WASHINGTON / HONG KONG — September 14, 2026. Chinese leader Xi Jinping is expected to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on September 24, creating a new diplomatic test of Beijing’s commitments to Hong Kong. Reuters reported on September 10 that Trump had said Xi would visit Washington on that date, while China had not yet publicly confirmed all details of the visit.
Against that backdrop, the Free China Movement has launched a public petition calling on Xi and the PRC government to honor the commitments made to Hong Kong, restore protected freedoms, release Jimmy Lai and others imprisoned solely for peaceful exercise of internationally recognized rights, and end politically motivated repression.
Why the promise matters
The Sino-British Joint Declaration and Hong Kong’s Basic Law established commitments concerning autonomy and fundamental rights. The petition argues that the credibility of future PRC agreements is inseparable from whether Beijing honors commitments already made.
Jimmy Lai as a test case
Jimmy Lai, founder of Apple Daily and one of Hong Kong’s best-known imprisoned pro-democracy figures, has become an international symbol of press freedom and the consequences of Hong Kong’s national-security system. The petition calls for his release alongside others imprisoned solely for peacefully exercising protected rights.
Lawful consequences
The campaign warns that continued erosion of Hong Kong’s freedoms can bring foreseeable diplomatic, reputational, economic and accountability consequences, including stronger international scrutiny and calls for targeted measures against officials responsible for serious abuses.
Sources: Hong Kong Basic Law, Chapter III · UK Government: Sino-British Joint Declaration · Reuters, Sept. 10, 2026