WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley issued the following press release:
Today, Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley-a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and past Chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC)-issued this statement following the sentencing of Jimmy Lai, an entrepreneur and democracy advocate in Hong Kong who has been imprisoned since 2020 under Beijing's National Security Law:
"Jimmy Lai's sentencing-for the 'crime' of journalism-should put to rest any illusion that the Chinese government will relent until it exercises total control over the people of Hong Kong.
"This sham trial, carried out via Hong Kong officials acting on China's behalf, is an attempt by the Chinese government t...