In the coming days, the Premier of China will be visiting New Zealand and Australia. This is significant, although the role of the Premier—nominally number two in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) hierarchy—is not quite as important as some may think. Much of the power is now deeply centralised in President Xi Jinping. Don’t get Read more
A national security trial in Hong Kong has dredged up two former New Zealand MPs names. They are former National MP Simon O’Connor and ex-Labour MP Louisa Wall. Jimmy Lai and Andy Li Catholic entrepreneur and democracy activist Jimmy Lai is on trial. He founded the popular pro-democracy Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily. He was Read more
The Catholic University of America (CUA) in Washington, DC, has installed a drawing of the Crucifixion by imprisoned Hong Kong Catholic and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai. Father Robert Sirico, a supporter and friend of Lai’s, said during the installation ceremony on Thursday that the sketch is a testimony “not just of Jimmy’s struggle but the Read more
The Hong Kong government has dismissed a petition from ten bishops to release the Catholic entrepreneur and democracy activist Jimmy Lai from prison. The government accused the bishops of using “distorted words” that verge on “contempt of court”. The Archbishop of New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop Anthony Fisher of Sydney, Archbishop John Wilson of Read more
A bipartisan congressional commission chaired by Rep Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, announced Thursday the nomination of six Hong Kongers, including Cardinal Joseph Zen and jailed Catholic media mogul Jimmy Lai, for the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts in the cause of human rights. “Jimmy Lai, Cardinal Joseph Zen, Tonyee Chow Hang-tung, Gwyneth Ho, Lee Read more