- Two British publishers censored words in books so that they could be printed cheaply in China, FT reported.
- References to topics including Taiwan were cut from books published by Quarto and Octopus, FT said.
- This is not the first time the publishing industry has self-censored to appease Beijing.
According to the Financial Times, two British publishers censored words in books meant for Western audiences so that they could print them at a low cost in China.
Two unnamed sources cited by the FT said references to topics deemed sensitive by China, such as Taiwan and Hong Kong, were repeatedly edited out in books published by Quarto — publisher of "This Book Is Antiracist" and "The Complete Language of Flowers" — as well as Octopus Books, which is part of literary giant Hachette.
These books, which are sold in the West, were censored after the companies' Chinese suppliers said they were unable to publish the texts in their original forms due to legal restrictions on what can be published in China, according to the FT. Limitations include compliance with a rule introduced in January 2018 that requires all maps to be approved by the state before being published, the South China Morning Post reported.
The report sparked concern that as publishers continue to look to China for cost-effective printing solutions, they'll be increasingly beholden to Chinese censorship.
Octopus, FT reported, cut out references to Taiwan in at least two books since 2020 — with an entire section on the island censored in one of them. In the same period, Quarto cut mentions of Hong Kong and dissident Chinese artist Ai Weiwei from two different works, according to the outlet. In one publication, "Taiwanese" was modified to "East Asian."
The titles of the books have not been named as the sources said this could risk their anonymity, FT said.
A Quarto spokesperson told FT that the company did not make changes at the request of suppliers. However, the firm had "a fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of our shareholders" and would work with Chinese suppliers who "consistently deliver" good value for money, the spokesperson said.
An Octopus Books spokesperson told FT that books with sensitive details relevant to the text are not printed in China. Any changes made "are not material, and we always ask the permission of the author first to check they are comfortable to proceed," the spokesperson said.
Quarto and Octopus Books did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
This is not the first time the publishing industry has self-censored to appease Beijing.
In 2017, academic publisher Springer Nature blocked access to more than a thousand articles in China to comply with demands from the Chinese government, per AP. The articles were related to topics such as Taiwan and Tiananmen Square.
Cambridge University Press also censored hundreds of politically sensitive articles in China that same year before reversing its decision.