Disappearance of Hong Kong booksellers ‘has dealt huge blow to publishers of sensitive books’

The rare comments from Bao Pu, founder of New Century Press, a publisher of banned books, came as freedom of speech advocacy group PEN America released a 71-page report on Saturday on the missing booksellers associated with a bookstore in Causeway Bay under the Mighty Current publishing company.

The report, which looks into the case’s timeline, political background and aftermath of the saga, says the case has created an atmosphere of uncertainty among other similar publishers, making them less willing to publish banned books. It called for the international community to press mainland China into stopping questionable detentions.

“[The case] has dealt a huge blow to publishers based in Hong Kong,” Bao, who rarely speaks publically, said. “Many readers from the mainland have stopped buying these books because they cannot bring the books across the border any more. Our businesses have dropped by a lot.”

Speaking after the report’s launching press conference at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club, Bao, a PEN member and son of Bao Tong, policy secretary to deposed Communist Party chief Zhao Ziyang, said he would continue to publish books in Hong Kong.

“You need to accept risks to do publishing,” Bao said. “I believe the level of risk is still acceptable in Hong Kong.”

Bao said he had been communicating with China’s General Administration of Press and Publication “on different levels”, although he did not know the detailed identity of those who spoke to him.