China-UK publishers' event builds connections

A matchmaking event brought together publishers from China and the United Kingdom to discuss the exporting and importing of book copyrights at the London Book Fair on Wednesday.

Organized by the China National Publications Import & Export (Group) Co Ltd, the event was attended by representatives from more than 10 publishing houses from both China and the UK, including Peking University Press, Nanjing University Press, Bristol University Press, New Frontier Publishing, among others.

According to the organizer, this marks the first in-person event held during the book fair for Chinese and British participants to establish contacts, understand each other's demands, and facilitate transactions since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"China is one of our biggest markets, and our authors are keen to get their books translated into Chinese," said Jo Greig, sales and marketing director at Bristol University Press.

"We are also interested in translating books from Chinese scholars and bringing them to the international market. We haven't done this before, but it's definitely something we are considering, especially with the range of authors and the types of books we've seen at the event," she added.

Stephen Rickard, creative director at Ransom Publishing, a UK publishing arm specializing in literacy, said China is a promising market for his company, which is seeking sales opportunities.

Rickard observed that Chinese parents are actively involved in assisting their children to become proficient readers and English learners, a focus that aligns with Ransom Publishing's expertise.

Many of the company's books are specifically crafted to be "high-low" for children who are struggling with developing reading skills, which means that the content is appropriate to the actual age of readers, but the text has been written to work for a lower reading age, Rickard said.

"I think the books we've sold to China have been doing very well," he said. "In the UK, our sales are almost all to schools. Outside the UK, certainly in China as well, most of our sales go to homes. There are some differences, but at the bottom, we hope to provide books for children who want to learn and read English."

Wang Yan, deputy director of the international department at Peking University Press, pointed out that British publishers, being among the first to enter the Chinese market, have been proactive in establishing partnerships with their Chinese counterparts.

"In recent decades, there have been quite a few instances of copyright exportation. For example, last year, we exported copyrights for more than 170 titles," she said.

The 2024 edition of the London Book Fair commenced on Tuesday and concluded on Thursday, featuring the participation of more than 30,000 publishing professionals and 1,000 companies from around the globe.

The fair witnessed active participation from the Chinese delegation, with around 50 Chinese publishers, including China Publishing Group, China International Communications Group, and China Renmin University Press, showcasing more than 3,200 China-themed titles.

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