Trump Says He Discussed Political Prisoners With Xi

U.S. President Donald Trump said he discussed political prisoners with Chinese President Xi Jinping during their meeting in Washington last week, describing the talks as important and expressing hope they would prove fruitful. He announced no agreement on the detainees’ release, and the outcome of the discussions remains unclear. The remarks followed Xi’s visit and a meeting between the leaders. Trump told reporters Wednesday that the issue had come up, but his response did not identify any individual cases. Accounts differ on whether he named specific detainees when asked: some say he confirmed raising cases including Hong Kong publisher Jimmy Lai and U.S. citizen Min Zin, while others report he gave a general answer. In an interview, Trump said he discussed Lai and Min Zin with Xi. Lai, 78, founded the now-closed Apple Daily newspaper in Hong Kong. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison in February after convictions on charges involving collusion with foreign forces and publishing seditious material, according to the reports. His case has drawn international attention amid Hong Kong’s national security crackdown.