Chinese regulators have blocked American books from releasing in China amid ongoing turmoil over President Donald Trump’s tariffs on soybeans, beef and cars, The New York Times reports.
A partial trade agreement was reached this month, and some American books have been approved recently, but publishers fear that books may remain top targets for retaliation, making them reluctant to speak openly about which books have been held back.
However, past lists of books that were scheduled for publication in China this year show several titles that were promised have yet to appear, including Bob Woodward’s book “Fear: Trump in the White House,” a translation of Cormac McCarthy’s 1973 novel “Child of God,” and Harvard professor Michael J. Sandel’s “Public Philosophy: Essays on Morality in Politics.”
“American writers and scholars are very important in every sector,” said Sophie Lin, editor at a Beijing-based private publishing company. “It has had a tremendous impact on us and on the industry.”
“Chinese publishers will definitely change their focus,” if American books continue to be blocked, according to Beijing-based editor Andy Liu.
“Publishing American books is now a risky business,” he added. “It’s shaking the very premise of trying to introduce foreign books.”
Suzanne Nossel, the executive director of PEN America, told the Times in an email: “Given the vast gulf in understanding and communication between the U.S. and China, we should be worried about any narrowing of the flow of information.”
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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