Tributes Pour in for Hong Kong Bookseller Lam Wing-kee, 70, in Taiwan
WHO:
ABC News - Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te expressed condolences, stating, “The passing of Mr Lam Wing-kee is deeply saddening, but the courage he left behind would not fade.”
ABC News - Lam Wing-kee, a former Hong Kong bookseller and symbol of resistance to Beijing's crackdown on free speech.
South China Morning Post - Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te expressed sadness over Lam's death.
WHAT:
ABC News - Lam Wing-kee had temporarily closed the bookstore in Taipei due to his health and could not specify when it might reopen.
AP News - A man from Hong Kong left a white rose outside the entrance to Lam's bookstore in Taipei.
ABC News - Lam disclosed that his lung adenocarcinoma had returned and advanced to stage four despite initial treatment.
ABC News - Lam Wing-kee died at the age of 70.
ABC News - Lam had a cancer relapse last year and was admitted to MacKay Memorial Hospital in Taipei.
ABC News - Lam fell into a coma and died on Thursday evening.
South China Morning Post - Lam battled lung adenocarcinoma, which advanced to stage four.
WHERE:
ABC News - Lam died in Taiwan.
ABC News - He was admitted to MacKay Memorial Hospital in Taipei.
ABC News - Lam previously worked at Causeway Bay Books in Hong Kong and reopened the bookstore in Taipei in 2020.
WHEN:
ABC News - Lam was seized by Chinese authorities in late 2015.
ABC News - He moved to Taipei in 2019.
ABC News - Lam was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday and died on Thursday evening.
WHY:
AP News - Chinese and Hong Kong authorities have further tightened control over the city, shutting down virtually all dissent, following massive anti-government protests in 2019.
ABC News - Lam became a symbol of resistance to Beijing's crackdown on free speech after his abduction by Chinese authorities.
ABC News - He moved to Taiwan over fears of legal troubles.
HOW:
AP News - Hong Kong police, acting under a 2024 national security law, arrested two people in June who reportedly own a bookstore, suspected of selling seditious publications and receiving funds from foreign political organizations.
AP News - Lam was forced to appear on Chinese television to confess to crimes after his abduction.
ABC News - Lam was seized by Chinese authorities after crossing the border from Hong Kong to Shenzhen, where he was blindfolded and transported under surveillance.
ABC News - He was forced to appear on Chinese television to confess to crimes.
(UPDATED July 3, 2026 19:22 UTC)
Lam Wing-kee has temporarily closed his bookstore in Taipei due to health issues, and he has not indicated when it might reopen. In a show of solidarity, a man from Hong Kong left a white rose outside the entrance to the bookstore, reflecting the ongoing tensions as Chinese and Hong Kong authorities tighten control over dissent following the massive anti-government protests in 2019. Recently, under a 2024 national security law, Hong Kong police arrested two individuals suspected of selling seditious publications and receiving funds from foreign political organizations.
--
(UPDATED July 3, 2026 17:32 UTC)
Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te has expressed deep condolences following the passing of Lam Wing-kee, stating that the courage he left behind will not fade. Lam had disclosed that his lung adenocarcinoma had returned and advanced to stage four despite initial treatment. His tragic story includes being forced to appear on Chinese television to confess to crimes after his abduction.
--
(UPDATED July 3, 2026 08:03 UTC)
Lam Wing-kee, a former Hong Kong bookseller and a symbol of resistance against Beijing's crackdown on free speech, has died at the age of 70 in Taiwan after battling advanced lung adenocarcinoma. He was admitted to MacKay Memorial Hospital in Taipei earlier this week and fell into a coma before passing away on Thursday evening. Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te expressed sadness over Lam's death, highlighting the impact of his struggle for free expression.