Business and Human Rights
According to a report carried on the People's Daily website, on September 9 Liu Bo, Director of the General Administration of Press and Publication's Publication Distribution Administration Department, told representatives of several privately run book companies with publication distribution rights that Chinese authorities would not allow privately owned enterprises to establish book publishing houses any time in the next few years.
Director Liu also said, however, that while state-owned publishers that convert to an enterprise structure will not be allowed to accept foreign investment, they will be allowed to accept domestic investment. He suggested that private book companies could be shareholders in such entities and use this method to "get their foot in the door" to obtain the right to publish.
According to senior U.S. trade officials, the U.S. government remains concerned that China's new quarantine requirements will limit market access for U.S. soybeans. Those comments came in response to assurances from China's highest ranking diplomat in the United States that Decree 73, issued in late June, will not impact exports of U.S. soybeans to China. Chinese authorities have maintained that the measure simply aims to implement an extension of quarantine certificates from 3 to 6 months. The measure, however, requires importers to apply for quarantine certificates before signing contracts and to incorporate Chinese quarantine restrictions into the terms of the contract. Violations of quarantine regulations would then also affect the status of the contract.