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In a move of bold solidarity with freedom of expression and safeguarding documentation, Taiwanese libraries have begun stocking tens of thousands of books forbidden in Hong Kong under China’s increased political crackdown. Not only will it preserve significant works, but it will become a haven for books suppressed under Hong Kong’s repressive National Security Law.
The Vanishing Books of Hong Kong
Hong Kong long boasted a vibrant book community, with bookstores full of a rich selection of titles, including books critical of the Chinese Communist Party and books in favor of democratic reform. That changed overnight with the imposition in 2020 of the National Security Law, under which secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with a foreign country become a crime. Widespread censorship and disappearance of books with a political bite have followed, with books removed from shelves in public bookstores and libraries. Independent book shops, under such duress, have shut down, and authors face growing persecution.
A 2023 report in Chinese-language publication Ming Pao revealed that approximately 40% of political books have been withdrawn in Hong Kong’s public libraries in two years, highlighting the scope of the purge. Books regarding events including the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown and the 2019 pro-democracy protests have been removed in an organized manner from public circulation.
Taiwan: A Safe Haven for Banned Books
In response to such increased censorship, Taiwanese libraries have become safekeeping places for books banned in Hong Kong. Libraries including Academia Sinica, National Taiwan, and Taipei City have collected important collections of books no longer readable in Hong Kong. It is a significant role, with a growing migration of Hong Kong citizens moving to Taiwan, many of whom desire to preserve their cultural and intellectual heritage.
A recent catalog search of the National Taiwan Library, Taipei City Library and Academia Sinica Library identified 144 books that had been removed from Hong Kong libraries, according to local media reports. The findings revealed that 107 of these titles are now accessible in at least one of these Taiwanese libraries. This effort underscores Taiwan’s commitment to preserving intellectual freedom and ensuring that books censored in Hong Kong remain available for public access and academic study.
A recent survey conducted in Taiwanese libraries revealed that numerous titles withdrawn in Hong Kong have become available in them. Some of them include:
- We Were Chosen by the Times and Every Umbrella, both about Hong Kong’s 2014 Umbrella Movement, in solidarity with full democracies in its elections.
- Farewell to Cynicism: The Crisis of Liberalism in Hong Kong and Hong Kong, a Restless Homeland, both investigate political and social concerns in the city.
These collections span a variety of subjects, including the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre, the 2019 Hong Kong protests, and the Umbrella Movement, and serve as significant sources of Hong Kong’s Cantonese heritage and history.
How Taiwan is Preserving Hong Kong’s Literary Heritage
The initiative of Taiwanese librarians expresses a commitment to freedom of expression and protection of threatened memories of the past. By opening access to such prohibited books, Taiwan creates a platform for discussion and ensures that voices suppressed in Hong Kong will not fall silent.
This development mirrors, too, the vastly disparate political cultures in Hong Kong and in Taiwan. As Beijing’s influence has steadily eroded Hong Kong’s freedom and autonomy, Taiwan continues to preserve its values of freedom of speech and freedom of the press.
Looking Ahead
As the political environment in Hong Kong continues to be contentious, the work of external institutions in protecting its endangered cultural and intellectual heritage is increasingly important. Taiwan’s positive role in protecting such prohibited books not only helps maintain Hong Kong’s rich heritage of books but is an inspiration for the continued value of freedom of expression in a period of authoritarianism.
Would you read a book that was banned in your country?
