Liaison Office suggested cancelation of writers visit, festival director says

A session included in this year’s Literary Festival

The  director of the Macau Literary Festival, Ricardo Pinto, explained that the decision to exclude three writers from the event was made after advice was received from the China’s Liaison’s Office in Macau.

Pinto told Portuguese newspaper Hoje Macau that the suggestion to cancel the attendance of the three authors came from someone in the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the city and not from the local government.

However, he did not disclose the official’s name.

The director further expressed that due to what had happened, the organization is considering whether further continuation of the festival is feasible.

“We need to understand if it makes any sense to continue with the festival and in what terms, circumstances and conditions.”

Program director Hélder Beja told local press that authorities had “officially” warned them that they could not guarantee the three authors’ entry into Macau.

Organizers of the annual event previously announced that the authors’ would not be able to attend, as their entry into the city could not be guaranteed due to the political content of their works.

The authors were Jung Chang, James Church and Suki Kim.

Secretary for Security, Wong Sio Chak and Secretary of Social Affairs and Culture Alexis Tam both denied their involvement in the matter.

The Central People’s Government Liaison Office director Zheng Xiaosong told TDM in Beijing that he is unaware of the incident.