Hong Kong's Apple Daily newspaper was once the city's most popular tabloid by punching up against a particularly powerful entity that tolerates little criticism: the Chinese Communist Party.

But Beijing had the last laugh when the outlet was forced to shut down in 2021, its newsroom raided and assets frozen under the sweeping national security law imposed on the city the previous year. Its founder Jimmy Lai and six senior executives were also charged under the law.

On Wednesday, Lai testified for the first time in his trial for collusion with foreign forces, with the case revolving around his overseas political contacts.