#BookFair #HKTDC #Coronavirus
Government Postpones Book Fair Amidst Covid-19 Spike in Hong Kong
On July 13, another 52 COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Hong Kong, of which 41 were local infectetions.
The sources of 20 among the 41 cases remains unknown.
This resulted in the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) finally calling off the annual Book Fair, two days before its opening.
Several exhibitors have already made a joint petition demanding the postponement of the fair since last week.
In addition to the Book Fair, three simultaneous public events, namely the sports and leisure expo, the education and career expo and kickstarter expo, will all be postponed.
Nevertheless, from the photos taken on July 13 by an exhibitor to Stand News, construction workers were still decorating the exhibition hall.
Source: Stand News #Jul13
Government Postpones Book Fair Amidst Covid-19 Spike in Hong Kong
On July 13, another 52 COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Hong Kong, of which 41 were local infectetions.
The sources of 20 among the 41 cases remains unknown.
This resulted in the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) finally calling off the annual Book Fair, two days before its opening.
Several exhibitors have already made a joint petition demanding the postponement of the fair since last week.
In addition to the Book Fair, three simultaneous public events, namely the sports and leisure expo, the education and career expo and kickstarter expo, will all be postponed.
Nevertheless, from the photos taken on July 13 by an exhibitor to Stand News, construction workers were still decorating the exhibition hall.
Source: Stand News #Jul13
#TaxpayersMoney
Hong Kong Free Press: Hong Kong govt’s spends multi-million dollar in US lobbying operation
//HKFP has reviewed years worth of disclosure filings submitted by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (#HKTDC) and its lobbying firms as part of requirements under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (#FARA), and found that the Hong Kong government lobbied US politicians specifically on the Act in at least six in-person meetings, after massive protests broke out in Hong Kong in 2014, and again in 2019.
The HKTDC paid close to HK$84 million (US$10.8 million) to US lobbying firms from 2014 to 2020, according to data provided by the Centre for Responsive Politics. It also received a total of HK$374 million (US$48.2 million) from its head office to cover expenses that require FARA disclosure during this time.
The HKTDC was just one of the myriad of entities among the China lobby that tried to influence US policies by making a case for mutual economic interests to American legislators, Hong Kong Democracy Council activist Samuel Chu said.
“Instead of them going directly [to say] that ‘we wanted to push back on the human rights and democracy part of the law,’ they send the trade and business people to say that the bill is bad,” said Chu.//
Read full article:
hongkongfp.com/2021/04/19/inside-hong-kong-govts-multi-million-dollar-lobbying-operation-on-capitol-hill/
Source: HKFP #Apr19
#FailedState #Interference #Lobby #Capitol
Hong Kong Free Press: Hong Kong govt’s spends multi-million dollar in US lobbying operation
//HKFP has reviewed years worth of disclosure filings submitted by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (#HKTDC) and its lobbying firms as part of requirements under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (#FARA), and found that the Hong Kong government lobbied US politicians specifically on the Act in at least six in-person meetings, after massive protests broke out in Hong Kong in 2014, and again in 2019.
The HKTDC paid close to HK$84 million (US$10.8 million) to US lobbying firms from 2014 to 2020, according to data provided by the Centre for Responsive Politics. It also received a total of HK$374 million (US$48.2 million) from its head office to cover expenses that require FARA disclosure during this time.
The HKTDC was just one of the myriad of entities among the China lobby that tried to influence US policies by making a case for mutual economic interests to American legislators, Hong Kong Democracy Council activist Samuel Chu said.
