HKSAR Government Condemns BBC for Misleading Report on Lai Chee-ying's Health and Court Conviction

HKSAR Government strongly condemns BBC for unfounded report on Lai Chee-ying's health condition

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government yesterday (January 1) strongly condemned the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) for the deliberate unfounded report on Lai Chee-ying's health condition in an attempt to fabricate facts to mislead the public by intentionally portraying Lai Chee-ying as a victim, with the aim of covering up his numerous wrongdoings and his conviction by the court.

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Photo source: AP news

Court's conviction verdict was entirely free from any political considerations

A spokesperson for the HKSAR Government said, "The court's reasons for verdict in Lai Chee-ying's case are 855 pages long, which are fully open for public inspection, and include the court's analysis of the relevant legal principles and evidence, as well as the reasons for convicting Lai Chee-ying and the three defendant companies in full detail. The court clearly pointed out in the reasons for verdict that Lai Chee-ying was not on trial for his political views or beliefs. The court's conviction verdict is well-founded and reasoned, fully demonstrating that the court has made its decision on the case strictly in accordance with the law and evidence, free from any interference, and absolutely free of any political considerations.

"The court clearly pointed out that Lai Chee-ying's only intent, whether pre or post Hong Kong National Security Law (HKNSL), was to seek the downfall of the Communist Party of China, even though the ultimate cost was the sacrifice of the interests of the people of the People's Republic of China and the HKSAR. Also, the court found that Lai Chee-ying was the mastermind of the conspiracies charged in all three counts, and his actions show his deliberate intent to pursue these conspiracies, which constituted a threat and harm to the national security in the PRC and the HKSAR."

The spokesperson stressed, "Hong Kong is a society underpinned by the rule of law and has always adhered to the principle that laws must be obeyed and lawbreakers be held accountable. Article 5 of the HKNSL and section 2 of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance clearly stipulate that the principle of the rule of law shall be adhered to in preventing, suppressing and imposing punishment for offences endangering national security. Any suggestion that certain individuals or organisations 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."

Lai Chee-ying, Photo source: Sing Tao Daily

Lai Chee-ying's health has been properly cared for

The spokesperson said, "The claims regarding Lai Chee-ying's health condition as reported by the BBC are false and extremely misleading. The HKSAR Government has pointed out time and again that the Correctional Services Department (CSD) handles the custodial arrangements for Lai Chee-ying in the same way as other persons-in-custody (PICs). The CSD attaches great importance to the safety and health of PICs. Regardless of the identities, ages and nationalities of PICs, the CSD is committed to ensuring that the custodial environment is secure, safe, humane, appropriate and healthy, which includes appropriate and timely medical support.

"The medical services received by Lai Chee-ying in custody are adequate and comprehensive. All correctional institutions have hospitals or sick bays staffed 24 hours a day by Medical Officers seconded from the Department of Health (DH) and correctional staff with professional nursing qualifications. Medical specialists from the Hospital Authority (HA) and the DH will visit correctional institutions on a regular basis to provide PICs with specialist consultation and treatment, including dental treatment. If PICs have dental health issues, the Medical Officer of the institution will refer them to dental specialists. In serious cases, PICs will be transferred immediately to a public hospital for treatment.

"During the public court hearing in August 2025, the senior counsel representing Lai Chee-ying clearly presented to the court that Lai Chee-ying had all along been receiving appropriate treatment and care in prison. The correctional institutions had been arranging daily medical checkups for Lai Chee-ying and that there had been no complaints at all regarding the medical services he was receiving, and the Court also commended the CSD. Moreover, on the day the court handed down its verdict on December 15, 2025, the senior counsel representing Lai Chee-ying stated, when responding to questions from the media, that everyone in the court could see clearly Lai Chee-ying's health condition.

