Jimmy Lai – From Clothing Tycoon to Freedom Fighter

By John Ogilvie

Jimmy Lai (left) at the US Capitol with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Hong Kong barrister Martin Lee (2019)

We normally don’t cover international figures on Backbone Australia, but I believe that the case of Jimmy Lai warrants special attention. His unyielding stand against oppression isn’t just a Hong Kong tale, it’s a universal call to arms for anyone who cherishes freedom. Lai’s defiance in the face of a ruthless regime should ignite inspiration worldwide, proving that one voice can challenge empires. His story must be heard, shared, and remembered.

Beginnings

Born in Canton (Guangzhou) in 1947 amid the Chinese Communist Party’s rise to power, Jimmy Lai escaped to Hong Kong at age 12, fleeing poverty and seeking opportunity. Starting as a child laborer in a garment factory earning pennies, he was fueled by the promise of a better future.

He eventually rose through the ranks to become a factory manager. He eventually used his savings to purchase a bankrupt garment factory called Comitex. He began producing and exporting sweaters for major US clothing retailers like J.C. Penney and Montgomery Ward. In 1981, he founded Giordano International, a casual clothing chain that revolutionized retail in Asia by incentivising salespeople with financial rewards. Under his leadership, Giordano expanded to over 2,400 stores across 30 countries, employing over 8,000 people.

It was also around this time that Lai discovered The Road to Serfdom by libertarian philosopher and economist Friedrich Hayek. He later said it “changed my life,” inspiring him to reject an “unreflective, hedonistic lifestyle” and pursue a path of principled entrepreneurship unbound by state interference. Hayek’s emphasis on spontaneous order, the idea that societal progress emerges from the free exchange of ideas and actions among individuals, became central to Lai’s philosophy. He internalized this as Hong Kong’s core strength: a vibrant, bottom-up society driven by “people’s spontaneous reaction” and the “exchange of information,” rather than top-down mandates.

While the clothing business was going well, a seismic event soon redirected his path, turning a successful entrepreneur into a fearless crusader.

Tiananmen Square Massacre

In the spring of 1989, brave demonstrators flooded Beijing’s streets, demanding democracy, free speech, press freedom, and association rights. The Chinese government’s response? A savage crackdown that slaughtered thousands, etching a scar on history.

This atrocity transformed Lai, propelling him from boardrooms to barricades as a fierce democracy advocate and CCP critic. It was the spark that ignited his lifelong battle for liberty.

Media Empire & Apple Daily

Seizing the moment, Lai launched Next Magazine in 1990, blending tabloid flair with hard-hitting political investigations. Success bred more: Sudden Weekly, Eat & Travel Weekly , and Easy Finder followed.

As Hong Kong’s 1997 handover to China loomed, Lai poured HK$100 million of his fortune into Apple Daily in 1995. It exploded to become the city’s second-largest newspaper, boasting 400,000 in circulation by 1997. Unflinchingly pro-democracy and anti-communist, it exposed corruption among elites and officials, championing free expression with bold headlines and fearless reporting.

Lai expanded his media empire to Taiwan, launching local editions of Next Magazine (2001) and Apple Daily (2003), which disrupted the market despite boycotts and vandalism from rivals. By 2006, his publications dominated circulation in both regions. However, his outspoken criticism, such as a 1994 column calling Chinese Premier Li Peng to “drop dead” and labeling the CCP a “monopoly,” led to bans in mainland China, advertiser boycotts, and the forced closure of Giordano stores there. In 2020, Lai introduced an English-language edition of Apple Daily , further amplifying his reach.

Lai sold his stake in Giordano in 1996 to focus fully on media and politics.

Democracy Activism

Jimmy Lai and Martin Lee at 1 July marches, 2013

Jimmy Lai became a major financial backer of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy camp, particularly the Democratic Party, donating millions to support candidates and causes. His Giordano stores even sold T-shirts featuring portraits of student leaders from the Tiananmen protests.

Lai was a fixture at major demonstrations. In 2013, he joined pro-democracy marches alongside figures like Martin Lee. During the 2014 Umbrella Movement, a 79-day occupation protesting Beijing’s influence over Hong Kong elections, he was arrested while participating on the front lines, using umbrellas to fend off police pepper spray. Apple Daily provided sympathetic coverage, distributing stickers and running articles urging resistance.

His activism intensified during the 2019 pro-democracy protests, sparked by a controversial extradition bill. Lai openly supported the movement, meeting with U.S. officials like Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and National Security Advisor John Bolton to discuss Hong Kong’s plight and advocate for shared democratic values against Chinese encroachment. He endorsed U.S. President Donald Trump in 2020, praising him as the only leader capable of countering Beijing’s influence. Even after arrests, Lai attended banned Tiananmen Square vigils, including in 2020, demonstrating unwavering commitment. As a devout Catholic and advocate for religious freedom, he framed his fight as a moral imperative, once stating that his work was about defending human rights for all Hongkongers.

Prosecution

Final issue of the Apple Daily (June 2021)

In June 2020, the Hong Kong National Security Law (NSL) was imposed by Beijing. The NSL criminalizes secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with foreign forces, with penalties up to life imprisonment. It was enacted by decree, bypassing Hong Kong’s legislature, to address perceived threats to national security after failed attempts to pass similar legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law in 2003. Key provisions include trials in mainland China for select cases, Beijing’s interpretive authority, surveillance powers, and bans on convicted individuals from public office. Under the wording of the law, it is very easy for critics of the Chinese Government to be criminally prosecuted.

Being a high-profile critic of the CCP, this is exactly what happened to Jimmy Lai. He was arrested in August 2020 under the NSL for collusion and fraud. The Apple Daily itself was forced to close in June 2021 due to the sweeping new powers introduced by the CCP. Prosecutors accused him of conspiring with Apple Daily staff and activists to lobby foreign governments for sanctions against Hong Kong and China, using his media platform to publish “seditious” materials. After a protracted trial, he was convicted in December 2025 of two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and one count of seditious publication.

On February 9th 2026, Jimmy Lai was sentenced to 20 years in prison. At the age of 78, this almost certainly means that he will spend the rest of his life as a political prisoner.

Why did the CCP crack down so hard on Jimmy Lai, and Hong Kong in general? While there are multiple reasons, one that doesn’t get enough attention is the fact that Hong Kong’s mere existence (in its previous form) threatened the CCP’s regime.

The standard of living in Hong Kong is, on average, much better than in mainland China. For example, Hong Kong’s GDP per capita is several times higher than the PRC’s. All of this was achieved without the tyrannical top-down control seen in mainland China. The same thing can be seen in Taiwan, a liberal democratic country that shares much of its culture with China, yet has a much higher standard of living.

Hong Kong’s success demonstrated that a Chinese society could thrive without the CCP’s authoritarian oversight, potentially inspiring dissent or calls for reform on the mainland. Eradicating Hong Kong’s liberties was essential to safeguarding the CCP’s grip.

Lessons

Jimmy Lai’s epic tale isn’t one of despair, it’s a rallying cry. He wouldn’t want us defeated; he’d urge us to rise. His journey should galvanize freedom-lovers everywhere to speak truth to power.

The CCP feared Lai because his words alone threatened their iron rule. They deployed vast resources to muzzle him, proof that one voice can shake foundations.

Wealthy and connected, Lai could have escaped to safety in Taiwan, Japan, the UK, or the US. Instead, he stood firm, embodying rare courage and sacrifice in a world too often silent.

Jimmy Lai is a true hero. Let his unbreakable spirit embolden us to confront authoritarianism head-on, wherever it lurks.

To learn more about Jimmy Lai, you can watch this documentary for free on YouTube.