Lam Wing-kee, one of the five Hong Kong booksellers abducted by and detained in China for selling materials critical of Beijing’s political elite, voiced his support for Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai. “The more they try to humiliate Lai, the stronger he gets. To us, the humiliation does not exist. It only proves the cruelty of the regime,” said Lam.

The 73-year-old pro-democracy media tycoon was remanded in custody over alleged fraud and violation of the national security law while awaiting trial in April next year.

Lam, owner of Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay Books who fled to Taiwan last year, said it is no surprise that the Hong Kong authorities treated Lai as though he is a dangerous criminal, handcuffing him to a chain around his waist during appearances in court and detaining him in the Stanley Prison, the city’s largest maximum-security prison.

Speaking from Taipei, where he has set up a new bookshop this year, the bookseller likened Lai to the late Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo. Both dissidents paid a huge price for their resistance. “I feel like he has great inner strength and persists in his beliefs. I believe he has enough will to survive the ordeal,” said Lam, noting that Lai is also a Christian.

Having been detained by the Chinese authorities himself in 2015, Lam said it is impossible for him not to flee out of fear. He therefore found Lai, who has now become a symbolic figure of Hong Kong, very courageous for staying behind and facing the consequence. “He suffered and paid a huge price for us. He reminds us, Hong Kong people, that we should do something as well.”

Lam feared that the authorities would add further charges to keep Lai in prison. “I am of course pessimistic about the future,” he said.

He also worried that the outspoken media mogul might be extradited to China, where “the so-called trial is only a process.” “I hope he can stand strong,” he said.

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