bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sponsorType

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Vivian Au

The organiser of Hong Kong’s annual book fair has banned at least three publishers and stores from this summer’s edition without explanation, the Post has learned.
Two of them said they believed their applications were rejected because they previously sold titles which the organiser, the Trade Development Council, later asked them to remove.
Bbluesky Publishing and Boundary Bookstore told the Post on Friday that they had received notices in late January that their applications to join the fair in July had been rejected with no explanations offered.
They revealed that another publisher, which wished to remain anonymous, had also been banned.
Bbluesky and Boundary also said they did not receive any reminders to apply for this year’s book fair as had occurred in the past. The 35th edition of the fair will run between July 16 and July 22 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai.
The council declined to comment on individual cases.
“In organising any event, it is not uncommon that some applications may not be successful,” it said.
Last year, Bbluesky Publishing was told by the organiser to remove five titles – two by the late former opposition lawmaker Shiu Ka-chun and three by veteran journalist Allan Au Ka-lu – from the shelves of its booth.
However, it insisted on keeping one of Au’s books on its shelves as it was “merely about travel in Hong Kong”.
Au, a veteran journalist, was arrested by national security police for allegedly conspiring to publish and reproduce seditious materials in 2022 but was not charged.
A court last year ruled that four of his articles published on the now-defunct Stand News were seditious when it convicted the media outlet and two ex-editors of sedition.
Shiu, who died in January at the age of 55 after a battle with stomach cancer, was jailed for eight months in 2019 for his role in the 79-day Occupy movement protests in 2014 that called for universal suffrage.
Boundary Bookstore was also asked to remove three titles, including a new book by Au on journalistic ethics, which the organiser said it had received complaints about. Another was a novel by poet Liu Wai-tong which touched on social movements. The bookstore complied.
Leslie Ng Chi-ching, who is in charge of Bbluesky Publishing, said that after the company insisted on keeping one of the banned books last year, he received a notice from the organiser warning: “This might affect your application for next year’s book fair.”
Ng said that although he had taken part in the fair over the past five years, he was prepared for this outcome.
Boundary manager Leanne Liu said that the bookstore had applied to take part in the fair since 2023 but was rejected this year without any explanation.
“I am frustrated and guess it might be related to last year’s incident, in which the organiser might have been taking a conservative approach,” she said.
Liu said there had been complaints about some of the books Boundary had offered for sale last year and was subsequently asked to remove them.
Last year, nearly 1 million visits were made to the fair, one of Asia’s largest literary events, the organiser said.


Yau Yiu-wai, fifth-gen owner of a Hong Kong umbrella store, on shutting shop despite his lifelong obsession

Back reforms and align with nation, Legco chief tells new Hong Kong lawmakers

‘First by letting myself move on’: how Hong Kong mum is rebuilding life after Tai Po fire

New benchmarks for Hong Kong language teachers underline policy shift

Hong Kong society

Annual Hong Kong book fair bans 3 exhibitors ‘without explanation’

The annual Hong Kong Book Fair is held at the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai in July. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Hong Kong Book Fair closes with 1 million visits, average spending up 4.6%

Bookworms flocked to the fair on Tuesday for a final chance to pick up a bargain. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Exhibitors have said attendees were less likely to spend big this year. Photo: Jonathan Wong

2 exhibitors at Hong Kong book fair told by organisers to stop selling ‘sensitive’ titles

Leslie Ng of Bbluesky Publishing was asked to remove five titles from his booth. The travel book seen here by journalist Allan Au was one he fought to retain. Photo: May Tse

Crowds at this year’s Hong Kong Book Fair in Wan Chai.  Photo: May Tse

Gary Fung, owner of iGlobe Publishing, holds a guide to Shenzhen which has been snapped up at the fair. Photo: May Tse

News

Hong Kong

Politics

Society

Bbluesky Publishing and Boundary Bookstore say they earlier received notices that their applications for July’s fair had been rejected


Bbluesky Publishing and Boundary Bookstore say they earlier received notices that their applications for July’s fair had been rejected.


Annual Hong Kong book fair bans 3 exhibitors ‘without explanation’

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Bbluesky Publishing and Boundary Bookstore say they earlier received notices that their applications for July’s fair had been rejected

Bbluesky Publishing and Boundary Bookstore say they earlier received notices that their applications for July’s fair had been rejected