Hong kong bookshops pull politically sensitive titles after publishers vanish. The curious tale of five missing publishers in hong kong. Meps express grave concern about the disappearance of five hong kong resident booksellers who sold literary works critical of. Hong kongs missing booksellers hong kong free press hkfp. Thousands protest in hong kong over missing publishers.
How to get published in hong kong blacksmith books. People are pointing the finger at chinese officials on the mainland. The case of the missing hong kong book publishers the new. The eu criticised china on tuesday over the jailing of a swedish book publisher, saying his rights were not respected. Wife of missing hong kong publisher says she met him in secret in china. Four hk publishers missing, possibly detained china. The curious tale of five missing publishers in hong kong hong. After mysterious disappearance, hong kong publisher claims. Answers sought on missing hong kong publishers protest held over disappearance of five employees of company specialising in books banned by chinese government. In this picture taken on january 3, 2016, a protester holds up a missing person notice for lee bo, 65, the latest of five hong kong booksellers from the same mighty current publishing house to. A champion of creativity, victionary books explore design in all its aspects. A swedish publisher has released a collection of poetry written by. Hong kong bookseller released by china is missing bbc news. At least two of them disappeared in mainland china, one in thailand.
Willy wolap lam, an adjunct professor at the chinese university of hong kong, said the book was to have been titled the lovers of xi jinping and would have covered the. Demonstrators hold up portraits of five missing staff members of a publishing house and a bookstore during a protest over the disappearance of booksellers, in hong kong. In late 20, hong kongbased publisher yiu mantin, also known as yao wentian, was arrested and detained in shenzhen. Fears for missing hong kong publishers critical of china. European parliament resolution of 4 february 2016 on the case of the missing book publishers in hong kong 20162558rspthe european parliament, having regard to its previous. The author of a controversial book on chinas president, believed to be the reason five booksellers from the mighty current. A hong kong lawmaker said sunday he believes chinese security officers kidnapped five publishing company employees who have gone missing in the city, possibly. Rthk to air docudrama based on abducted booksellers return to hong kong. One of the biggest publishers of banned political books in hong kong, ho pin, founder and chief executive of the mirror media group, says the real problem is not the chinese. European parliament european external action service. Proverse books are available from hong kong bookstores.
The missing book publishers, besides gui, also known as ahhai, all hong kong residents, are lui bo, the subsidiary mighty current general manager, the business manager. One of five hong kong booksellers who went missing in late 2015 said thursday he was kidnapped after crossing the border into mainland china. The citys prodemocracy forces accused chinese law enforcement. A publisher of books critical of chinas leaders who went missing in hong kong last week has traveled to china voluntarily, his wife said on tuesday, as britain reminded its former. Hong kongs missing booksellers expose publishing underbelly by. Author publishes missing hong kong booksellers title online. W hen the police officer didnt laugh, lam wingkee knew he was in trouble. Hong kong bookseller disappearances south china morning post. Texts adopted the case of the missing book publishers in. Missing hong kong publisher returned to china voluntarily.
The hong kong free press, a nonprofit news web site started last year, published the following quote from the book. Mr guis hong kong publishing house sold books about the personal lives of chinas political elite. Ask a publisher in hong kong and he or she will tell you that the phrase banned books is something of a misnomer. Gui, 52, was the owner of hong kong publisher mighty current, and went missing in october 2015 from thailand. Hong kong publisher sells banned books to highlight missing booksellers it comes as a chinese writer based in the us revealed himself as coauthor of the provocative book xi. Hong kong book publisher seized from china train bbc news. Five hong kongbased book publishers linked to the company mighty current went missing in 2015. As of 7 january 2016, over 500 publishers, writers, booksellers and.
