John Tsang books Taiwan a place
30 August 2010
South China Morning Post

Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah, on the second day of his landmark visit to Taiwan, extended a warm invitation to a large Taiwanese bookstore chain to expand to Hong Kong

Eslite, a major bookseller in Taiwan, is expecting to open a branch in Hong Kong in two to three years.

On a visit to the company's flagship shop in Taipei's Xinyi district yesterday, the financial chief listened to a briefing by its chairman, Robert Wu, on its development plan.

"We have been looking for a site in Hong Kong for more than a decade, but the rent is too high there," Wu said. He added that substantial progress had been made recently as he was discussing the plan with a prospective local business partner. He expected the first shop in Hong Kong to be established in 2012 the earliest.

Showing a plan of a building called the Life Tower, he said he hoped to build a place which would not only sell books but also house various cultural activities including photography, dance, music and artistic design in a busy district such as Central, Causeway Bay or Kowloon. But there were no plans to set up a shop in the future West Kowloon Cultural District.

The company hopes to launch three to five shops in Hong Kong, with the initial investment on the first one estimated at between HK$60 million and HK$80 million.

The bookseller is building its first mainland branch in Suzhou, after an invitation by the city government to invest there.

It is also discussing development plans with the Nanjing and Wuxi administrations.

"Hong Kong is a busy metropolitan city and lacks a place for the soul to rest. If Eslite comes to Hong Kong one day, it will be an honour for Hong Kong," Tsang said of the company's plan.

"Eslite is meeting point of different cultures. It provides services which we do not yet see in Hong Kong now {hellip} Hong Kong is a business city and we should explore these things. After I go back, the relevant government departments will further discuss it with [the company]."

After the bookstore tour, Tsang attended a lunch with Lin Hwai-min, founder of the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre, and others from the Taiwan cultural sector. He later visited the National Palace Museum.

The minister is on a four-day tour in Taiwan in his capacity as honorary chairman of the Hong Kong-Taiwan Economic and Cultural Co-operation and Promotion Council. The semi-official body will today hold its first ever meeting with its Taiwan counterpart, the Taiwan- Hong Kong Economic and Cultural Co-operation Council.

Taiwanese bookseller looking at market site
Industry says project should go to locals
31 August 2010
South China Morning Post

A major bookseller in Taiwan is looking at the Central Market as a possible site to set up shop in Hong Kong, but the choice may be disputed by local players in publishing.

The Urban Renewal Authority, in charge of the revitalisation project for the 71-year-old building in Des Voeux Road Central, said the use of the block would ultimately be determined by the public.

"There will be a fair process in the selection of Central Oasis' [the name of the market project] future operator," said a spokesman for the authority, adding that a public forum would soon be organised.

A committee that advises the authority on the project met yesterday but has yet to discuss the business model and partners. A person present at the meeting said: "The project could be run by one or multiple operators. The committee is determined to keep the selection process very fair and transparent, with thorough consultation.

"Public opinion will be above any other considerations, including political pressure," the person said.

The remarks came as Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah, during his visit to Taiwan this week, welcomed a plan by Eslite, the biggest bookstore chain in Taiwan, to expand to Hong Kong. Tsang indicated that government departments would discuss the idea with the company.

Eslite chairman Robert Wu had also mentioned the Central Market as a possible option, along with Causeway Bay or Kowloon.

Eslite is also looking for a vacant factory building as an alternative, according to a person familiar with the deal.

The bookstore's flagship store in Hong Kong would, like the one in Taipei, come with a restaurant and a food court, a lifestyle design store, a contemporary art gallery, an education centre, a theatre and an observation deck, according to its presentation to the Hong Kong government.

Jimmy Pang Chi-ming, chairman of local publisher Subculture, said the Central Market should be reserved for locals if it were to become a book city.

"Hongkongers absolutely are capable of creating their own city brands. If the market building is to be leased at a concessionary rent, I see no reason why locals should not be beneficiaries.

"The government may want to improve ties with Taiwan, but it should not do so at the expense of local creative industries," Pang said, adding that the West Kowloon Cultural District, which is set to be a regional arts hub, would be a better home to Eslite.

Daniel Lee Dat-ming, who runs Hong Kong Reader, a cultural bookstore in Mong Kok, said he also had reservations about giving concessions to a Taiwanese chain.

He said it is a constant battle for him to meet the monthly rental of more than HK$10,000 for his 800-square-foot shop, located on the seventh floor of an old building.

"The market building could be composed of small shops selling different kinds of books, and in that case, we would also be interested," Lee said, adding that the authority should get operators through an open tender process.

A survey conducted by the authority found that the majority of 6,000 respondents wanted a leisure venue that included green space.

The authority is conducting a structural survey.

I hope there will be a branch at the future WKCD.

張震遠曾會誠品負責人


【明報專訊】台灣著名的書城「誠品」有意落戶香港，其中一個可能選址是中環街市活化後的「城市綠洲」項目。市建局主席張震遠透露7月赴台考察時，曾與誠品負責人見過面，但他強調明年中會進行公開招標，拒評誠品進駐城市綠洲的機會。




中環「城市綠洲」明年中公開招標


張震遠表示，屆時會邀請有興趣的團體和公司參與招標，沒收到邀請的團體和公司也可以入標，故不能說哪間入標者會贏。


對於政府現正就資助市民自置居所諮詢，他表示市建局會配合政府政策，若政府認為市建局的重建單位要出售予某些資格的人士，市建局都可以做，但「不是我們自己決定」。他又重申，現時樓價急升，是因為土地供應太少，引起一系列的問題。