Gui Minhai

In this Chinese name, the family name is Gui (surname).

Gui Minhai
Born (1964-05-05) 5 May 1964 (age 60)
Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
NationalitySwedish
Other names
  • Michael Gui
  • Ah Hai
Alma mater
Occupations
  • Book publisher
  • writer
Years active2006–present
Chinese name
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinGuì Mínhǎi
Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanizationgwái man hōi
Jyutpinggwai3 man4 hoi2
Websitefreeguiminhai.org

Gui Minhai (Chinese: 桂民海; pinyin: Guì Mínhǎi, formerly 桂敏海; Guì Mǐnhǎi;[2][3][4] born 5 May 1964[1]), also known as Michael Gui,[5] is a Hong Kong-Swedish book publisher and writer. He is an author of many books related to Chinese politics and Chinese political figures; Gui authored around 200 books during his ten-year career under the pen-name Ah Hai (阿海) and is one of three shareholders of Causeway Bay Books in Hong Kong.

Gui went missing in Thailand in late 2015, one of five men who vanished in a string of incidents known as the Causeway Bay Books disappearances. The case ignited fears locally and in Britain over the collapse of "one country, two systems", over the possibility that people could be subject to rendition from Hong Kong and from other countries by Chinese law enforcement.[6][7] The Chinese government had been silent about holding him in custody for three months, at which point a controversial video confession was broadcast on mainland media.[8] In it, Gui said that he had returned to mainland China and surrendered to the authorities of his own volition; he appeared to indicate that he was prepared to follow the course of justice in China, while waiving protection as a Swedish citizen.[8][9][10] Gui's case has severely strained the relations between Sweden and China.[11]

Many observers expressed doubts about the sincerity and credibility of Gui's confession.[12][13][14][15] The Washington Post described the narrative as "messy and incoherent, blending possible fact with what seems like outright fiction".[16][17] Chinese state media said in late February 2016 that Gui was being held for "illegal business operations". He is alleged to have knowingly distributed books not approved by China's press and publication authority since October 2014.[18] Although Gui was released from detention in October 2017, he was once again abducted by suspected state security agents – a group of men in plain clothes – in January 2018 while on his way to Beijing for a medical visit.[19] Shortly afterwards, while under detention for breaking unspecified laws, he once again confessed, denouncing Swedish politicians for instigating him to leave the country and for "using me as chess piece".[20] Gui Minhai is still under detention in China as of December 2019,[21] and was sentenced in February 2020 to 10 years' imprisonment for "illegally providing intelligence overseas".[22][23]

Lee Bo, Gui's Hong Kong–based business partner, denied that Gui was on a "political mission against the Communist party". Instead likening him as mostly a businessman where publishing books was a means of earning money rather than ideology. “In his books there is a lot of guessing also about political gossip rather than actual fact.”

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference chinesepen was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference mingpao1453140356 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference poem was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference zhou was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference scmp1922289 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference nbcnews505046 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference 20160212theguardian was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference latimes20160120 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference 20160121cpianalysis was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference xinhuanet1117800737 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ "Gothenburg axes twin city agreement with Shanghai as Sweden closes all Confucius Institutes". 24 April 2020. Archived from the original on 27 April 2021. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference 20160117hongkongfp was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference scmp1902805 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference australian was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ Cite error: The named reference 201601asiancorrespondent was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference 20160118wapo was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  17. ^ Cite error: The named reference qz596565 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  18. ^ Cite error: The named reference 20160229hongkongfp was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  19. ^ Cite error: The named reference 20180122nytimes was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  20. ^ "Sweden 'using me like chess piece', says detained publisher Gui Minhai in government-arranged interview". South China Morning Post. 9 February 2018. Archived from the original on 5 September 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  21. ^ "Former Swedish ambassador to China indicted over meetings to discuss Hong Kong bookseller". South China Morning Post. 9 December 2019. Archived from the original on 12 December 2019. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  22. ^ Cite error: The named reference bbc51624433 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  23. ^ Cite error: The named reference 20200225hongkongfp was invoked but never defined (see the help page).