V&A Museum deletes maps and images deemed sensitive by Beijing from publications

10 hours ago

The Victoria and Albert Museum agreed to Chinese censorship requests, removing maps and images from exhibition catalogues printed in China, including a historical map of British colonial trade routes and an image of Lenin, due to sensitivities around topics like Taiwan, Tibet, and Tiananmen Square.
Chinese printers, such as C&C Offset Printing, enforce censorship by the General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP), leading to delays and changes in production, with the V&A describing these edits as 'minor' and not affecting the narrative.
Other UK institutions like the British Museum, Tate, and British Library also use Chinese printers for cost savings—often half the price of European options—but face similar censorship challenges, though the Tate claims it has never altered content at a printer's request.
The censorship extends beyond contemporary issues to historical materials, such as Fabergé egg exhibitions and British Black music catalogues, revealing the broad and evolving scope of Beijing's restrictions on international publishers.
Economic factors drive the use of Chinese printers despite censorship issues, with UK publishers citing high costs locally and acknowledging delays due to Chinese regulatory checks, highlighting tensions between financial practicality and editorial freedom.

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