Mark L. Clifford
Events
April 10, 2025
East-West Center, Virtual
Jimmy Lai, one of Hong Kong’s most prominent political prisoners, rose from poverty to become a self-made billionaire and an advocate for Hong Kong’s democracy. After escaping China as a boy, he built a fashion empire before founding Apple Daily and Next magazine—media that fearlessly criticized the Chinese Communist Party. A British citizen, he chose to stay in Hong Kong and fight for freedom, joining mass demonstrations and engaging world leaders. In 2020, after Hong Kong’s national security law was imposed, he was arrested. Since then, he has spent over 1,500 days behind bars—most in solitary confinement as a political prisoner—and now faces a potential life sentence. Join us, as Mark Clifford discusses Lai’s extraordinary journey and his new book, “The Troublemaker”.
April 2, 2025
University of Notre Dame
Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation President Mark Clifford will share Jimmy Lai's journey from founding the wildly popular Apple Daily newspaper and Next magazine to now spending over 1,500 dats in prison under the Hong Kong National Security Law.
11:00 am - 12:30 pm
300 O'Shaughnessy Hall,
University of Notre Dame
March 27, 2025
Chang Chang, Washington DC
The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation invites you to join Mark Clifford, author of Jimmy Lai biography "The Troublemaker," and Jim Mann, the interlocutor, on the evening of Thursday, March 27 in Washington DC.
Free admission with happy hour specials and food. RSVP Required.
March 12, 2025
The Cato Institute, Washington DC
Jimmy Lai became China’s most prominent political prisoner when he was arrested and convicted on trumped-up charges after Hong Kong imposed its draconian security law in mid-2020. Mark Clifford will tell Lai’s story of escaping China to Hong Kong as a boy, becoming a successful entrepreneur in the fashion industry, and founding and running the wildly popular Apple Daily newspaper and Next magazine to criticize China’s Communist Party and advocate for democracy in Hong Kong. The author will discuss why Lai became a stalwart champion of Hong Kong’s freedoms. Jimmy Lai’s son, Sebastien, and Mark Simon will discuss the importance of Lai’s activism, the state of his current national security trial, and any prospects for Lai’s own freedom.
February 19, 2025
The World Affairs Council of Greater Houston
Besides his incredible path from poverty to self-made billionaire, Jimmy Lai is best known in China and beyond for his tireless advocacy for democracy for Hong Kong – founding media that was willing to be critical of the CCP, taking part in large pro-democracy rallies, and championing the cause to different world leaders. But in 2020, the Chinese government arrested China’s most prominent dissident again. Since then, he has spent most of that time in solitary confinement as a political prisoner and faces a potential life-sentence.
February 6, 2025
Frontline Club, London
This is the astonishing story of the billionaire businessman Jimmy Lai who became one of Hong Kong’s leading activists for democracy and is today China’s most famous political prisoner.
January 31, 2025
Politics and Prose, Washington DC
Clifford will talk about his new book about the story of Jimmy Lai. By his mid-twenties, Lai was one of Hong Kong's most successful entrepreneurs. He built a successful media company that spoke out for democracy. Rather than leave as China grew more repressive -- Lai, a British citizen -- he kept fighting for democracy, was arrested, and after four years of solitary confinement, now faces the prospect of life imprisonment.
January 31, 2025
The National Press Club, Washington DC
Mark Clifford, author of “The Troublemaker: How Jimmy Lai Became a Billionaire, Hong Kong’s Greatest Dissident, and China’s Most Feared Critic,” will discuss his book with Bill McCarren, director of the Press Freedom Center at the National Press Club, in an event at the Center on Friday, Jan. 31, at 10 a.m..
January 30, 2025
Catholic University, Washington DC
Join the Institute for Human Ecology, the Busch School of Business, and the Ciocca Center for Principled Entrepreneurship for a book event featuring Mark L. Clifford. Mark is the author of The Troublemaker: How Jimmy Lai Became a Billionaire, Hong Kong’s Greatest Dissident, and China’s Most Feared Critic. The conversation will be moderated by William Saunders, Director of the IHE’s Program in Human Rights.
January 16, 2025
Commonwealth Club, San Francisco
How did the billionaire businessman Jimmy Lai become one of Hong Kong’s leading activists for democracy—and China’s most famous political prisoner today?
January 14, 2025
Book Passage, Ferry Building, San Francisco
Join us at Book Passage for an author event in celebration of Mark L. Clifford's new book The Troublemaker! The astonishing story of the billionaire businessman Jimmy Lai who became one of Hong Kong’s leading activists for democracy and is today China’s most famous political prisoner.
December 6, 2024
JF Books, Washington DC
Clifford will talk about his new book about the story of Jimmy Lai. By his mid-twenties, Lai was one of Hong Kong's most successful entrepreneurs. He built a successful media company that spoke out for democracy. Rather than leave as China grew more repressive -- Lai, a British citizen -- he kept fighting for democracy, was arrested, and after four years of solitary confinement, now faces the prospect of life imprisonment.
December 2, 2024
AEI, Washington DC
Please join Dr. Clifford and AEI President Robert Doar for a discussion of Lai’s compelling life story, his heroic stand for democratic values, and what his persecution says about Hong Kong’s future.
December 3, 2024
New Release!
The Troublemaker: How Jimmy Lai Became a Billionaire, Hong Kong’s Greatest Dissident, and China’s Most Feared Critic
Come to Theodore's Books in Oyster Bay, Long Island for a discussion with the President of The Committee for the Freedom of Hong Kong Mark L. Clifford and Wall Street Journal writer G. Bruce Knight as they discuss ‘Today Hong Kong, Tomorrow the World’
February 24th 2022
Institute for World Politics
Discussion with the Institute for World Politics about Mark Clifford's new book: Today Hong Kong, Tomorrow the World: What China’s Crackdown Reveals about its Plans to End Freedom Everywhere on Zoom.
February 16th 2022
Overseas Press Club
Join the OPC for a Book Night on Feb. 16 to discuss Today Hong Kong, Tomorrow the World: What China's Crackdown Reveals About Its Plans to End Freedom Everywhere. The moderator will be OPC Governor Jodi Schneider, political news director at Bloomberg News.
February 22nd 2022
The European Centre for International Political Economy
Join us for a conversation with Mark L. Clifford about his new book: Today Hong Kong, Tomorrow the World: What China’s Crackdown Reveals about its Plans to End Freedom Everywhere.
February 1st
New Release!
Today Hong Kong, Tomorrow the World
Mark's latest book. Today Hong Kong, Tomorrow the World hits stores and bookshelves!
Reserve your copy today!
