Despite pressure from China, the national flag of the Republic of China (ROC) remains displayed at a stand showcasing Taiwanese literature at the 2025 Book World Prague, thanks to support from the book fair’s organizer.
“Maybe [China] does not understand that we are a democratic country, that we have freedom of speech and freedom of expression, which are very important values for our book fair,” the event’s director, Radovan Auer, told media during an interview on Friday.
“We are the last ones who would decide to put some flags away,” Auer said, pointing to the fair’s special award and section dedicated to freedom of speech.
Photo: CNA
Displaying the flag is legitimate and is not against any law of the Czech Republic, he said.
China’s protest came after it requested that the book fair organizer change the label of its online search column from “Countries” to “Countries and Regions,” saying Taiwan was not a sovereign country.
Although the organizer complied with the request to rename the search column, the Taiwanese publisher participating in the book fair, Mi:Lu Publishing, later placed an ROC flag at its stand.
Mi:Lu Publishing editor-in-chief Chiang Tzu-hsuan (江子瑄) said the move was meant to prevent Taiwan’s sovereignty from being diminished.
Auer said that China had asked the organizer not to distribute printed catalogs after it learned of the event’s partnership with Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture, an appeal he refused.
He said that China also contacted the Czech Ministry of Culture, expressing hope that it would replace him with someone “more friendly to China.”
The Czech ministry declined, saying it cannot interfere with book fairs organized by civil society groups, Auer said.
Auer described China’s protests as an “annual custom,” adding that he feels no pressure and views the issue as “a game.”
China has not participated in the event in recent years, after several exiled Chinese writers were invited, but two Chinese publishers were attending the book fair this year, he said.
Taiwan is also taking part in the fair through Mi:Lu Publishing, which is participating for the fourth time and has been introducing Taiwanese literary works to Czech audiences for years, he said.
Taiwanese authors appearing at Mi:Lu Publishing’s stand include Tong Wei-ger (童偉格) and Chi Ta-wei (紀大偉).
The event, first held in 1995, runs through today at the Prague Exhibition Grounds.
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