“Instead of them going directly [to say] that ‘we wanted to push back on the human rights and democracy part of the law,’ they send the trade and business people to say that the bill is bad,” said Chu.//
Read full article:
hongkongfp.com/2021/04/19/inside-hong-kong-govts-multi-million-dollar-lobbying-operation-on-capitol-hill/
Source: HKFP #Apr19
#FailedState #Interference #Lobby #Capitol
Hong Kong Free Press HKFP
Exclusive: Inside the Hong Kong govt’s multi-million dollar US lobbying operation
When celebrity Hong Kong activists Joshua Wong and Denise Ho flew to the United States to testify before Congress about protests in the city and to lobby its members on a law that paved way for US …
#Oppression
Hong Kong Book Expo bans pro-democracy publisher without an explanation
A pro-democracy publisher founded by a teacher who was injured in the anti-extradition bill protests in 2019 has been rejected from participating in the Hong Kong Book Fair.
In a statement published on May 17, #HillwayPress said it had been notified by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (#HKTDC) that its request to participate in July’s book fair had not been approved, “without any explanation.”
#RaymondYeung, the founder of Hillway Press said that Hong Kong’s annual book fair was a “thermometer measuring the freedom of publishing in Hong Kong.”
The HKTDC’s rejection of an institution which exhibited socio-political texts and was willing to abide by regulations… means that Hong Kong readers won’t have the opportunity to encounter these books,” the statement read.
The publisher said it was was “extremely regretful” that the organiser was “unwilling to give a reasonable explanation to ease people’s concerns.”
Hillway Press said in its statement that it was “always mentally prepared to have an alternative plan” for being rejected from taking part in the annual book expo.
The publisher announced in the same statement that it would be hosting its own book fair that “truly belongs to Hongkongers.”
Source: Luminant Hong Kong; #May18
https://t.me/luminanthk/5457
Hong Kong Book Expo bans pro-democracy publisher without an explanation
A pro-democracy publisher founded by a teacher who was injured in the anti-extradition bill protests in 2019 has been rejected from participating in the Hong Kong Book Fair.
In a statement published on May 17, #HillwayPress said it had been notified by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (#HKTDC) that its request to participate in July’s book fair had not been approved, “without any explanation.”
#RaymondYeung, the founder of Hillway Press said that Hong Kong’s annual book fair was a “thermometer measuring the freedom of publishing in Hong Kong.”
The HKTDC’s rejection of an institution which exhibited socio-political texts and was willing to abide by regulations… means that Hong Kong readers won’t have the opportunity to encounter these books,” the statement read.
The publisher said it was was “extremely regretful” that the organiser was “unwilling to give a reasonable explanation to ease people’s concerns.”
Hillway Press said in its statement that it was “always mentally prepared to have an alternative plan” for being rejected from taking part in the annual book expo.
The publisher announced in the same statement that it would be hosting its own book fair that “truly belongs to Hongkongers.”
Source: Luminant Hong Kong; #May18
https://t.me/luminanthk/5457
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幽光 Luminant Hong Kong
【香港人書展| 《山道文化》申參加「香港書展2022」遭貿發局拒絕 望辦「香港人書展」：一個真正屬於香港人、香港人值得擁有的書展】
出版社《山道文化》傍晚在社交平台發文指，昨（16日）接獲貿發局通知，決定不接納其參加「香港書展2022 」之申請。
內文提及《山道》已參與兩屆香港書展，今年亦按程序申請參展，並獲貿發局電郵通知，提醒參與書展的攤位選擇會。惟後來貿發局於5月5日晚上6時及11時，分別以電話與電郵通知《山道》因出現技術問題，攤位選擇會需要延遲，將盡快告知最新安排。最終，貿發局於昨日以電郵通知…
出版社《山道文化》傍晚在社交平台發文指，昨（16日）接獲貿發局通知，決定不接納其參加「香港書展2022 」之申請。
內文提及《山道》已參與兩屆香港書展，今年亦按程序申請參展，並獲貿發局電郵通知，提醒參與書展的攤位選擇會。惟後來貿發局於5月5日晚上6時及11時，分別以電話與電郵通知《山道》因出現技術問題，攤位選擇會需要延遲，將盡快告知最新安排。最終，貿發局於昨日以電郵通知…