China Book International reaches new heights

Over the course of a decade, China Book International (CBI), a project seeking ways to help promote Chinese books abroad, has boosted the international appeal of Chinese books and has made it possible for foreign audiences to read more about the transforming country.

In 2013 alone, CBI supported the copyright trade of 3,754 Chinese titles to the foreign market, according to Cui Yuying, vice director of State Council Information Office at the 10th annual meeting of CBI members in Shenyang, Liaoning province, on Thursday.

CBI reached 78 agreements with 40 publishers from 28 countries to publish Chinese books in 19 languages in 2013, Cui said. Its sister project, China Translation International has reached eight agreements with eight international publishers in five languages.

"In the recent decade, the country's development and its increasing important role in international community offer favorable opportunities for China to attract a global audience for its publications," Cui said. "We've developed a sound mode to achieve the goal."

After years of trial runs, CBI has formed a system that combines governmental support with publishing business efforts as players within the international book market.

The State Council Information Office joined hands with General Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television in sponsoring the publishers with translation and business promotion fees. Together the two organizations operate the CBI office.

"In the past decade, CBI has helped to reduce the deficit in the country's copyright trade with other countries. Now the ratio of book imports to exports is 1.76 to 1 in 2013," said Wu Shulin, vice minister of the administration.

"And we have more quality books, which tell good stories about Chinese wisdom, Chinese culture and explains contemporary Chinese social and political thoughts, read by mainstream western audiences," Wu said.

CBI strengthened publishing children's books abroad in 2013, as it includes China Children's Press and Publication Group as a new CBI member.

And as an important new measure, besides supporting merely Chinese publishers, it will start to sponsor foreign publishers who have been promoting Chinese books and their influence in the global market this year, according to Wu. Interested foreign publishers of Chinese titles may apply.

CBI will also place emphasis in helping publishers to present key titles that have the potential to be popular and influential, as well as seizing the chance to merge traditional publishing with new media, as stated in their plans for 2014.

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