In China, More Attempts At An Elusive Market

by Jim Milliot and Gayle Feldman, PW NewsLine -- Publishers Weekly, 12/1/2004

A recent press conference in New York announced Reader's Digest's China plans, where, in addition to co-publishing and co-producing titles in cooperation with the Shanghai Press & Publishing Administration, a development company arm of the Shanghai PPA, assisted by RD, will "establish a publishing resource" to help Chinese authors and publishers get distribution in the U.S.

RD publishing partner Sun Yong, who directs the Shanghai Press & Publishing Administration, said that title production was booming, largely in the cities, and the potential for sales remained high. "The market for pop psychology and self-help titles has been growing rapidly. Books on interior design and decorating, corporate management and business are all doing well," he said.

In a coincidental sign of the growth, the American Collective Stand, which represents U.S. publishers at the Frankfurt and London book fairs, will be attending the Beijing International Book Fair for the first time next Sept. ACS has about 1,200 square feet of space, or about 16 stands, with Capstone Press, Thomas Nelson and MBI Publishing already signed on. The Association of Educational Publishers is also taking space to represent titles from member publishers. ACS head Jon Malinowski said he expects Beijing to be "the next big book fair" and notes that British publishers have drawn lots of interest from the Chinese at recent fairs.