"The CSD provided dental treatment for Lai Chee-ying in 2021 and 2022 based on his needs. Since then, Lai Chee-ying has had no dental health problems nor made any further requests for dental treatment. Separately, in 2025, Lai Chee-ying notified the CSD of problems with his nails, but he has since fully recovered after treatment with ointment prescribed by the Medical Officer of the institution, with no nail loss as alleged in the media reports. In August 2025, before the public hearing, the CSD arranged for Lai Chee-ying to wear a cardiac monitoring device and prescribed heart medication for his claimed heart palpitations, to be used as needed. Since then and up till the present moment, Lai Chee-ying has made no further complaints about his heart palpitations to the CSD. It must be stressed that the allegations made by Lai Chee-ying's daughter and relevant media reports, including those by the BBC, are completely baseless."

The spokesperson pointed out, "Certain individuals with ulterior motives, including Lai Chee-ying's family members and certain media, have ignored these facts and continue to spread lies and engage in despicable acts. Recently, Lai Chee-ying's daughter has repeatedly attempted to maliciously smear the HKSAR Government and the CSD, misleading the public to believing that Lai Chee-ying's detention and medical arrangements are poor. Their malicious intentions are obvious. The HKSAR Government strongly opposes and condemns such acts."

The Central Government Offices, Photo source: reference image

HKETO, Washington DC hosts "Hong Kong at the Movies"

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Washington DC (HKETO, Washington DC) presented a four-day film series titled "Hong Kong at the Movies" from March 23 (Washington time) for members of the Washington community, including members of the Federal government of the United States (US), congress, business associations, professional bodies, think tanks, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), private sector entities, diplomatic corps, and the local Hong Kong community.

The film series featured some of Hong Kong's most celebrated films, spanning genres from romance and drama to kung fu and science fiction. The event started with a special 25th anniversary screening of Wong Kar-wai's lavish "In the Mood for Love". Other films included Hong Kong's box office smash hit "The Last Dance", Stephen Chow's relentless slapstick comedy "Kung Fu Hustle", and the recent Hong Kong sensation "Back to the Past".

Addressing guests at the film screening, the Director of the HKETO, Washington DC, Ms Elania Luk, said that the film series was a good opportunity for the Washington DC community to know more about different facets of Hong Kong and its people through the lens of the film industry. "Hong Kong's creative talents draw us together through arts. The imaginations of our ingenious filmmakers, actors and choreographers have indelibly shaped global popular culture, particularly in the US, thanks to cinematic icons ranging from Bruce Lee to John Woo," Ms Luk said.

Ms Luk added that the film industry is an integral part of Hong Kong's status as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. She said that this year's Entertainment Expo Hong Kong, which coincides with the film series, marks key milestones of two of its founding events: the 30th anniversary of FILMART and the 50th anniversary of the Hong Kong International Film Festival. She noted that these flagship events reflect the creativity, economic influence, and international recognition of Hong Kong's storied entertainment sector. The film series also coincides with Art March, an art month in Hong Kong, bringing together various world-renowned arts and cultural summits, screenings, and performances.

Ms Luk went on to highlight the Government's complementary role in supporting the film industry through various initiatives to nurture talent, enhance production, expand markets, and build audiences.

In addition, to promote Hong Kong's unique food culture, attendees at each film screening were served a variety of Hong Kong street foods and local drinks, bringing Hong Kong cuisine to the taste buds of the Washington community. Attendees of the last screening also enjoyed an exhibition of curated paintings under the theme "Hong Kong food and drinks". The paintings were commissioned by the Social Welfare Department under the Arts Development Fund for Persons with Disabilities, in collaboration with various NGOs. The paintings, among other things, exemplify the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government's efforts in unleashing the potential of persons with disabilities in artistic activities and their contribution to society. The total "Hong Kong experience" brought by the film series was well regarded by attendees.

The film series ran on March 23, 25, and 30 and April 1 at the AMC Georgetown cinema in Washington DC.

HKETO, Washington DC hosts "Hong Kong at the Movies" Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

HKETO, Washington DC hosts "Hong Kong at the Movies" Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

HKETO, Washington DC hosts "Hong Kong at the Movies" Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

HKETO, Washington DC hosts "Hong Kong at the Movies" Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

HKETO, Washington DC hosts "Hong Kong at the Movies" Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases