While the rest of the world suffers the economic squeeze, the government-run Chinese publishing industry has counterintuitively managed to cultivate opportunity for expansion both for local entrepreneurs and international publishers. Talk of less state interference and mounting interest from foreign markets is encouraging some publishers to brave the censors, fears of piracy, and the cultural divide and head east.

China’s publishing industry (guest of honor at this year’s Frankfurt Book Fair) is currently regulated by assigning ISBN numbers only to state-owned publishing houses, forcing both local and foreign publishers to partner with them. Foreigners must also commit to a venture with a Chinese company that represents the majority of shareholders. …Continue Reading