Hong Kong's Chief Executive Leung Chun Ying ‘Very Concern’ Over Five Missing Booksellers Of Critical Publications
A Hong Kong leader expressed his concern Monday after five booksellers linked to publications critical China gone missing over the past few months. Hong Kong opposition lawmakers staged a protest outside Beijing's representative office Sunday to dissent the recent disappearance of Causeway Bay Books' shareholder, Lee Bo.
"I and related government departments are very concerned. The government cares very much about Hong Kong residents' rights and safety," said Leung Chun Ying, as noted by Yahoo! News Tuesday. "Only legal enforcement agencies in Hong Kong have the legal authority to enforce laws in Hong Kong."
"If mainland (Chinese) law enforcement personnel enforce the law in Hong Kong, this is unacceptable because it breaches the Basic Law."
Leung added, "Anyone who thinks they have information that may lead to a better understanding of the whereabouts and the reasons why they seem to be missing from Hong Kong would be welcome to provide such information to the Hong Kong government authorities."
A pro-democracy lawmaker told CNN Tuesday that Lee might have been brought across the border of China forcibly.
"It's a forced disappearance," Albert Ho said. "All those who have disappeared are related to the Causeway Bay bookshop and this bookshop was famous, not only for the sale, but also for the publication and circulation of a series of sensitive books."
The lawmaker added that Causeway Bay bookshop reportedly plans to publish a book about the "love affairs" of Chinese President Xi Jinping when he was still working "in the provinces."
Lee's wife reported that her 65-year-old husband disappeared last week. Aside from Lee, four other booksellers oddly vanished over the past few months.
On the other hand, a spokeswoman of China's foreign ministry refused to comment when asked about the recent disappearance of Lee.
"I'm not aware of the situation," Hua Chunying, Deputy Director of Foreign Ministry Information Department, said. "I have nothing to offer."
A spokesperson of United Kingdom's Foreign and Commonwealth Office confirmed one of the missing booksellers is a British citizen.
"We have urgently requested the Hong Kong and mainland authorities' assistance in ascertaining this individual's welfare and whereabouts," the spokesperson said.
"We encourage the Hong Kong SAR (Special Administrative Region) Government to honor its commitment to protecting the freedom of the press, and we hope the Chinese authorities will continue to make every effort to ensure that the environment in which the media and publishers operate in the Hong Kong SAR supports full and frank reporting."
