An exhibitor at the 2024 Hong Kong Book Fair has been advised to pull five titles from its shelves due to complaints and “sensitive” content.
Independent local publisher Bbluesky was informed that the books should be removed on Saturday at around 5.30 pm, the publisher’s Leslie Ng told reporters at the fair on Saturday evening.
Ng said that staff from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), which organises the annual Hong Kong Book Fair, told him they had received complaints and cited “sensitive” content. They stopped short of providing examples of the nature of the complaints.
Bbluesky pulled four of the titles from its shelves, but left veteran journalist Allan Au’s Turbulence, saying that the book contained no sensitive content.
“We don’t know where the line is. [The HKTDC’s] reasons were complaints and sensitive content, but these things are hard to grasp,” Ng said. “If the line is clear, if you tell us that these specific titles are illegal, I believe exhibitors would immediately remove them.”
In an emailed reply to HKFP, an HKTDC spokesperson said it reminds all exhibitors that they must comply with the Exhibitors’ Manual and Rules & Regulations, as well as all Hong Kong laws, including the Hong Kong National Security Law, Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, Control of Obscene and Indecent Articles Ordinance and laws related to intellectual property.
“If a complaint is received about a suspected violation of the Exhibitors’ Manual and Rules & Regulations, we will handle the matter in accordance with procedures. Where necessary, we will ask the exhibitor to cease displaying and selling the respective items,” the statement read.
‘Sensitive’ titles
Three of the five books were by written by Au: Turbulence, a travelogue; The Last Faith, which discusses media ethics; and 2047 Nights, a collection of essays. The remaining two were by convicted former pro-democracy lawmaker Shiu Ka-chun, both of which recounted his time in prison five years ago.
Au was arrested in 2022 for allegedly publishing seditious materials but released without charge. Shiu was sentenced to eight months in prison in April 2019 on public nuisance charges over protests in 2014.
Ng said that HKTDC staff had not mentioned any consequences for not complying with their advice. He added that there was no event-wide notice to pull certain titles, adding that he believed the statutory trade body was handling complaints on a case by case basis.
“There aren’t adequate conditions for us to make a judgement,” Ng said, adding that he had concerns Bbluesky would not be allowed to participate in next year’s fair.
Ng also said that HKTDC staff had told Bbluesky when it was setting up its stall ahead of the event opening on Wednesday that Au’s Turbulence and Shiu’s Prison Emotionology were considered “sensitive.”
Asked if Bbluesky would pre-emptively remove titles that could be perceived as “sensitive,” Ng said he would not. “If it’s believed to be within reason and not in violation of the law, we should keep going.”
Legal advice
Separately, Boundary Bookstore – which was earlier advised to remove Au’s book on media ethics, a science fiction novel by Hong Kong poet Liu Wai-tong, and a book about Hong Kong children who emigrated from the city – was asked to pull another title. Boundary complied.
Boundary’s publishing manager Leanne Liu told HKFP that the bookstore was told to remove novelist Leung Lee-chi’s Everyday Movement from its shelves on Saturday, with HKTDC staff citing “legal advice”.
An HKFP reporter observed that Au’s 2047 Nights was on sale at Boundary’s stall on Saturday, with Liu saying that the bookstore would not remove it.
Regarding its earlier requests for Boundary to remove certain titles, the HKTDC told HKFP on Friday that it would handle any complaints about a suspected violation of the event rules “in accordance with procedures.” It would also ask the exhibitor to cease displaying and selling the items in question “where necessary.”
At a press conference last month, the HKTDC did not respond directly to questions on whether it had a list of banned books. Deputy executive director Sophia Chong said exhibitors should comply with local laws, including the national security law and the city’s domestic national security legislation, known locally as Article 23.
This year’s book fair, which runs until Tuesday, is the first to be held since Article 23 came into effect this March.
