外资现在可以进入传媒发行领域，但不可以进入编辑领域。
Media sector opened wider
(January 23,2003 )(China Daily)
Publication management rules will be adjusted to allow more foreign and private capital into the book, newspaper and magazine distribution market, an official from the State Press and Publication Administration (SPPA) told China Daily Wednesday.
The new rules will remove the current restriction whereby only State-owned enterprises can enter China’s publications wholesale market, said Liu Bo, director of the administration’s distribution department.
“Overseas capital and privately owned businesses can both enter wholesale publications distribution in the form of joint ventures,” he said.
But State capital should hold a controlling stake in such joint ventures.
Liu said the rules are being revised in line with the promises China made when joining the World Trade Organization (WTO) in December 2001.
He said China will accept and handle applications from overseas investors to invest in the book, newspaper and magazine distribution sector once the rules go into effect. The regulations could be published as early as the first quarter of this year.
More than 60 overseas companies have set up offices on the Chinese mainland with the intention of investing in the publications distribution business. They are likely to be the first to have their applications approved, according to some industry insiders.
But China will allow no overseas investment in the editing sector, and a few of the 140 WTO members have pledged only limited access to overseas investors in their respective editing sectors, said Liu Bingjie, deputy director of the SPPA.
In keeping with its WTO commitments, China should open its entire book, newspaper and magazine wholesale and retail sector to overseas investment during its third year of WTO membership. It should also lift all restrictions limiting the number of overseas- funded distribution companies, geographical locations and share-holding rights.
Deputy Director Liu said the books, newspapers and magazines involved will primarily be those published on the Chinese mainland.
Last year, China opened up the retail business in Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin municipalities, Guangzhou in South China’s Guangdong Province, Dalian in Northeast China’s Liaoning Province, Qingdao in East China’s Shandong Province and the country’s five special economic zones — Hainan, Shantou, Shenzhen, Xiamen and Zhuhai.
This year, all mainland provincial capitals, together with Chongqing Municipality and Ningbo in East China’s Zhejiang Province, will allow foreign capital into their retail markets.
Although State capital will no longer be the sole player in the publications distribution market, senior managers of State-owned distribution companies have expressed confidence they can face the challenges.
“Despite the protection lost, the change in the distribution market will actually lift the pressure put on us by readers, who are demanding more and more books,” Ha Jiuru, president and general manager of the Shanghai Xinhua Distribution Group, told China Daily.
Ha’s group is one of the top distribution groups in the country.
He said competition for market share by non-State capital should encourage existing players to develop into stronger firms rather than going on the defensive.
“We will not be limited to wholesale and retail business. There is much more space in the distribution business for State-owned groups to get established and developed,” he said.
The Shanghai Xinhua Distribution Group established a publication trade centre late last year. Ha said this was an attempt to make a breakthrough in the traditional distribution business.
The centre is composed of a hall displaying new books, an online display and trade platform and a large bookstore. Ha said the centre lets buyers and sellers do both spot trading and forward business, which is new in China’s current distribution market.