Independent bookstores have become a new battleground in China. They're getting swept up in the ruling Communist Party’s crackdown on dissent and free expression.

Summary

Chinese-language bookstores are thriving abroad as China intensifies its crackdown on independent booksellers.

Yu Miao, forced to close his Shanghai store six years ago, now runs JF Books in Washington, benefiting from freedom from censorship.

At least a dozen bookstores have been shuttered in China recently as authorities target dissent and “illegal publications,” often punishing booksellers with fines, arrests, and harassment.

Meanwhile, exiled booksellers are establishing cultural hubs overseas, meeting demand from Chinese migrants seeking community and uncensored literature, while escaping China’s tightening grip on free expression.