Jimmy Lai was smuggled from China to Hong Kong by boat at the age of 12. He worked his way up from child labourer to become the owner of Giordano, one of the best-known clothing retailers in Asia. But Tiananmen Square was a turning point for him, when he supported the protestors, financially and politically. Since 1989, he has become one of the most outspoken advocates for greater democracy in China. His stand has forced him to sell the company he started and he is no longer allowed to return to the mainland.