Taipei, Taiwan – 2 February 2012 - February 1st was the opening day of the 2012 Taipei International Book Exhibition at the World Trade Center in Taiwan. Laogai Research Foundation is selling its full collection of Chinese language publications at the exhibition, including the two newest, Qincheng Prison by LRF Executive Director Harry Wu and If It Is for Freedom, by currently imprisoned dissident writer Liu Xianbin. On the exhibition’s opening day, Harry Wu gave a speech about these works and LRF’s best-selling publications, Strive for Freedom and Civil Awakening: The Dawn of a Free China, two collections of writings by Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo. Mr. Wu said he hoped that Taiwanese people will pay closer attention to the human rights abuses that are occurring on the other side of the Taiwan Strait.

In the opening ceremony on Wednesday morning, President Ma stated proudly that in Taiwan 40-50,000 books had been published in the last year, while 140,000 were published in mainland China in the same time period. Although China published three times as many books, its population is 57 times larger than Taiwan’s, and by comparison, Ma asserted, Taiwan’s publishing industry is much stronger. He urged more cooperation and communication between the publishing industries of Taiwan and China. Harry Wu had the chance to present Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou with a copy of Qincheng Prison, which Ma praised as helping to reveal the dark story of China’s gulag. As President Ma continues to engage in cooperative relations with the PRC, Mr. Wu hopes that Taiwan will not stay silent on these issues due to political pressure.

Check out some photos from the exhibition below:

Laogai Research Foundation's booth, Hall 1, A806, Taipei World Trade Center

Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou participates in the opening ceremony of the 20th Taipei International Book Exhibition.

Harry introuduces Laogai Research Foundation's most recent publications, Qincheng Prison and If It Is for Freedom.