Lin Rong-ji, Hong Kong bookseller and free‑speech advocate, dies in Taiwan at 70

Lin Rong-ji, the Hong Kong entrepreneur who founded the Causeway Bay Bookstore to sell titles banned on the mainland, died at Taipei Mackay Hospital at the age of 70. He had been diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma in 2022; the disease recurred and spread to his heart, leading to his death on July 1.

Lin was previously detained and “disappeared” in 2015 after his shop was linked to the distribution of politically sensitive books. He fled to Taiwan in 2019, relaunched the bookstore in 2020 with public fundraising, and endured intimidation, including a paint‑splattering attack. Taiwan’s President Lai Ching‑te posted condolences on social media, praising Lin’s courage and reaffirming Taiwan’s commitment to democracy and human rights. The Mainland Affairs Council also issued a statement honoring his contribution to free speech.

Lin’s life and death have been cited as symbolic of the ongoing struggle for freedom of expression in Hong Kong and Taiwan’s role as a refuge for dissidents.