HONG KONG, Jan. 2 (CNA) - Hong Kong pro-democracy tycoon Jimmy Lai pleaded not guilty on Tuesday (Jan 2) to all charges levelled against him in a high-profile national security trial.

Lai faces two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces - including calling for sanctions against Hong Kong and Chinese officials - under a China-imposed national security law which could see him jailed for life.

Lai, 76, the founder of now-shuttered pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, is also charged with conspiracy to publish seditious publications under a colonial-era sedition law.

"Not guilty," Lai said in English for each of the three charges read out.

Wearing a white shirt and a navy blue jacket, the septuagenarian was surrounded by three prison guards in the defendant's dock. 

He wore headphones to help him hear the trial more clearly, according to his lawyer.

Lai was originally charged with one count of "conspiracy to produce seditious publications", two counts of "conspiracy to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security" and one count of "collusion". 

The latter two offences carry up to life in jail under the security law Beijing imposed in 2020 to quell dissent after the huge democracy protests the year before.

Prosecutors on Tuesday told the court they will not pursue the standalone "collusion" charge as it formed part of Lai's "conspiracy to collusion" charge. 

Accusations that Lai colluded with foreigners went into overdrive in state media in 2019, after he had a meeting with then-vice president Mike Pence and secretary of state Mike Pompeo.

Photo from Reuters