China's publishing authority has quietly introduced new restrictions on foreign magazines issuing Chinese versions, but officials on Friday denied the rules had led to the closure of Rolling Stone magazine's Chinese edition.
A General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP) official said the body created an "internal rule" last year that allows only foreign science and technology magazines to develop Chinese versions through tie-ups with approved local partners.
Communist Party rulers control the flow of information and have cracked down on increasingly bold reporting by local newspapers and magazines. In August, the government also issued new restrictions on foreign investment in satellite television and other media ventures.
The GAPP official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the internal rule would mean sports, entertainment and fashion magazines cannot expect approval to enter China's expanding media market for the time being.
"China never promised to let foreign companies distribute Chinese versions here; they've always had to have a Chinese partner that selects content based on our requirements," he said.
"Now approvals will be limited to science and technology publications."
He said the rule was introduced some time last year, but could not give a specific date and said it has not been openly published.
This latest development in media controls was first reported by the Wall Street Journal on Friday. It may throw into uncertainty many international media corporations' plans to expand in China, said David Wolf, president of Wolf Group Asia, which advises investors on China's media.
"This has far-reaching implications, not just for foreigners, but also their local partners," he told Reuters. "But in China there's a big difference between passing a regulation and actually enforcing it, and this regulation is no different." The Chinese official denied the rule directly caused the closure of Rolling Stone's local edition, but he offered little hope for the Shanghai publishers of the US-based rock magazine, which was shut down last month after one issue.