Chinese censorship laws could prompt foreign book publishers to look elsewhere for printers
- Publishers from Australia and New Zealand hit by delays and cancellations because of need for printing firms to comply with local laws
- Maps need special approval and changes have been ordered to book to comply with Beijing’s official line on sensitive topics even if they are only going to be sold abroad
Publishers from Australia and New Zealand are looking for printers outside China after falling foul of censorship laws that require maps to be vetted.
A number of businesses have been hit by delays or cancellations – even if the books in question are not intended for local distribution or do not contain China-related content.
Awa Press, a New Zealand publisher, suffered a one-month production delay in October last year when printing the fourth edition of a travel book called Antarctica Cruising Guide because the book contained a map of Antarctica and the Chinese printers needed the extra time to have the map vetted.
“We would have to think about whether we will continue printing in China or not. There are printers in other countries who are also good printers and wouldn’t require this extra month,” Mary Varnham, the editor in chief of Awa Press, said.
The previous editions of Antarctica Cruising Guide, which was first published in 2006, had all been printed using the same Chinese press with no problems.
But a rule introduced in January 2018 requires all maps to be approved by the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping before being published, republished, exported or imported.