Independent bookstores are in the crosshairs of the CCP’s crackdown on free expression. One bookseller likens his situation to “smuggling drugs instead of selling books.”

By Samuel Wade | China Digital Times

Summary

At the Associated Press, Fu Ting reports mounting pressure on China’s independent bookstores and other cultural channels and venues.

Independent bookstores in China have become a focal point in the ruling Communist Party’s crackdown on dissent and free expression. The Associated Press reports that at least a dozen independent bookstores have been closed or targeted for closure in recent months. One bookstore owner was arrested over four months ago.

The crackdown has produced a chilling effect on China’s publishing industry. While bookstores are common, many are state-owned. Independent bookstores face a complex web of regulations that are now strictly enforced. Printing shops and street vendors are also experiencing increased inspections from the National Office Against Pornography and Illegal Publication.

Authorities are not only concerned about content but also about the role bookstores play as cultural centers that foster critical thinking and discussion on sensitive political topics.

Former Shanghai bookseller Zhou Youlieguo, who ran a licensed independent bookstore focused on art and self-published works, faced severe repercussions, including thousands of dollars in fines and repeated interrogations. He witnessed colleagues jailed for selling “illegal publications,” and ultimately had to remove self-published works from his store at the request of local authorities, likening his situation to “smuggling drugs instead of selling books.”

Readers in China also face tightening restrictions. Officials have been reprimanded for engaging with books deemed politically sensitive. In April, a repository of pirated ebooks closed its WeChat account under pressure from the government. The political climate in Hong Kong has likewise led to the removal of sensitive books from public libraries.

According to South China Morning Post, restrictions on the flow of books from Taiwan to China have intensified since 2019, requiring additional approvals for Taiwanese works—even for non-sensitive literature. The approval process can now take years, especially following former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan in August 2022. Since then, only four works of Taiwanese literature have been published in mainland China, with just one released this year.

As one editor pointed out, the uncertainty in cross-strait relations has led to a reluctance to bring in books by Taiwanese authors, stating, “We can’t afford the cost of waiting indefinitely.”

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