HONG KONG, Dec. 15 (Xinhua) -- Jimmy Lai, an instigator of anti-China riots in Hong Kong, was found guilty on Monday on two charges of conspiring to collude with external forces and a charge of conspiracy to publish seditious materials.

The verdict was handed down by the High Court of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on the national security case of Lai and three companies linked to the now-defunct Apple Daily.

The defendants include Lai, Apple Daily Limited, Apple Daily Printing Limited, and Apple Daily Internet Limited, all facing charges of conspiracy to publish seditious materials and conspiracy to collude with external forces. Lai was also facing a separate charge of conspiring to collude with external forces.

The trial officially commenced on Dec. 18, 2023, and has been presided over by three judges appointed under the national security law in Hong Kong. The prosecution concluded its presentation of evidence on June 11, 2024, and on July 25, the court ruled that all charges were substantiated. Lai's testimony began on Nov. 20, 2024, and ended in March 2025. Closing arguments began on Aug. 18 and were finalized on Aug. 28.

The three charges against Lai are all substantiated by evidence, the Hong Kong Police Force told reporters on Monday, adding that judicial proceedings of the case involved the examination of over 2,220 exhibits.

The judiciary opened over 400 seats to the public at each court hearing during the trial to ensure transparency of the proceedings, said the police.

In a statement supporting the verdict, a spokesperson of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR said this is the first case in Hong Kong involving charges of colluding with external forces to endanger national security under the national security law in Hong Kong.

Noting that the verdict is supported across Hong Kong, the spokesperson said that the national security law in Hong Kong has provided a guarantee for securing the steady and continued success of "one country, two systems."

The verdict reaffirmed the zero-tolerance stance on acts and activities endangering national security, and served as a stern warning to all anti-China elements destabilizing Hong Kong that all national security offences will be punished under the law, according to the spokesperson.

A spokesperson for the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR said Monday that the office firmly supports the judiciary of the HKSAR in delivering the verdict.

Safeguarding national security is a top priority in any country, said the spokesperson. Lai's acts seriously undermined the bottom line of the "one country, two systems," seriously endangered national security, and seriously harmed Hong Kong's prosperity, stability, and the well-being of the Hong Kong people. Such serious crimes should be severely punished by law.

Some western politicians and anti-China media outlets smeared the rule of law in Hong Kong under the guise of "human rights" and "freedom," beautified Lai's acts of endangering national security, and brazenly interfered in the judicial proceedings of the HKSAR, the spokesperson noted.

This is political manipulation with ulterior motives and blatant trampling on the spirit of the rule of law, which fully exposed their hypocrisy and double standards, said the spokesperson.

The office will work with the HKSAR to fully and accurately implement laws for safeguarding national security, punish crimes endangering national security in accordance with the law, and resolutely crack down on acts and activities of external forces interfering in the trial of national security cases and undermining the rule of law in Hong Kong.

The verdict on the national security case of Lai is well-grounded and appropriate and fully demonstrates that the court has acted strictly in accordance with the law and evidence, a spokesperson of the HKSAR government said on Monday.

Commenting on the case, HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee said that the verdict has fully reflected the justice of the law and upheld the core values of the HKSAR.

He underscored that the HKSAR government has the responsibility to safeguard national security and will resolutely combat acts and activities endangering it.

Anyone who attempts to endanger national security will be brought to justice, Chris Tang Ping-keung, secretary for security of the HKSAR government, told reporters in response to Monday's verdict, noting that Lai has used news reporting as a cover to engage in activities endangering national security. Enditem