Publishers of Chinese books predict boom

China is targeting a year-on-year rise of 15 percent in its book export revenue in 2011 amid stronger government efforts to promote Chinese printed publications globally.

Zhang Fuhai, director of the international exchange and cooperation department of the General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP), said the book export boom is a result of the recent signing of cooperation agreements between Chinese and overseas publication houses.

Last month GAPP initiated a campaign to increase Chinese publications' exposure around the world, including cooperating with international publishing giants to enlarge global sales networks, and hosting book fairs in overseas Chinese bookstores.

Under one agreement between Shanghai Press and Publishing Development Company and French publication leader Lagardere Group, Chinese publications will soon be available in more than 3,000 of Lagardere's network stores.

Zhang called this type of project "borrowing a boat to sail", adding that his administration may push for more cooperation agreements between Chinese publication houses and international publication giants such as Barnes & Noble and Borders Group.

He also said GAPP will soon issue more preferential policies to encourage Chinese publication houses to invest more in overseas markets.

Qi Pingjing, president of China International Book Trading Corporation, China's largest book exporter contributing to some two-thirds of Chinese book exports, said late last year that his company could achieve at least $22 million in book export revenues in 2010, a 10-percent rise over 2009.

The company has 17 overseas branches, including subsidiaries and offices. But Qi said that for a company to build its own bookstores and establish a logistics system in a foreign country is not always a good choice.

"What we will do to increase overseas channels is to include as many overseas Chinese bookstores as possible in our computer system," he said.