This dissertation is devoted to the establishment of theoretical and methodological foundations for the development of book trade in the social and communicational environment of the People's Republic of China under the conditions of digital transformation. The dissertation demonstrates that the effectiveness of the development of book trade in the People's Republic of China is based on a rational combination of state regulations and market mechanisms, as well as an active implementation of innovative technologies.
A periodization into main developmental stages of the publishing trade in the People's Republic of China, book trade being a part of it, has been laid out. The first stage (1949-1966) became the foundation of the publishing industry in socialist China: A large number of socialist state-owned publishing houses were established, the number of printed publications, both in terms of individual titles and circulation, increased rapidly, content structure was constantly enriched, and the quality of publications improved. The second stage (1966-1976) was heavily influenced by the set of policies known as the "Cultural Revolution", which at the time was implemented statewide and led to the complete decline of the publishing industry. The third stage (1976-2000) involved a fundamental change in the political course of the People's Republic of China, aimed at reforming and carrying out an open door policy, which directly contributed to the restoration of existing social institutions in the book industry as well as the establishment of new ones. The fourth stage (from 2001 to the present time) is characterized by significant changes in the country's economic and cultural policies, which contributed to the development of the country's publishing industry, as well as the rise of new informational technologies, leading to the process of active digital transformation of the book industry.
An analysis of statistical and factual material allowed to establish the main trends in the development of the book industry in modern China: an increase in the number of publications by individual titles and overall circulation; stabilization of the number of publishing entities; uneven distribution of publishing houses; the emergence of powerful competitive publishing groups that occupy high places in world rankings; increase in book consumption per capita; increase in prices for books; reduction to the ratio of import to export of copyrights; diversification of international relations.
An analysis of the activities of various party and state bodies (Propaganda Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Main State Administration for Press and Printing of the People's Republic of China, the Ministry of Culture of the People's Republic of China) in the field of publishing affairs allowed to come to the conclusion that each of them fulfills its functions in the development and reform of the publishing sphere. Issues of organization and management of the book industry in the People's Republic of China are solved through an optimal combination of state regulations and market mechanisms. The function of the state lies in determining the strategic direction of industrial development, creating a legislative and regulatory framework, and ensuring the process of standardization, supervision, and control. The state creates favorable conditions for industrial development, which include financial support for various projects, investment incentives, attracting foreign capital, and tax discounts. An analysis of statistical material shows that the reform of the book industry (2010-2015) produced positive results: companies engaged in book distribution became independent corporate legal entities, the number of powerful publishing corporations with their own book distribution system increased, the industry's profits also increased rapidly, and the PRC became the leading country worldwide in terms of copies of printed products. A steady growth of bookstores, and an increase in the number of readers could also be noted. Balanced government policy in the book industry allowed it to overcome the consequences of the pandemic with minimal losses.
