MOSCOW, October 16 (RIA Novosti) – Chinese authorities and publishers are attempting to conquer the world’s e-book market, Reuters reports on Thursday.
Such a conclusion can be drawn based on the behavior of almost 40 Chinese representatives at Frankfurt Book Fair, the world’s largest annual trade fair for books, which took place October 8-12.
In contrast to their traditional ambition for buying publishing rights, the Chinese participants aimed to promote and sell their country’s literary achievements.
This shift in book-selling policy is part of China’s “Go Out” strategy that began in 1999. Initiated by the government, the policy presumes that Chinese enterprises will gradually expand internationally via investments and other economic tools. In order to dominate the global book market governmental bodies have collaborated with banks and digital providers to allocate funds to develop and promote the Chinese book industry. China chose to avoid the hardships of broadening its traditional distribution branches and focuses on the rapidly growing e-book commerce.
The recent Frankfurt Book Fair registered that China’s first flagship may be juvenile literature, including bilingual Mandarin and English picture books. This is the outcome of China’s vast development of educational literature, which publishers now feel is suitable for the international market.
Austrian industry consultant Ruediger Wischenbart stated that the Chinese book market increased by 9 percent last year, whereas sales in the USA, Germany and Britain largely remained the same, Reuters conveys.
China is currently the main buyer of book licenses published abroad and is ranked as the second largest book market following the USA.
