kong is robust. Criminal acts will never be tolerated, and no one is above the law in the HKSAR.
While our court has ruled independently and strictly in accordance with the law, external forces chose to ignore the facts, and criticise the case as a so-called “political prosecution”. Notwithstanding the punishment, irreparable harm has already been inflicted on our society.
I wish to remind your Editorial Board that it was just a few short years ago when Hong Kong was in a state of frenzied radicalism during “black-clad violence”. Any suggestion that certain individuals should be immune from legal consequences for their illegal acts is no different from advocating a special privilege to break the law, and this totally runs contrary to the spirit of the rule of law.
Today, with stability restored, we are firmly back on the road to a bright new era of prosperity and global connectivity thanks to the enduring success of the “one country, two systems” policy, which continues to underpin the HKSAR’s enviable international rankings as well as our cherished reputation for being an open, vibrant and safe global metropolis.
Tang Ping-keung
Secretary for Security
The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region