The Beijing municipal government is investing 50 million yuan (about $7.5 million) to support bookstore construction and operations in the Chinese capital, 2.8 times the annual investment of 2016 and 2017, according to China News Service.
The government aims to "make greater efforts to develop bookstores in the capital through policies such as subsidies and tax reductions, aiming to establish a well-structured reading environment for the public," China News Service added. "Bookstore construction will be included in the national economic and social development plan, with support for companies and individuals who want to build bookstores in commercial centers and tourist spots, on busy streets and in new residential communities, according to a guideline from the Beijing municipal bureau of press, publication, radio, film and television."
Zhang Su, deputy head of the bureau, said, "We are not just helping out the bookstores with financial problems. Our goal is to make use of those policies to entice more social capital into the bookstore industry and guide existing ones to upgrade their operations." Beijing is also encouraging some bookstores to stay open 24 hours a day.
Beijing plans to build 16 large-scale book malls--one in each district--and 200 niche bookstores in the city by 2020. "The book malls will become cultural experience centers for the public," Zhang added. "They will not only sell books but also host lectures, charity activities, branding and events related to innovation."
Liu Mingqing, a publisher and writer in Beijing, told China News Service that while "we have been facing a period of decline in bookstores," Beijing residents in the last two years have read an average of 10 printed books a year compared to the national rate of four. "More than 60% of Beijing citizens bought books in bookstores rather than online, which means that bookstores are still a major channel," he said.