Hong Kong’s freedom to publish is facing Chinese intervention, former Causeway Bay Books manager Lam Wing-kei (林榮基) said on Thursday, as he urged Taiwanese to take to the streets should Beijing attempt something similar here.
Speaking at a Taipei forum on independent bookstores in Taiwan and Hong Kong, Lam said that Hong Kong’s bookstores have slowly become “culturally isolated” following the territory’s return to China in 1997.
Prior to that, there were many independent dealers, who were the primary importers of books, including Taiwanese works, to Hong Kong, Lam said.
Since 1997, smaller dealers have shut down either due to the economic slump or mismanagement, while larger dealers, such as Joint Publishing, Commercial Press and Chung Hwa Book Co (Hong Kong), have Chinese investment, Lam said.
Such investment has led to dealers being more selective about the books they import, he said, adding that Taiwanese firm Avanguard Publishing was an example of a publisher that was blacklisted.
Books published by Avanguard focus on Taiwanese identity and culture, and in essence lean toward pursuing Taiwanese independence, Lam said.
Stores such as the Hong Kong Reader, which sells works focusing on Hong Kong research and changes in the territory’s economy, are in danger of being blacklisted as well, he said.
The 40-year-old Greenfield Bookstore has also not been doing well lately, he said, but added that with more attention on Hong Kong issues, publishers focusing on such topics should see business improve.
Lam told reporters after the event that Taiwan and Hong Kong faced similar oppression, but Taiwanese have not been attentive enough to freedom of speech issues and their voice against potential gagging has not been loud enough.
He called for more frequent exchanges between Taiwan and Hong Kong, as “Hong Kong’s future depends on Taiwan a lot.”
Maintaining the cross-strait “status quo” is the “smartest” approach, he said, adding that there is no need to accentuate the call for Taiwanese independence, as “Taiwan is already independent” from the perspectives of national defense, diplomacy and the electoral system.
Meanwhile, Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said that the council had dispatched a team of more than 10 men for Lam’s protection since he arrived in Taiwan on Tuesday.
The council said there is a precedent for violence toward Hong Kongers like Lam after Hong Kong democracy advocate Joshua Wong (黃之鋒) was allegedly chased and attacked by “men in black” during a visit to Taiwan last month.
The protection arrangements were excellent, Lam said, adding in jest that they were “too good,” as he almost had no freedom.
The government respects civic interaction between Taiwan and Hong Kong, Chiu said, adding that it would not intervene in any of the events Lam plans to attend.
Additional reporting by CNA
EVA Air is prohibiting the use of portable chargers on board all flights starting from Saturday, while China Airlines is advising passengers not to use them, following the lead of South Korean airlines. Current regulations prohibit portable chargers and lithium batteries from check-in luggage and require them to be properly packed in carry-on baggage, EVA Air said. To improve onboard safety, portable chargers and spare lithium batteries would be prohibited from use on all fights starting on Saturday, it said. Passengers are advised to fully charge electronic devices before boarding and use the AC and USB charging outlets at their seat, it said. South
Hong Kong-based American singer-songwriter Khalil Fong (方大同) has passed away at the age of 41, Fong’s record label confirmed yesterday. “With unwavering optimism in the face of a relentless illness for five years, Khalil Fong gently and gracefully bid farewell to this world on the morning of February 21, 2025, stepping into the next realm of existence to carry forward his purpose and dreams,” Fu Music wrote on the company’s official Facebook page. “The music and graphic novels he gifted to the world remain an eternal testament to his luminous spirit, a timeless treasure for generations to come,” it said. Although Fong’s
WAR SIMULATION: The developers of the board game ‘2045’ consulted experts and analysts, and made maps based on real-life Chinese People’s Liberation Army exercises To stop invading Chinese forces seizing Taiwan, board gamer Ruth Zhong chooses the nuclear option: Dropping an atomic bomb on Taipei to secure the nation’s freedom and her victory. The Taiwanese board game 2045 is a zero-sum contest of military strategy and individual self-interest that puts players on the front lines of a simulated Chinese attack. Their battlefield game tactics would determine the theoretical future of Taiwan, which in the real world faces the constant threat of a Chinese invasion. “The most interesting part of this game is that you have to make continuous decisions based on the evolving situation,
China’s military buildup in the southern portion of the first island chain poses a serious threat to Taiwan’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply, a defense analyst warned. Writing in a bulletin on the National Defense and Security Research’s Web site on Thursday, Huang Tsung-ting (黃宗鼎) said that China might choke off Taiwan’s energy supply without it. Beginning last year, China entrenched its position in the southern region of the first island chain, often with Russia’s active support, he said. In May of the same year, a Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) force consisting of a Type 054A destroyer, Type 055 destroyer,
RSS