Recent protests in Hong Kong have caused chaos in many parts of the Chinese special administrative region, and the publishing industry is no exception. Lee Ka Kui, chairman of the Hong Kong Publishing Federation, shared his views on the protests.  

"We have seen an extremely anti-social movement promoting illegal demonstrations and extreme violence," said Lee Ka-kui. "Our Hong Kong publishing circles, like people from all walks of life, are extremely concerned and worried about this. We condemn the violence and have zero tolerance for defacing national flags and national emblems." 

Lee said protests and riots adversely impacted the Hong Kong Book Fair on July 17. Many people who love books were afraid to go, and many retail stores were forced to close, with some still closed. In the past, the fair has attracted over one million visitors, yet far fewer attended this year. 

Meanwhile, Lee expressed great concern over the education of younger generations in Hong Kong. 

"It's time for self-criticism. We have to do something. We should ask if we understand younger generations in Hong Kong and how much they understand our country and values. Our publishing industry will do its best to produce more positively-themed books for children of different ages," said Lee. 

Lee hopes the violence in Hong Kong can stop so the city can return to normalcy. He expressed his firm belief that the ties between the Chinese mainland and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region are getting stronger despite current affairs.