President Lai urges Hong Kong to respect diversity amid bookstore raids

Taipei, July 16 (CNA) President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Thursday expressed solidarity with independent bookstore owners and urged the Hong Kong government to respect diverse views after authorities raided two bookstores and arrested five people a day earlier.

"Every independent bookstore is an important bastion for ideas," Lai wrote in a social media post.

Lai said several independent bookstores in Hong Kong had been searched and people associated with them arrested.

"The freedoms of publication, reading and speech are under continued and grave pressure," he wrote.

Hong Kong authorities on Wednesday searched Greenfield Book Store and Have a Nice Stay, both in Mong Kok, and arrested five people linked to the stores over alleged national security offenses.

Local media reported that the five individuals were arrested for importing books instigating sedition, including the Chinese-language version of "Let Only Red Flowers Bloom: Identity and Belonging in Xi Jinping's China" by a Taiwanese publisher.

Authorities have searched four bookstores in Hong Kong this year.

When books risk becoming incriminating evidence and bookstores are forced to self-censor, freedom of expression and public discourse are curtailed, Lai wrote.

Referring to Taiwan's martial law era, when publications were censored and freedom of expression was suppressed, Lai said Taiwan understood that freedom and democracy had not come easily.

"We would like to express our concern and respect to all bookstore staff and cultural workers who stand their ground in adversity. Words and ideas should not be shackled by political pressure," Lai wrote.

"Taiwan will continue safeguarding its hard-won democracy and freedom. We hope that diverse voices and basic rights in Hong Kong are treated with due respect and protection."