Secretary for Security Chris Tang states that booksellers are responsible for ensuring their titles do not harm Hong Kong's national security.

Secretary for Security Chris Tang told reporters that booksellers must ensure the titles they sell do not endanger national security. This statement follows a police operation on Wednesday where five people were arrested for selling and displaying seditious materials at the Have A Nice Stay and Greenfield Book Store. The police operation marks the third round of arrests targeting independent bookstores within four months. Authorities allege the seized publications stirred up hatred against the city's government, judiciary, and law enforcement agencies. While critics have expressed concern over an unclear "red line" for freedom of expression, Chris Tang defended the law as clear. He compared a bookseller's responsibility to a food vendor's duty to ensure their products are not "poison" or illegal. The crackdown has prompted calls from the Committee to Protect Journalists for the release of Sum Wan-wah and Mandy Lau, who co-founded Have A Nice Stay. The bookstore, which faces financial difficulties and an elusive red line, is scheduled to shut down on August 30.

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