Independent bookstores fell under a crackdown by China’s ruling Communist Party, with at least a dozen bookstores closed or slated for closure in the past few months alone, according to AP News.
Bookstores are common in China, but many are state-owned. According to bookshop owners, independent bookshops are regulated by a complex set of rules. Print shops and street vendors are also subject to stricter government inspections by the National Office Against Pornography and Illegal Publication.
Chinese bookstores sprang up in Japan, France, the Netherlands and elsewhere in the United States in recent years as a result of perceived tighter controls in China and the growth of Chinese communities abroad. Michael Berry, director of UCLA’s Centre for Chinese Studies, said China’s sluggish economy could force the government to tighten controls.
The government might be feeling that this is a time to be more cautious and control this kind of discourse in terms of what people are consuming and reading to try to put a damper on any potential unrest and kind of nip it in the bud.
Bookshop owners also face a global movement, especially among young people, towards digital media and away from printed books. However, booksellers are not the only target. Authorities also conducted stringent checks at places such as print shops, internet bars, gaming halls and street vendors.
Authorities in Shanghai inspected printers and bookshops for “printing, copying or selling illegal publications,” according to a government document. They found that some printers did not “register the copy content as required” and demanded that the problem be rectified as soon as possible.
Any publication without a China Standard Book Number is illegal, including self-published books or those imported without special licences. However, despite the restrictions and the crackdown on existing booksellers, more and more bookshops are opening in China.
