The publishing industry continues to grow. In 2005, China
published 40.4 billion copies of newspapers, 2.75 billion magazines
and 6.4 billion books.
Since 2002, when China began incorporation of its publishing, 55
publishing groups have been set up. The largest, China Publishing
Group, established in April 2003, has 12 large enterprises and
institutes under its umbrella, including the Commercial Press,
Zhonghua Book Company, DSX Joint Publishing Company, Xinhua
Bookstore Head Office, China National Publishing Industry Trading
Corp. and China National Publications Import and Export (Group)
Corp. The giant encompasses publishing and distribution by
different media, chain-stores, import and export, copyright trade,
printing and copying, information service, technology development
and financing.
In accordance with China's WTO commitments, the General
Administration of Press and Publication promulgated in May 2003 the
Administrative Measures on Foreign-Invested Book, Newspaper and
Periodical Distribution Enterprises, allowed foreign investors to
engage in book, newspaper and periodical retailing as of May 1,
2003, and wholesaling as of December 1, 2004. The document also
requires foreign investors to get the Administration's approval if
they plan to open such retail or wholesale organizations. At
present, around 60 foreign-invested enterprises have set up
agencies on China's mainland, preparing to apply, or in the process
of applying to open such distribution enterprises.
Books and Periodicals
Today there are 570 publishing houses and 320 audio-video
publishers in China. The state has also planned key book
publication projects and established awards for outstanding books
to promote the development of the publishing industry. Meanwhile,
the periodical industry has seen amazing growth. In 1949, there
were only 257 periodicals in China, with a total impression of 20
million or less than 0.1 copy per head of population. With reform
and opening-up in 1979, the number of periodicals jumped to 1,470,
with a total 1.184 billion copies, or one copy per capita. By 2005,
the number had soared to 9,423 titles, with a total impression of
2.75 billion or more than 2.1 copies per person.
Along with the speeding up of the information industry, the
electronic publications market has rapidly taken shape, with over
2,000 electronic publications coming out every year.
Foreign-oriented Publishing
The China International Publishing Group (CIPG) undertakes
the publication, printing and distribution of foreign-language
books and periodicals, playing a unique role in China's publishing,
cultural exchange and cooperation. It encompasses five print
magazines in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Korean, Japanese,
Russian and Chinese, seven publishing houses and websites in
several languages. The five magazines are Beijing Review, China
Today, China Pictorial, People's China and China. The seven
publishing houses, including Foreign Languages Press and New World
Press, publish more than 1,000 titles in about 20 foreign languages
every year. The books are distributed to 190 countries and regions,
promoting cultural understanding and exchange. The China
International Book Trading Corporation, a member of the CIPG,
distributes books and periodicals to 80-odd countries and regions,
and holds exhibitions of Chinese books abroad.
The Intercontinental Communications Center is a non-governmental
organization specializing in producing multi-language audio-video
products (including films and television programs) and regular
publications. Founded in 1993, it turns out several hundred hours
of movies and television programs and more than 100 books annually,
which reach over 150 countries and regions. The programs and books
are mainly about China's basic conditions, culture, reform and
opening-up, and modernization drive, as well as China's views on
issues of international concern.
The China Internet Information Center offers authoritative and
comprehensive information about China to Internet surfers around
the world. It went into operation on January 1, 1997 and 90 percent
of its users are overseas.
