Trump says he will ‘100%’ jail ex-Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai out of the country

US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has pledged to jail former Hong Kong media magnate Jimmy Lai Chee-ying abroad if elected.

Lai, the founder of the now-defunct tabloid newspaper Apple Daily, is behind bars in Stanley Maximum Security Prison awaiting the resumption of his national security trial. He is expected to take the witness stand next month to defend himself against charges of foreign collusion and sedition.

In an interview with conservative podcast host Hugh Hewitt last Thursday, Trump was asked if he would talk to Chinese President Xi Jinping about getting Lai out of the country if he wins the Nov. 5 presidential election.

“One hundred percent, yes,” Trump said. “I’m going to get him out. It will be easy to get out. But we don’t have people to even talk about it.”

The former US president also said he had done it before appealed to Xi after three American basketball players were arrested for shoplifting in the Chinese mainland city of Hangzhou during a college tournament in 2017.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Atlanta on Monday. Photo: Associated Press

The three UCLA players were later released and returned to the United States after the charges were dropped. At a press conference, they he admitted to stealingthey apologized for their actions and thanked the US government for intervening on their behalf.