IC head ‘convinced Macau is an open city’

Jung Chang

The president of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Mok Ian Ian, said yesterday at a press conference for the Maca0 Arts Festival that she was not aware of any censorship over Macau’s cultural activities.

The statement comes in response to the cancelation of several authors scheduled to appear at The Script Road – Macau Literary Festival 2018. Organizers said they canceled the authors’ appearances after authorities “officially” warned them that the visit to Macau was “inconvenient,” hence their entry in Macau was not assured.

“I also learned about it yesterday from the media that four of them can’t come,” the IC president said yesterday. “Regarding all Macau clubs or individuals who organize cultural activities, or conduct activities which will benefit Macau’s cultural career and cultural industry’s development, [the IC] always holds a positive, supportive and open attitude.”

“I’m convinced Macau is a free, safe and open city,” added Mok.

Among the canceled authors is headliner Jung Chang, the acclaimed author of “Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China”, which the Asian Wall Street Journal has called the “most read book” about China. She is also the writer of “Mao: The Unknown Story”, a controversial biography of the PRC founder Mao Tse-tung.

In November last year, Chang appeared at the 2017 Hong Kong International Literary Festival to discuss another of her books; a less controversial account of Empress Dowager Cixi.

Interviewed by the South China Morning Post during her stay in Hong Kong, Chang hinted that she was allowed to enter mainland China. “A lot of good things have happened, but it doesn’t mean I’m ecstatic when I go to China. I’m always torn because there are problems with development. And, of course, my books are banned. How can I be entirely happy in China?” she told SCMP.