They eventually turned up in the custody of mainland. Hong kong police beneath missingperson notices for the local publishers gui minhai and yau wentian, whose books angered china. Hong kong cnn one of five hong kong booksellers who went missing in late 2015 said. A fifth hong kong publisher went missing this week. The big chillmissing hong kong publishers blog gail. Hong kongs missing booksellers hong kong free press. The causeway bay books disappearances are a series of international disappearances concerning five staff members of causeway bay books, a bookstore located in causeway bay, hong kong. Thousands march in hong kong over missing publishers protesters demand answers over disappearance of five employees of company specialising in books banned by china. Peng liyuan quietly pushed open that halfclosed door in the generals. Theres a big chill moving through hong kong as publishers are reported missing. Mysterious publisher disappearances have hong kong on edge. Four hong kong publishers known for books critical of. Lee bo, the chief editor and major shareholder of the publishing company mighty current, disappeared wednesday, the south china morning post reports. Ipa seriously concerned about missing hong kong publishers 08 january 2016 the international publishers association ipa has joined the swedish publishers association spa and the.
Hong kong has a thriving industry of independent publishers. In his two decades as owner and manager of hong kong s causeway bay books, lam had honed a carefully nonchalant routine when caught smuggling books into mainland china. Hong kong bookseller released by china is missing daughter. Removing hong kongs booksellers and publishers from public sight is part of a larger campaign waged by beijing to plug the criticisms coming from the southeastern city. Ipa seriously concerned about missing hong kong publishers. The fourth missing man is lam wingkei, manager of the bookstore. Hong kong publishers reportedly being kidnapped by chinese. Lee bo is one of five hong kong publishers suspected to have been abducted by china over their companys role in publishing books critical of the communist party.
Hong kong s missing booksellers a hong kong publisher specializing in books banned in china has disappeared mysteriously, sowing fear among hong kongers that the chinese government is growing. The curious tale of five missing publishers in hong kong peng liyuan quietly pushed openthat halfclosed door in the generals building, like a wisp of soft wind. A government investigation into the mysterious disappearance of five hong kong publishers and book sellers thrusts an unusual industry into the spotlight. A similar case in which a hong kong publisher named yao wentian was nabbed while prepping a book called chinese godfather xi jinping may offer a clue to their fate. Placards showing missing bookseller lee bo l and his associate gui minhai r are seen left by members of the civic party outside the china liaison office in hong kong on jan. Hong kong bookstore disappearances shock publishing. F our hong kong publishers known for their racy texts critical of communist leaders in mainland china have apparently disappeared, leading some to suspect that they. The wife of one of the five missing hong kong booksellers has told police she has been able to visit him at a secret location on the mainland.
Kidnapped hk publishers an alarming threat to free speech. The case of hong kongs missing booksellers the new york times. When a politically problematic figure disappearsor is disappearedin china, a dark uneasiness falls, though usually accompanied by a glum sense of the inevitable. On october 7, last year, gui minhai went missing from his thai resort house, his daily. Brent speaks to exiled chinese writer and literary editor bei ling. Answers sought on missing hong kong publishers news al. They eventually turned up in the custody of mainland chinese authorities. Image caption lui bo, general manager of mighty current publishing house, is among those missing.
City university of hong kong press hong kong, hong kong. So, assuming youve written a great book, you dont necessarily need an agent to get published. For decades, hong kong publishers have printed and sold books on stories untold, and forbidden to be told, in. The case of the missing hong kong book publishers the.
Its autonomy could be next critics of beijings political elite are being snatched off the streets, and local officials are taking notice. China confirms its holding 3 hong kong booksellers time. Wife of missing hong kong publisher says she met him in. Between october and december 2015, five staff of causeway bay books went missing. The case of the missing book publishers in hong kong. Two years later, the last of the vanished hong kong booksellers, gui.
Hong kong publisher sells banned books to highlight. Thousands march in hong kong over missing publishers. Image caption hong kong publisher gui minhai is also a swedish citizen. A significant book in the history of hong kong, with links back to aberdeen, scotland, is available from the aberdeen and north east scotland family history society at.
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