Hong Kong Bookstore Owner Lin Yongji Passes Away at 70
- Lin Rong-ki, the manager of Causeway Bay Books, died at age 70 following a battle with cancer.
- President Lai Ching-te issued a statement mourning the death, stating that Taiwan will continue to firmly protect democracy.
- Lin's death follows personal risk tied to the operation of his bookstore.
Lin Rong-ki, the manager of Causeway Bay Books, died at age 70 following a battle with cancer. According to reports from the Central News Agency (CNA) and Radio Taiwan International (RTI), Lin passed away after spending seven years in Taiwan.
President Lai Ching-te issued a statement mourning the death, stating that Taiwan will continue to firmly protect democracy. Lin was a figure in the Hong Kong democracy movement and spent his final years attempting to revive Causeway Bay Books in Taiwan.
Lin’s death follows personal risk tied to the operation of his bookstore. While in Taiwan, Lin faced harassment, including an incident where he was targeted with paint, according to Yahoo News.
Who was Lin Rong-ki and why was he significant?
Lin Rong-ki was the manager of Causeway Bay Books. He became a figure in international news after his disappearance from Hong Kong.
Lin later identified himself primarily through his profession rather than his political status. According to reporting from UDN, Lin stated:
His significance lies in the intersection of literary freedom and political repression. The Causeway Bay Books case served as an example of the erosion of one country, two systems in Hong Kong.
What happened during Lin’s time in Taiwan?
Lin arrived in Taiwan seven years ago, where he sought to rebuild the Causeway Bay Books operation. His efforts to maintain a platform for democratic literature were met with both support from the Taiwanese government and intimidation from external actors.
Yahoo News reports that Lin’s efforts to restart the bookstore were marred by threats, including a specific instance of paint being splashed as a form of intimidation. Despite these threats and his declining health, Lin continued to advocate for the preservation of free speech and the right to publish sensitive political materials.
His presence in Taipei provided a physical hub for Hong Kong activists and readers of banned literature, bridging the gap between the exiled Hong Kong democratic movement and Taiwanese civil society.
How did the Taiwanese government respond to his death?
The response from the Taiwanese leadership emphasized the symbolic link between Lin’s life and the broader struggle for democratic values. President Lai Ching-te’s condolences focused on the commitment of the state to safeguard democratic principles, framing Lin’s life as a testament to that struggle.
Lin’s death marks the end of a period during which Taiwan became a sanctuary for Hong Kong’s intellectual and political dissidents. Lin’s death is being treated by local media as the loss of a “democracy fighter” who risked his livelihood and safety to ensure the availability of restricted information.