Celebrated British Authors to Highlight July Book Fair

Taking part in today’s Book Fair press conference are (left to right): children's book author Poon Ming Chu; Shek Kang Chuen, Associate Publisher and Head of Research, Hong Kong Economic Times; Patrick Sinn, Honorary Secretary, Hong Kong Publishing Federation; Florence Hui, Under Secretary for Home Affairs, Home Affairs Bureau; Benjamin Chau, Deputy Executive Director, Hong Kong Trade Development Council; Yau Lop Poon, Editor-in-Chief, Yazhou Zhoukan; Carmen Kwong, Editor-in-Chief, Book4You Magazine; Peter Upton, Director, British Council, Hong Kong; Ko Tin Lung, Art Director, Chung Ying Theatre Company; and Dr Ng Man Yee, Head of Culture/Education and New Developments (Radio), RTHK Poon Ming Chu, Yau Lop Poon, Ko Tin Lung and Ng Man Yee are members of the Hong Kong Book Fair Cultural Activities Advisory Panel

24 June 2010 – Frederick Forsyth, Stephen Fry and Andrew Roberts are among the internationally celebrated authors taking part in the 21^st edition of the HKTDC Hong Kong Book Fair, 21-27 July, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). More than 500 exhibitors from 20 countries and regions will also be on hand. Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the fair will feature some 200 cultural events under the theme “Reading the World, Writing the Future.”

Public Forums
The three British authors will present two open forums, the sessions moderated by Hong Kong businessman and author Sir David Tang. “The Hong Kong Book Fair, the brainchild of the HKTDC, attracts close to a million visitors, which shows what a remarkable event it is,” said Sir David. “I am, therefore, very happy to have invited three great English authors to come for a public forum to this exciting fair."

Other notable English-language authors appearing at the July Book Fair will include: British poet and literary critic James Fenton; New York-born, Hong Kong-raised novelist Andrew Xia Fukuda; children’s novelist and screenwriter Anthony Horowitz; and novelist Xu Xi, a Chinese-Indonesian native of Hong Kong and writer-in-residence at City University of Hong Kong’s Department of English. The four authors will each host a seminar at the Book Fair, with Chip Tsao and Peter Gordon to moderate select sessions.

Chinese-Language Authors
Chinese-language authors from all over the world will also be featured at the Book Fair. They include best-selling Chinese mainland author Han Han, recently nominated as one of Time magazine's "100 world's most influential people." Also taking part are Germany’s Jade Y Chen, a best-selling novelist and playwright, Chen Wen-hsien, a Taiwanese author, politician and TV commentator, and Tu Weiming, Professor of Chinese History and the Philosophy of Confucian Studies at Harvard University.

Digital Publishing
Beyond authors, this year’s highlights will include the International Cultural Village, featuring books from 13 countries, and English Avenue. With nearly 50 per cent more space than last year, English Avenue will showcase the fair’s largest display of English books – from Page One, Metrobooks, Bookazine, Swindon and other retailers. The fair’s Asian Publishing Conference will examine the impact of digital publishing on the industry, with speakers from the Chinese mainland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States. And eBooks and Digital Publishing, a new addition, will be among the fair’s 15 pavilions, alongside Teens’ World, the Multimedia Zone and Children’s Paradise. Celebrity storytelling sessions will be staged at the Children’s Paradise pavilion.

"The HKTDC Hong Kong Book Fair has grown from strength to strength over the past two decades," said HKTDC Deputy Executive Director Benjamin Chau. "The high quality of both English and Chinese writers appearing at the fair this year will reinforce the growing importance of the fair as a premier cultural and literary event."

Special guests at this year’s Book Fair include Chan Man Hung, Albert Cheng, Chua Lam, Po Chung, Audrey Eu, Regina Ip, Lam Chiu Ying, Lee Chack Fan and Leung Chun Ying.

Benjamin Chau, Deputy Executive Director, HKTDC		Florence Hui, Under Secretary for Home Affairs, Home Affairs Bureau, HKSAR		Yau Lop Poon, Editor-in-Chief, Yazhou Zhoukan
Patrick Sinn, Honorary Secretary, Hong Kong Publishing Federation		Shek Kang Chuen, Associate Publisher and Head of Research, Hong Kong Economic Times		Carmen Kwong, Editor-in-Chief, Book4You Magazine
Peter Upton, Director, British Council, Hong Kong		Children's book author Poon Ming Chu		Ko Tin Lung, Art Director, Chung Ying Theatre Company
Dr Ng Man Yee, Head of Culture/Education and New Developments (Radio), RTHK

Fair Website: www.hkbookfair.com/en

Fair Hours
21 July (Wednesday) 9am-10pm
22 July (Thursday) 10am-10pm
23-24 July (Friday-Saturday) 10am-midnight
25-26 July (Sunday-Monday) 10am-10pm
27 July (Tuesday) 10am-5pm

Admission (open to the public; by ticket only)
Adults:      HK$25 (includes admission to “Art Gallery”)
Children: HK$10 (for children under 1.22m tall/primary school students)
Morning admission (before noon):     HK$10 (tickets for sale at fairground only)
Free admission for children under three and adults over 65
Tourists:   HK$10 (must present travel document/visa)
Book Lover Super Pass:     HK$80, offering unlimited entry to the fair

Media Enquiries
Please contact the HKTDC's Corporate Communication Department:

Joe Kainz
Tel: (852) 2584 4216
Email: joe.kainz@hktdc.org

About the HKTDC
A statutory body established in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is the international marketing arm for Hong Kong-based traders, manufacturers and service providers. With more than 40 global offices, including 11 in the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China and throughout Asia. The HKTDC also organises trade fairs and business missions to connect companies with opportunities in Hong Kong and on the mainland, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and online.