Claire Lai, daughter of Jimmy Lai – jailed Hong Kong media mogul and pro-democracy advocate, is expected to attend President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday night (local time).
She will be there as a guest of House Speaker Mike Johnson, according to the New York Times. Johnson said bringing Claire to the Capitol shows that “America is determined to secure Jimmy’s release,” and praised her for showing “extraordinary courage.”
Talking about Jimmy, Johnson said, “Jimmy Lai has devoted his career to championing democracy in Hong Kong, steadfastly fighting for the freedoms we too often take for granted in America.”
“Today, however, he sits in a Chinese prison cell for simply defending free speech and speaking out against the totalitarian repression of the Chinese Communist Party.”
Jimmy Lai case
In December last year, Jimmy Lai was found guilty of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces in the city’s highest-profile trial under a China-imposed national security law that could see him jailed for life.
The landmark case drew international scrutiny of Hong Kong’s judicial independence amid a years-long crackdown on rights and freedoms in the global financial hub after 2019 pro-democracy protests that Beijing saw as a challenge to its rule.
Claire Lai appealed for her 78-year-old father’s freedom following the verdict in Hong Kong and had said that he would devote himself to God and his family rather than political activism if he were released.
Who is Claire Lai?
Over the years, Claire Lai has emerged as a resolute and articulate voice on the international stage,
While her father remains behind bars serving what has been described as a “death sentence” due to his advanced age and failing health, Claire has transitioned from a private life into a prominent role as a writer, advocate, and the public face of the campaign for his release.
A frequent contributor to publications like UnHerd and The Washington Post, Claire’s work often bridges the gap between personal narrative and geopolitical analysis.
She provides an intimate perspective on the human cost of Hong Kong’s National Security Law, detailing not only the legal battles but also the physical and emotional toll of her father’s five-year incarceration.
In high-profile forums—ranging from news conferences in Washington DC to interviews with major global outlets—Claire has become an essential narrator for those following the erosion of press freedom in Hong Kong.
She often emphasizes the importance of faith and family, noting that her father’s current focus is on “divine providence” and a desire for a quiet life with his loved ones.
By framing the struggle for her father’s freedom as a humanitarian necessity rather than just a political one, Claire Lai has successfully kept her story at the forefront of the global human rights conversation.
The invite to Trump’s State of the Union
Claire and her brother Sebastien were invited to the annual address by Speaker Johnson, with help from Representative Christopher H. Smith of New Jersey, who has long supported Jimmy Lai’s cause.
Smith noted that Claire and her brother Sebastien have been persistent in appealing directly to Chinese leader Xi Jinping for their father’s release. Sebastien testified at a 2023 congressional hearing Smith chaired.
According to a NYT report, in January, Johnson called for Jimmy’s release at the British Parliament and said that liberty depends on protecting unpopular opinions and that “the best solution to the problem of free speech is always more speech.”
