Hurst snaps up book by veteran Hong Kong journalist Vines

Hurst Publishers has snapped up Defying the Dragon: Hong Kong and the World's Largest Dictatorship by veteran journalist Stephen Vines.

M.d. Michael Dwyer acquired world English language rights from agent Kristina Pérez at the Zeno Agency.

Vines has lived in Hong Kong for over three decades, and was described by the last governor, Lord Patten, as “one of Hong Kong’s most distinguished and long-serving journalists”. He has worked for the BBC, the Observer, Guardian, Daily Telegraph, Independent and Sunday Times. He hosts current affairs show "The Pulse", is the founding editor of the Eastern Express, and author of Hong Kong: China’s New Colony (Aurum) among others.

Hurst explained: “In this timely book he unpacks the history of the Hong Kong–China relationship and its wider significance – right up to the astonishing convergence of political turmoil and international insecurity following the outbreak of coronavirus. Defying the Dragon also looks at how Hong Kong's popular protest movement has become an existential crisis for its people, the Chinese regime and the world order.”

Senior editor Lara Weisweiller-Wu said: “Steve is one of the most highly regarded and best-informed journalists in Hong Kong. His intimate, on-the-ground familiarity with the real ins and outs of both local and Chinese politics make him uniquely well placed to tell this globally important story: why Hong Kongers have risen up, why Beijing's usual responses haven't worked this time, what's at stake on both sides, and how it's felt to be on the streets during this extraordinary period of turmoil and pandemic.”

Defying the Dragon publishes in March 2021 in the UK and May 2021 in the US.