Pompeo Meets Apple Daily Chief Jimmy Lai

Media chief and pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai has held talks in Washington with the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, to discuss concerns over Hong Kong's declining autonomy.

The Apple Daily chief also raised the Hong Kong government's now-stalled attempt to change the extradition law to allow rendition of fugitives to any jurisdiction during the meeting in Washington on Monday.

"Secretary Michael R. Pompeo met with Hong Kong businessman and publisher Jimmy Lai today in Washington DC," US State Department spokesman Morgan Ortagus said.

"They discussed developments related to amendments to Hong Kong’s Fugitive Offenders Ordinance and the status of Hong Kong’s autonomy under the 'One Country, Two Systems' framework."

Lai, who made his name with the fashion brand Giordano before moving into publishing in Hong Kong and Taiwan, has long been a critic of the Hong Kong and central governments.