578 state-owned publishing companies (220 of them are based at the central government level, 358 are at the provincial level). There are around 10,000 private publishing companies, 200 to 300 of them have now grown to a significant size. Changes in the Chinese book industry: the expansion of publishing groups as a political decision, as well as the shift of cultural emphasis and the development of commercially-orientated companies.

Trend: The internet as a popular marketing platform; e-books and mobile phone literature.

Details book market China

Blog:Journalist trip to China

An international group of journalists were on a journey of literary-discovery to Peking, four months before China begins it’s presence as Guest of Honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair (14 to 18 October 2009). Edward Nawotka reports for the blog about his impressions from the Middle Kingdom.