UK publisher looks to Chinese authors for strong local insight

LONDON — When Paul Goulding began his career in international publishing in the early 1980s, he never imagined that one day he would only publish books about China.

During the London Book Fair this year, ahead of the World Book and Copyright Day, Goulding signed a deal with China’s Economic Science Press, buying the copyright of 10 books of China’s Road series. His company, Paths International Ltd, plans to introduce English versions of the books to Western readers on topics covering China’s urban development, economic globalization, pension security and military system.

“We feel the books link closely with the Belt and Road Initiative. We publish journals on the B&R. It’s a part of the theme of development and growth and future of China. We think it is unique,” Goulding told Xinhua News Agency.

Goulding established Paths in the UK in 2002 for the purpose of bringing high quality academic and professional content written and developed in Asia to Europe and North America. With the recent emergence of China as a major international publishing center and the arrival of e-books and print-on-demand technology, the company now has only one goal: to provide “books about China from China in English and in Chinese”.

“Over the past eight years, we have only published books about China, from China,” Goulding said.

“In the past, most books about China were written by journalists or commentators in the West. So if you wanted to understand China, you had to read Western experts, Western newspapers and magazines. That seems strange now. Because with the opening up of China, China has been pub- Paul Goulding, lishing more material in English. And we feel the books from China offer the best insight into China, because the research, study, legacy and language of Chinese scholars are valuable, so that’s why we only publish Chinese scholars’ books,” he told Xinhua.

The British publisher began making regular visits to India and China in the early 1980s. He was based in Singapore for more than 13 years where he worked for several world-famous publishers, including Times Mirror International Publishers and Addison-Wesley.

The businessman saw huge potential in China’s publishing market.

“China has potential. It is exciting, it’s interesting. It’s a nice place to do business. The people are very committed. It offers rich opportunities, especially now Chinese publishers get support from different organizations and the government to publish books for England, for the whole world,” he said.

His company has so far worked with 15 Chinese publishers and published some 170 books, all about China.

“We are now making books written by Chinese authors from some of the most prestigious universities and institutions in the country available to the international community. It offers a view of China from experts in China. Change in China is not a single event, it is a process and many of these books bring clarity to the seeming blur of recent and ongoing change in China,” the publisher said.

His small company has also witnessed increasing interest in Chinese books during the past eight years. “When Western people see more Chinese people, more Chinese interaction and more contact between China and the West, there is a cultural and social link for academic content.”

“The scholars at universities are keen to get information on China, to read the latest research. I think all the academics now are probably doing something related to China in their works. They teach students in the universities learning about China, studying history, economics or business. China is a pervasive and important source of academic content in universities in the West,” he added.

Paths prints books in the UK, and its distributors in North America print them in the United States. Goulding admitted that publishing academic books is not easy, “because readers get used to books by British authors and Western universities.”

Although it is taking time to develop, Goulding has no doubt that his company is on the right road.

“Chinese business, economics and finance are of vital importance to the world outside China. We attempt to frame a broad canvas on which to present information about China,” he said.

... now Chinese publishers get support from different organizations and the government to publish books for England, for the whole world.” British publisher, owner of Paths International Ltd