Taiwan's ruling party hails opening of HK bookshop

Lam Wing-kee (centre) stands with Taiwan parliamentary speaker Yu Shyi-kun (left) and secretary general of the ruling DPP during the launch of his bookshop in Taipei. Photo: AFP

Taiwan's ruling party on Saturday showed support for a Hong Kong bookseller who fled to the democratic island amid fears of Chinese persecution, with President Tsai Ing-wen offering congratulations as he opened a new shop in Taipei.



Lam Wing-kee sought refuge in Taiwan last year after he was detained by Chinese agents for eight months in 2015 while working at a bookshop in Hong Kong that sold books critical of the Chinese leadership.



Senior officials from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) joined the reopening on Saturday, including head of parliament Yu Shyi-kun, who said it was a moment of "pride" for the island's democracy.



President Tsai sent a pot of orchids and a short message of congratulations, citing a Christian song often sung by protesters in Hong Kong calling for fairness and justice.



"If a bookshop fails to open in Taiwan just because it is disliked by China, then what Taiwan is proud of the most - democracy and freedom – will suffer great harm," Taiwan's vice president-elect William Lai wrote on his Facebook.



"We must strongly condemn violence and intimidation. Everyone, please support the bookshop. Supporting Causeway Bay Books in Taipei is to support freedom of publication in Taiwan."



Speaking in the shop crowded with journalists, DPP Secretary General Luo Wen-jia congratulated Lam's reopening in the "land of democracy”.



"I hope one day the bookshop could return to its origin – Hong Kong's Causeway Bay," he told Lam.



Lam made front-page headlines earlier this week after a man threw red paint at him, just days before the reopening of his "Causeway Bay Books" in Taipei.



The attack shocked many in Taiwan, which has become a refuge for a small but growing number of pro-democracy protesters fleeing Hong Kong.



Lam, who moved to Taiwan last year, said he is worried about more attacks but he will continue his fight against the Chinese Communist Party.



"Opening a bookshop is a resistance...Taiwan needs more bookshops like this," he said, adding that he's hoping to set up a branch in the island's southern port city of Kaohsiung.



Three suspects were arrested and released on bail this week for the attack, the police said. (Reuters)