China Books & Periodicals

What China Books & Periodicals does

China Books & Periodicals is a specialized book importer, distributor, and publisher focused on Chinese-language and China-related content for the North American market. Founded in 1960 by Henry H. Noyes, the company operates as the self-described oldest and largest publisher, importer, and distributor of books from and about China to North America. It is now a subsidiary of Sinomedia International Group, headquartered in South San Francisco, California, with a large distribution warehouse in San Francisco that provides direct access to publishers in mainland China. The product portfolio spans over 25 Chinese language textbook series (Integrated Chinese, Boya Chinese, HSK Standard Course, New Practical Chinese Reader, and others), 30+ categories of Chinese-language books, English-language books about China, children's and graded readers, periodicals and magazine subscriptions (Beijing Review, China Today, China Pictorial), and cultural arts and accessories.

The business operates four primary revenue streams: (1) direct-to-consumer retail book sales through the chinabooks.com e-commerce storefront with free shipping over $79; (2) recurring periodical and magazine subscriptions; (3) wholesale and bulk institutional sales to libraries, schools, and bookstores with dedicated account management; and (4) publishing services, U.S. market entry support, and distribution channels for authors and publishers seeking North American reach, operated through the Long River Press imprint. Go-to-market is multi-channel, combining self-serve e-commerce, enterprise field sales, and event-driven community engagement (weekly Chinese Storytime sessions and the 2025 'Chinese Books on Campus' initiative in the San Francisco Bay Area). Marketing spans content (New Titles Blog, Between the Bamboo podcast), email, organic social, and a recently launched loyalty and referral program. There is no proprietary technology platform; the business runs on standard e-commerce and distribution infrastructure.

Name

China Books & Periodicals

Legal name

China Books & Periodicals Inc.

Website

https://chinabooks.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

China Books & Periodicals is the oldest and largest importer, distributor, and publisher of Chinese-language books and China-related content for the North American market, serving educational institutions, libraries, bookstores, and individual learners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Book Retail and Distribution (Chinese and China-related content)

NAICS

Book Publishers (51313), Book, Periodical, and Newspaper Merchant Wholesalers (424920), Book Retailers and News Dealers (459210), Periodical Publishers (513120)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Educational & Academic Publishing Distribution (Textbooks) (CRAOALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Textbooks & Academic Books Retail (CRALAAAC), Book & Periodical Wholesalers (Trade Distribution) (MPAJAKAA), Genre & Category Publishing (Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Sci‑Fi/Fantasy, etc.) (MPAJAAAB), Children’s Books & Educational Readers Retail (CRALAAAD)

Keywords

• Specialty book retail
• Chinese language learning
• Academic book distribution
• Periodical subscription services
• Cultural book publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail Book Sales: Direct sales of Chinese books, English books about China, and Chinese language learning materials to individual consumers through the online storefront. Products include textbooks, children's books, periodicals, and cultural accessories.
2. Periodical Subscriptions: Recurring subscription revenue from magazine and periodical subscriptions including titles like Beijing Review, China Today, and various Chinese language publications.
3. Wholesale & Library Services: Bulk sales to libraries, schools, and bookstores with institutional pricing. Services include curated selections and reliable supply chain for post-1949 reference materials on contemporary China.
4. Publishing Services: Publishing services, U.S. market entry support, and distribution channels for authors and publishers seeking to reach North American markets. Also publishes English books about China.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

China Books & Periodicals is a specialty book importer, distributor, and publisher that sells Chinese-language learning textbooks, English-language books about China, Chinese-language books, children's bilingual books, periodicals/magazines, and cultural arts & accessories to North American consumers and institutions. It also provides wholesale and library supply services and publishing/market-entry support for authors and publishers seeking to reach North American audiences, supported by a large San Francisco warehouse with direct mainland China publisher access.

Product overview

China Books & Periodicals is a specialized book importer, distributor, and publisher focused on Chinese and China-related content for North America. The company operates as a multi-product platform offering: (1) an extensive Chinese language learning textbook portfolio featuring over 25 textbook series including Integrated Chinese, Boya Chinese, HSK Standard Course, New Practical Chinese Reader, Easy Steps to Chinese, Chinese Made Easy, Chinese Paradise, Kuaile Hanyu, and Mandarin Hip Hop for all proficiency levels; (2) English books about China covering history, culture, philosophy, art, and business; (3) Chinese-language books imported from mainland China across 30+ categories; (4) periodical and magazine subscriptions including Beijing Review, China Today, and China Pictorial; (5) children's books and graded readers; (6) arts and cultural accessories; and (7) wholesale/library services for institutions. The company, founded in 1960 and now part of Sinomedia International Group headquartered in South San Francisco, also offers publishing services for authors seeking U.S. market entry and hosts educational events including the Chinese Books on Campus initiative.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• China Books Rewards: Loyalty program offering points for purchases ($1 = 1 point) and referral rewards ($10 for referrer and referee).
• Between the Bamboo
• Children's Chinese Storytime

Products and services

• Chinese Textbook Series
• English Books About China
• Chinese Books (中文书籍)
• Periodicals and Magazine Subscriptions
• Children's Books
• Arts and Accessories
• Library and Wholesale Services
• Publishing Services (U.S. Market Entry and Long River Press)

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Sinomedia International GroupcoreOthersChina Books is now part of Sinomedia International Group, a parent company that has enabled expanded wholesale, retail, and publishing operations with strategic partnerships in China and abroad.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Springer Nature: Global academic and scientific publisher with significant Asian Studies output serving research libraries. Broad incumbent publishing alternative for the same university and research-library customers that buy from China Books' academic reference offerings.
• Better World Books: Large online book retailer and wholesaler offering broad catalogs of new and used books with global fulfillment. Broad incumbent in online book retail, competing with chinabooks.com on convenience, pricing, and shipping economics.
• Routledge (Taylor & Francis): Major academic imprint within Taylor & Francis with significant Asian Studies and China-related scholarly titles. Broader incumbent across academic publishing, overlapping with China Books' library/research-institution use case but at much larger scale.

Direct peers

• Sinolingua: China-based publisher of Chinese language learning materials and textbooks, including HSK-aligned series. Direct upstream comparable to China Books' textbook offerings, with overlap on titles such as HSK Standard Course.
• Tuttle Publishing: Vermont-based publisher and distributor specializing in English-language books on Asia, including extensive Chinese and Japanese language learning materials. Closely comparable to China Books in combining Asian-content publishing with retail and textbook distribution in North America.
• Kinokuniya USA: Japanese bookstore chain operating multiple US retail locations with broad Asian-content offerings. Direct peer in specialty Asian-content retail and wholesale, with comparable curation, periodicals, and bilingual materials strategies.
• Bookazine: US book wholesaler and distributor serving independent bookstores and libraries with curated general and specialty inventory. Direct peer in book wholesale distribution with analogous institutional and retail fulfillment capabilities.
• World Scientific Publishing: Singapore-headquartered academic publisher with extensive Asia-Pacific and China-focused titles and global distribution. Comparable as Asia-specialist publisher with international library/wholesale channels similar to China Books' institutional services.
• Brill Publishers: Leiden-based academic publisher with a strong Asian Studies and China-focused portfolio distributing globally. Comparable in scholarly publishing of China-related content and institutional library distribution model.

Emerging players

• China Institute: US-based non-profit promoting Chinese culture, language, and arts with educational programming and some publishing/curation. Niche cultural/educational peer with overlapping audience of China-focused learners and educators.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/originalchinabooks
• Instagraminstagram.com/chinabooks
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sinomedia-usa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about China Books & Periodicals