Hong Kong Book Fair organiser dismisses suggestions of censorship despite some publishers being banned from event
- Trade Development Council says it does not censor books in advance, but hopes exhibitors can observe book fair’s guidelines
- Publishers Hillway Culture and One of a Kind previously notified their applications to join book fair had been rejected
The organiser of Asia’s largest annual book fair in Hong Kong has dismissed suggestions of censorship despite some publishers being banned from this year’s event.
The Trade Development Council said the Hong Kong Book Fair had been established for more than 30 years and there were clear guidelines for exhibitors.
The council has rejected applications from some publishers to take part in this year’s book fair, with the event among a string of activities celebrating the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to Chinese rule.
“As far as the book fair is concerned, we do not censor books in advance,” Sophia Chong, deputy executive director of the council, said on Wednesday.
“In organising any exhibitions or events, there is a possibility that not all the applications will be accepted, so we do not comment on individual cases of applications.
“We would like our exhibitors to observe our guidelines as well as the law in Hong Kong, so that they can be at ease displaying their exhibits at the book fair,” she said.
Publishers Hillway Culture and One of a Kind previously said they were notified by the council that their applications to join the book fair had been rejected without reason. Both publishers had taken part in the book fair in previous years.
The founder of Hillway Culture, political activist Raymond Yeung Tsz-chun, was arrested and charged in April with allegedly taking part in illegal assemblies during the 2019 social unrest. One of a Kind has published books about the city’s 2019 social unrest and Occupy Central, a large-scale civil disobedience movement in 2014.
