Amazon discontinues Kindle support in China
US-based tech giant Amazon.com Inc said on Thursday it has stopped supplying retailers in China with its Kindle e-readers starting today and will discontinue its Kindle e-bookstore in the Chinese market on June 30, 2023.
The company said in a statement on its official WeChat account Chinese customers are able to continue downloading any purchased e-books until June 30, 2024. "For customers not wanting to keep using their device, we are offering a refund as an option if they purchased an eligible Kindle after Jan 1, 2022."
In addition, customers will be unable to download the Kindle app from Chinese app stores starting on June 30 next year.
"We remain committed to our customers in China. As a global business, we periodically evaluate our offerings and make adjustments wherever we operate," the statement read. "With our portfolio of businesses in China, we will continue to innovate and invest where we can provide value to our customers, including Amazon Global Selling, Amazon Global Store, Amazon Advertising, Amazon Global Logistics, Amazon Devices and Services Asia and Amazon Web Services."
Amazon shut down its third-party seller services on its Chinese online marketplace in July 2019 and has shifted its business focus to cross-border e-commerce and cloud computing services in China.
The Ministry of Commerce said at a regular media briefing on Thursday that Amazon's latest move is a normal phenomenon in a market-oriented economy, given all market entities including foreign-funded enterprises adjust their products and services in accordance with market development.
The ministry said China remains attractive to foreign investment. In the first four months of the year, the country utilized 478.6 billion yuan ($71.7 billion) of foreign capital, showing 20.5 percent growth over the same period last year.
The ministry also said China welcomes companies from worldwide to further expand investment and bring competitive new products, businesses and services to the Chinese market.
