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Cross‑border crackdown on Hong Kong bookstores

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2026-07-31 09:01 UTC → 2026-07-31 12:27 UTC · added removed

Cross‑border crackdown on Hong Kong bookstore bookstores

Lin Rong‑ji, the founder of Hong Kong’s Copper Lane Bookstore, died in Taiwan in July 2026 after a long prolonged battle with lung cancer. His death revived scrutiny of the cross‑border operations that have targeted his shop since a 2015 attempt to publish a biography of Xi Jinping, prompting arrests of shareholders in China, Thailand and Hong Kong and the seizure of subscriber data. Lin’s flight to Taiwan in 2019 and the reopening of the store there in 2020 exemplify the pressures Chinese security services place on independent publishers that challenge mainland censorship. A The parallel case emerged with the death of Lam Wing‑kee, founder of the iconic Causeway Bay Books, also ended with his death in Taiwan in 2026. Lam’s bookstore faced similar repression after its 2015 bid to publish titles on Xi Jinping’s personal life, resulting in his detention in Shenzhen, residential surveillance, 2015 abduction, detention, and a later relocation to Taiwan to evade Hong Kong’s extradition provisions. Lam’s reopening of Causeway Bay Books in 2020 continued Taiwan, where he reopened the circulation of censored material and cemented his role as a symbol of resistance. shop in 2020. In July 2026, Taiwan held a state funeral for Lin Rong‑ji, presenting a presidential commendation and publicly pledging to protect democracy, human rights and press freedom. Officials emphasized that the Copperplate Bookstore will remain a vital cultural hub, underscoring A month later, Taiwan’s stance against the continuing mainland raids on premier, Cho Jung‑tai, led a memorial ceremony for Lam Wing‑kee, posthumously honoring his resistance to authoritarianism and presenting a citation to his son. The ceremony referenced recent Hong Kong raids on independent bookstores. outlets such as Greenfield Book Store and Have a Nice Stay, underscoring the ongoing crackdown on free expression and the trans‑national reach of Beijing’s “long‑arm” jurisdiction. Together, the two deaths of Lin and Lam, Taiwan’s response underscore official recognitions, and the continued targeting of Hong Kong bookstores illustrate a sustained, trans‑national crackdown cross‑border campaign by mainland authorities on Hong Kong‑based against independent bookshops publishing and the expanding reach of Beijing’s “long‑arm” jurisdiction. a corresponding diplomatic and symbolic response from Taiwan.

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  1. 2026-07-31 12:27 UTC Cross‑border crackdown on Hong Kong bookstores
  2. 2026-07-31 09:01 UTC Cross‑border crackdown on Hong Kong bookstore

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