China enforces ban on online Bible sales

AFP, BEIJING: Bibles have been pulled from Chinese online retailers in "recent days", merchants told AFP on Friday, as Communist authorities ramp up control over religious worship.

The clamp down on "illegally published books" also comes as the Vatican and Beijing negotiate a historic agreement on the appointment of bishops in China.

"Bibles and books without publication numbers have all been removed in recent days," a merchant on Chinese e-commerce platform Taobao told AFP, without giving details on how authorities have enforced the ban.

However, another merchant said she can list Old Testament editions of the Bible while English editions were still available in search results on Amazon China and Dangdang.com.

Online sales of other major religious texts including the Koran and the Taoist Daodejing did not appear to be affected.

All books sold in China technically must go through an official approval process, but Bibles have been readily available in recent years.

The General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP) governs the distribution of China's equivalent of the International Standard Book Number (ISBN), which is needed for books to be legally sold in the country.

China's State Council and GAPP authorities did not immediately respond to AFP's requests for clarification.

 

China enforces ban on online Bible sales

AFP, BEIJING: Bibles have been pulled from Chinese online retailers in recent days, merchants told AFP on Friday, as Communist authorities ramp up control over religious worship. The clamp down on illegally published books also comes as the Vatican and Beijing negotiate a historic agreement on the appointment of bishops in China. Bibles and books without publication numbers have all been removed in recent days, a merchant on Chinese e-commerce platform Taobao told AFP, without giving details on how authorities have enforced the ban. However, another merchant said she can list Old Testament editions of the Bible while English editions were still available in search results on Amazon China and Dangdang.com. Online sales of other major religious texts including the Koran and the Taoist Daodejing did not appear to be affected. All books sold in China technically must go through an official approval process, but Bibles have been readily available in recent years. The General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP) governs the distribution of Chinas equivalent of the International Standard Book Number (ISBN), which is needed for books to be legally sold in the country. Chinas State Council and GAPP authorities did not immediately respond to AFPs requests for clarification.