Keir Starmer said he would “raise the issues that need to be raised” on human rights with Xi Jinping

Keir Starmer said in January that he would bring up human-rights concerns with Chinese President Xi Jinping during their meeting. Around that issue, Auxiliary Bishop James Curry of Westminster has written to Andy Burnham asking him to press for the release of Jimmy Lai, a British Catholic citizen and former Apple Daily publisher sentenced to 20 years under Hong Kong’s national security laws. Lai, 78, ran the pro-democracy newspaper before police searched it and froze its assets in 2021; he pleaded not guilty to conspiracy charges. Curry and Lai’s daughter say his health has declined in custody. Curry’s letter also notes that about 200,000 Hong Kong migrants have come to the UK since 2020.