Taiwan honors late Hong Kong bookseller Lam Wing-kee for his democratic resistance

Taiwan’s premier, Cho Jung‑tai, led a memorial ceremony at Che‑lam Presbyterian Church in Taipei on July 2, honoring the late Hong Kong bookseller Lam Wing‑kee, who died after a battle with cancer. Cho praised Lam’s lifelong stand against authoritarianism, recalling his 2015 abduction and detention in mainland China, his 2016 release on bail, and his subsequent flight to Taiwan where he reopened the famed Causeway Bay Books in 2020. A posthumous citation was presented to Lam’s son, recognizing his contributions to publishing, human‑rights advocacy and cross‑strait cultural exchange. The tribute highlighted recent Hong Kong crackdowns on independent bookstores, including raids on Greenfield Book Store and Have a Nice Stay, underscoring the broader struggle for freedom of expression in the region.