One month after the Shanghai Bookstore opened in Taiwan, this cooperative venture involving three cross-strait businesses is winning readers who might not be entirely familiar with its printed words, according to its owners.

The initial success is gratifying, the owners say, because the books on sale are printed in simplified Chinese characters rather than the traditional characters normally used in Taiwan.

Located on Chung Hsiao Road East in Taipei, the 500-square-meter store carries 30,000 titles, most of which deal with culture, history and philosophy.

First-day sales on February 24 totaled 270,000 New Taiwan dollars (US$8,499), and in the past month the cash registers have rung up 6 million New Taiwan dollars in purchases, according to the Shanghai Morning Post.

Yan bofei, director of Shanghai Jifeng Bookstore, one of the companies involved in the venture, said he and his Taiwan partner are planning to establish a new publishing model for Chinese books.

"My company has been cooperating with Taiwan Lianjing Publishing Company for years, and we have a common understanding that the publishing industry should be associated with the library industry," Yan said yesterday.

"Our first step is to link the two industries across the strait," he added.

Yan said books on Chinese culture are proving to be popular with Taiwan readers.

"Books such as 'The Dream of The Red Mansion' are also available in Taiwan, but we offer a better edition," said the director.

The owners attribute the popularity of Shanghai Bookstore to three factors.

First, books from the mainland are about 30 percent cheaper than those sold on the island. Second, few stores in Taiwan sell books in simplified Chinese characters. Third, Taiwan readers have a purchasing capacity estimated to be nearly 12 times that of their mainland counterparts.

Shanghai book Trader is the third party involved in the venture, providing import and export services. The state-owned corporation boasts strong financial capabilities and foreign trade licenses and plays a vital role in the operation of the bookstore, according to Chen Weiye, an official with Shanghai Book Trader.

 
Editor: Catherine