“Jimmy, his unique selling point, was that he was going to promote democracy,” said Mark Clifford, author of The Troublemaker: How Jimmy Lai Became a Billionaire, Hong Kong's Greatest Dissident, and China's Most Feared Critic. The book chronicles media tycoon Jimmy Lai’s life story and spotlights the decline of Hong Kong’s press freedom following the forced closure of Apple Daily, the Chinese-language newspaper Lai founded.
Clifford, who also serves as president of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation, told Rti that the now-defunct Apple Daily wasn’t just a newspaper — it was a phenomenon that reshaped Hong Kong’s media landscape through its bold design, vernacular appeal, and unapologetic political advocacy.
“They're kind of making up the characters to put them in writing,” Clifford said. “Jimmy just brought this incredible sense of energy, vibrancy, and ‘Hong Kong-ness [to the paper.]’”
Apple Daily was launched by then-retail tycoon Jimmy Lai in 1995 and quickly became the most-read Chinese-language newspaper in the former British colony. Over the years, the paper took a firm stance in support of the city’s pro-democracy movement and remained “fiercely independent” and critical of government misconduct. The newsroom was raided by authorities in 2020 and the paper was forced to shut down the following year, with Lai and five executives charged with “conspiracy to collude with foreign forces.”
Today, Lai remains in prison, awaiting a verdict from three Beijing-appointed national security judges. At age 77, he could face life imprisonment.
“While others were retreating under pressure from Beijing,” Clifford said, “Lai doubled down on democratic values. That stance became the paper’s brand — and its moat.”
As Lai’s high-profile trial continues in Hong Kong, The Troublemaker offers rare insight into the man behind the headlines. “Jimmy has an incredible story. It's the story of one man and his journey from poverty and political persecution in China to not just prosperity, but unimaginable wealth in Hong Kong,” Clifford remarked. “And then a journey toward freedom that saw him embrace the cause of democracy and political rights in Hong Kong.”
Tune in to "The Divide" on Tuesday, April 22 to listen to Mark Clifford's full interview.