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. At least two of them disappeared in mainland china, one in thailand. How to get published in hong kong blacksmith books. Hong kong cnn one of five hong kong booksellers who went missing in late 2015 said. Rthk to air docudrama based on abducted booksellers return to hong kong. Image bao pu, the founder and publisher of new century press, at a book warehouse in. China confirms its holding 3 hong kong booksellers time. Thousands of people took to the streets of hong kong on sunday in a reprise of antichina protests of over a year ago, demanding to know the whereabouts of five missing.
The recent disappearances of five hong kong residents connected to the causeway bay bookstore and mighty current publishing house have caused a storm in the chinese special administrative region. 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. The case of the missing hong kong book publishers the new. Hong kong bookstore disappearances shock publishing. Answers sought on missing hong kong publishers protest held over disappearance of five employees of company specialising in books banned by chinese government. The publishers serial disappearances have stoked white terror fear in hong kong, a rare corner of freedom in china.
Wife of missing hong kong publisher says she met him in. City university of hong kong press hong kong, hong kong. Meps express grave concern about the disappearance of five hong kong resident booksellers who sold literary works critical of. A swedish publisher has released a collection of poetry written by.
Two years later, the last of the vanished hong kong booksellers, gui. They eventually turned up in the custody of mainland chinese authorities. Hong kong bookshops pull politically sensitive titles after publishers vanish. Ask a publisher in hong kong and he or she will tell you that the phrase banned books is something of a misnomer. The eu criticised china on tuesday over the jailing of a swedish book publisher, saying his rights were not respected.
Thousands march in hong kong over missing publishers. 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. They eventually turned up in the custody of mainland. The hong kong free press, a nonprofit news web site started last year, published the following quote from the book. The curious tale of five missing publishers in hong kong. Image caption lui bo, general manager of mighty current publishing house, is among those missing. Theres a big chill moving through hong kong as publishers are reported missing. 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. A government investigation into the mysterious disappearance of five hong kong publishers and book sellers thrusts an unusual industry into the spotlight. Hong kong bookseller released by china is missing bbc news. 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. Gui, 52, was the owner of hong kong publisher mighty current, and went missing in october 2015 from thailand.
The case of the missing hong kong book publishers the. 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. 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. The fourth missing man is lam wingkei, manager of the bookstore. People are pointing the finger at chinese officials on the mainland. Mighty current is an obscure hong kong publishing company that churns out gossipy titles about china and its top leaders. For decades, hong kong publishers have printed and sold books on stories untold, and forbidden to be told, in. Peng liyuan quietly pushed open that halfclosed door in the generals.
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. In late 20, hong kongbased publisher yiu mantin, also known as yao wentian, was arrested and detained in shenzhen. Four hong kong publishers known for books critical of. Hong kongs missing booksellers hong kong free press hkfp. Mysterious publisher disappearances have hong kong on edge. Missing hong kong publisher returned to china voluntarily. A fifth hong kong publisher went missing this week. The case of hong kongs missing booksellers the new york times. Brent speaks to exiled chinese writer and literary editor bei ling. As of 7 january 2016, over 500 publishers, writers, booksellers and.
On october 7, last year, gui minhai went missing from his thai resort house, his daily. Hong kong publishers reportedly being kidnapped by chinese. 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. The curious tale of five missing publishers in hong kong hong. After mysterious disappearance, hong kong publisher claims. 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. 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. Hong kong police beneath missingperson notices for the local publishers gui minhai and yau wentian, whose books angered china. A hong kong lawmaker said sunday he believes chinese security officers kidnapped five publishing company employees who have gone missing in the city, possibly. Hong kongs publishing houses became an extension of the political battlefield in beijing.
Ipa seriously concerned about missing hong kong publishers. Hong kong bookseller released by china is missing daughter. When a politically problematic figure disappearsor is disappearedin china, a dark uneasiness falls, though usually accompanied by a glum sense of the inevitable. Four hk publishers missing, possibly detained china. Wife of missing hong kong publisher says she met him in secret in china. The case of the missing book publishers in hong kong.
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. Kidnapped hk publishers an alarming threat to free speech. So, assuming youve written a great book, you dont necessarily need an agent to get published. The author of a controversial book on chinas president, believed to be the reason five booksellers from the mighty current. Fears for missing hong kong publishers critical of china. Ilaria maria sala in hong kong published on mon 9 nov 2015 06. European parliament european external action service. Texts adopted the case of the missing book publishers in. W hen the police officer didnt laugh, lam wingkee knew he was in trouble. Thousands march in hong kong over missing publishers protesters demand answers over disappearance of five employees of company specialising in books banned by china. 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. 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.
Image caption hong kong publisher gui minhai is also a swedish citizen. 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. Hong kong publisher sells banned books to highlight. Five hong kongbased book publishers linked to the company mighty current went missing in 2015. Thousands protest in hong kong over missing publishers. Proverse books are available from hong kong bookstores. 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. Mr guis hong kong publishing house sold books about the personal lives of chinas political elite. 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. One of five hong kong booksellers who went missing in late 2015 said thursday he was kidnapped after crossing the border into mainland china. Hong kongs missing booksellers expose publishing underbelly by. 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.
Answers sought on missing hong kong publishers news al. Hong kong has a thriving industry of independent publishers. Author publishes missing hong kong booksellers title online. Hong kong book publisher seized from china train bbc news. The big chillmissing hong kong publishers blog gail. A champion of creativity, victionary books explore design in all its aspects. The citys prodemocracy forces accused chinese law enforcement. 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. Its autonomy could be next critics of beijings political elite are being snatched off the streets, and local officials are taking notice. Hong kong bookseller disappearances south china morning post.
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