Hong Kong’s top leader warned the U.S. should not interfere in the region’s internal affairs on Tuesday after president-elect Donald Trump boasted he could free political prisoner Jimmy Lai.

Trump appeared on conservative commentator Hugh Hewitt’s podcast last month, where he spoke about Lai’s imprisonment. Asked whether he would speak with Chinese president Xi Jinping about freeing Lai if reelected, Trump said, “100 percent, I’ll get him out.” He added that it would be “so easy” to do.

Since that podcast episode aired, Trump retook the presidency and is set to be inaugurated in January.

With Trump’s return to the White House in mind, Hong Kong chief executive John Lee said the U.S. should respect the Chinese state, as the two are important trade partners. Lee also noted Hong Kong takes the rule of law seriously. Hong Kong’s government claims it still maintains judicial independence, despite being subjected to the Communist-controlled People’s Republic of China.

“In these respects, I hope that all countries will respect the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and avoid political interference that could affect the judiciary and normal commercial activities in Hong Kong,” he told reporters.

During his first term, Trump revoked Hong Kong’s special-trade status and signed a law that authorized sanctions on Hong Kong and Chinese officials who allegedly perpetrated human-rights abuses. The U.S. actions came after anti-government protesters took to the streets in Hong Kong in a series of demonstrations that led to Lai’s imprisonment.

Lai, the 76-year-old pro-democracy icon and billionaire media tycoon, was arrested in August 2020 after the Chinese Communist Party imposed a national-security law that criminalized political dissent under the guise of banning secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces. It was supplemented by Hong Kong’s counterpart legislation in March.

Lai’s publication, Apple Daily, supported Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests in 2019 and 2020 and criticized China’s attempts to silence dissent. Apple Daily closed in 2021 after local authorities raided the publication’s offices, froze its bank accounts, and arrested several workers.

Following his imprisonment, Lai became a symbol of democracy and free speech.

In January, the former newspaper owner pleaded not guilty to publishing seditious materials and colluding with foreign governments to call for sanctions and other hostile actions against Hong Kong and China. He is currently serving almost six years in prison for a 2022 fraud conviction.

Lai’s trial began last December and is expected to proceed next week. He is set to take the stand for the first time in his own defense.