“The Hong Konger: Free Jimmy Lai!”

It has been said that “Freedom is a fragile thing and it’s never more than one generation away from extinction.” The liberation of humankind is a constant struggle. We must be ever-vigilant against encroachments on the freedom we do have and be willing to carry the bright torch of liberty to the dark places where it does not exist.

One of the most recent examples of this struggle is that of Hong Kong. Currently, a nominally autonomous region of the People’s Republic of China, the people of Hong Kong are currently clashing with the Chinese Communist Party to regain the freedom they have lost in recent years since the United Kingdom transferred the sovereignty of the city back to China in 1997.

One of the CCP’s harshest critics is the entrepreneur and dissident Jimmy Lai. The story of his extraordinary life and Hong Kong’s struggle to regain its fragile freedom is the subject of the captivating and important documentary The Hong Konger, the latest produced by the Action Institute.

Lai was born in 1947 to a rich Chinese family who lost everything after the rise of Mao’s communism in China. After tasting flavorful chocolate from Hong Kong for the first time, he was determined to make his way there and leave China behind. He arrived at age twelve as a stowaway, was quickly legalized as an immigrant, and went to work that same day. He eventually became a successful garment salesman and, like many people, became enlightened after reading Friedrich Hayek’s The Road to Serfdom. In 1981, he founded global clothing retailer Giordano, named after the Chicago-based pizza chain, after investing a bonus into other ventures.

After the Tiananmen Square protests, he became an outspoken supporter of democratic rule, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and other foundational liberal principles. He founded Next Magazine and the Apple Daily newspaper to promote those principles in its reporting and to challenge the authoritarian Chinese government which began to clamp down exponentially on Hong Kong after the handover to China. Since China’s 2020 passing of the Hong Kong security law, a measure designed to squash Hong Kong autonomy and dissension, Lai has been arrested several times for his fearless activism and is currently in the custody of the Chinese authorities.

Awarded “Best Documentary Feature” at this year’s Anthem Film Festival, The Hong Konger is a story of heroism and bravery, not just of Jimmy Lai, but of the people of Hong Kong. Having lived free or, in Lai’s case, having escaped authoritarianism, Hong Kongers know what’s at stake and how important the fight for freedom is. The film, through Lai’s life in Hong Kong, demonstrates how personal and economic liberty lifts people from poverty, fosters peaceful coexistence, and leads to genuine flourishing. 

The Hong Konger also isn’t afraid to call out those with the power to make bold, moral stances but have yet to do so. For example, the film takes to task those in the international business community who placate the Chinese Communist Party and turn an eye to their regime’s human rights abuses in order to do business. The film also criticizes the Catholic Church for its silence on Jimmy Lai’s situation. Lai, who grew spiritually after becoming a Christian, was inspired by his faith to defend the freedom of Hong Kong and challenge the evils of the Chinese communist regime, and to this day Pope Francis is yet to publicly comment on Lai’s imprisonment.

The Hong Konger is not only enlightening and timely, but it is also a call to action. The film asks the audience to help raise awareness about the fight to free Jimmy Lai, to free Hong Kong, and to put pressure on political, religious, and business leaders to rethink their relationships with the CCP government. The Hong Konger is certainly inspiring and many in the audience may join the fight.