US President Donald Trump has said he has discussed with Chinese President Xi Jinping the possibility of releasing former Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai and pastor Ezra Jin Mingri. In an interview with Fox News' Bret Bayer, Trump said he raised the issue of Jimmy Lai several times during his talks with Xi Jinping.

"I said, 'I would appreciate it if you would release him. He's old and probably not in good health. That would be a nice gesture,'" Trump said. However, he said Beijing's response to Lai's case had not been positive and admitted he was not optimistic about his release. "I wasn't feeling optimistic, to be honest," he said, adding that he had raised the issue at least twice.

Jimmy Lai, 78, was previously sentenced to 20 years in prison for violating the national security law and inciting sedition in Hong Kong. His case has been closely watched by human rights groups and Western leaders, who consider him one of the most important figures in the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong. Meanwhile, for pastor Ezra Jin Mingri, Trump appeared more optimistic about the possibility of his release, without giving many additional details.