His hearing came a day after the sentencing of 45 pro-democracy activists who were part of a group known as the Hong Kong 47.
Rai, wearing a brown jacket and glasses, appeared to have lost weight since his arrest several years ago but appeared in good spirits as he entered the courtroom, smiling and waving to family and members of the public.
Outside the courthouse, dozens of people waited in line to show their support for the media mogul.
A similar crowd gathered on Tuesday for the sentencing of Hong Kong’s 47, which included heavyweights of the city’s pro-democracy movement such as Benny Tai and Joshua Wong.
Asked whether she had tried to influence foreign policy toward Hong Kong through her list of overseas contacts, including Tsai and senior U.S. officials, Lai said: “Never.”
When asked about his meeting with then-US Vice President Mike Pence, Prime Minister Lai said he did not ask him anything.
“If he asks me, I will tell him what happened in Hong Kong,” he told the court.
He was also asked about his meeting with then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and said he asked Pompeo “to say something, not to do something, to express support for Hong Kong.”
Rai is one of hundreds of activists, lawmakers and protesters detained by the NSL. China said it was necessary to quell unrest that broke out in Hong Kong in 2019.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian criticized Prime Minister Lai as “a major plotter and participant in the anti-China chaos in Hong Kong” at a regular briefing on Wednesday.
China views Mr. Lai as a traitor seeking to undermine China’s security. But critics say Mr Lai’s case is another example of China’s tightening control over the former British territory.
