Hong Kong Bookseller – Lam Wing-kee Dies in Taiwan at Age 70
Hong Kong Bookseller – Lam Wing-kee, the former Hong Kong bookseller whose case drew international attention to concerns over freedom of expression in the territory, has died in Taiwan at the age of 70. Taiwan’s Central News Agency reported the death on Thursday, citing an unnamed source.
Health condition reported before his death
The report did not state the cause of death. However, it said Lam experienced a recurrence of cancer last year and was admitted to MacKay Memorial Hospital in Taipei on Tuesday. He reportedly slipped into a coma the following day and died on Thursday evening.
Lam had temporarily closed his Taipei bookstore in June because of his health. At the time, he told the Central News Agency that he was unable to say when the shop would resume operations.
Bookstore became linked to Hong Kong speech concerns
Lam was previously associated with Causeway Bay Books in Hong Kong, a store known for selling books and magazines about Chinese political leaders and alleged scandals involving senior officials. The bookstore later became widely known after five people connected to it disappeared in late 2015.
Lam moved to Taiwan in 2019 after expressing concern that he could face legal risks in Hong Kong. A year later, he reopened Causeway Bay Books in Taipei, continuing the store’s name and its association with publishing and political discussion.
President Lai pays tribute to Lam
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te expressed condolences in a Facebook post following Lam’s death. Lai said Lam’s courage would continue to be remembered and described his life as a reminder of the importance of protecting freedom and democratic values.
The president said Taiwan would remember Lam as a bookstore worker who showed, through his experience, why freedom matters and why democratic institutions require continued public support across generations.
Account challenged official explanation
Lam became a prominent figure in 2016 after publicly describing his detention by Chinese authorities. His account differed sharply from official explanations surrounding the disappearance of the five booksellers.
He said he was detained in October 2015 after crossing from Hong Kong into Shenzhen, a city in mainland China. According to his public statement, he was blindfolded during a long train journey to Ningbo in eastern China and then held under constant supervision for several months.
Lam later said he had been required to appear on Chinese television and make a confession. His testimony attracted global attention and renewed debate about the reach of Chinese law enforcement beyond mainland China.
Other bookseller remains imprisoned
Among the other people linked to Causeway Bay Books was publisher Gui Minhai, who disappeared from his holiday residence in Thailand. He was later sentenced in China to 10 years in prison on a charge of illegally providing intelligence overseas.
The cases involving the booksellers became an important point of discussion for rights groups, publishers and governments concerned about political freedoms in Hong Kong.
Tighter controls continue in Hong Kong
Hong Kong has seen increased restrictions since large anti-government demonstrations in 2019. Chinese and Hong Kong authorities have introduced and enforced broader national security measures, saying the steps are necessary to restore stability and protect national security.
In June, Hong Kong police arrested two people on suspicion of selling seditious publications and receiving financial support from foreign political organisations. The arrests were made under recently introduced national security legislation.
Lam’s death closes the life of a bookseller whose experience became closely associated with wider concerns about publishing freedom, civil liberties and political expression in Hong Kong and beyond.