Book supporting western powers' 1900 invasion of China missing from Hong Kong stores

Taiwan-owned bookstore in Hong Kong said it has no more in-store copies of a historical book arguing that the eight-nation invasion of China at the turn of the 20th century was justified, amid reports in media backed by the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) that it had removed the book from its shelves, according to Radio Free Asia.

Earlier, the move to remove the books is a continuation of China's national security law.

Further, China imposed a national security law on Hong Kong from July 1, 2020, and dozens of former opposition politicians and high-profile journalists were detained under draconian national security law.

Chao Cheng-min, who heads the China Times publishing house that published the book, said there was a reason that the book was published in Taiwan in the first place.

"Taiwan has freedom of the press and of publication," Chao said.

"We have always respected different views among our writers, and believe that readers can make up their own minds," he added.

Earlier, the national security law criminalizes speech and actions deemed to amount to secession, subversion, terrorism, or collusion with foreign powers,

Further, it envisages setting up of a national security office under the direct control of Beijing to oversee the implementation of the law, as well as a Hong Kong headquarters

for China's feared state security police, to handle "special cases" deemed important by Beijing. (ANI)