'China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters at a daily briefing that Lai is a Chinese citizen, calling him a major planner and participant in a series of anti-China destabilizing activities in Hong Kong. Lin said the judicial cases are purely Hong Kong’s internal affairs, urging “relevant countries” to avoid interfering in those or in China’s internal affairs. Beijing’s office in Hong Kong affairs said Lai’s sentence reflected Hong Kong’s determination in safeguarding national security.'