The Bookseller reports that Lonely Planet, Rough Guides and Time Out are understood to have had guides to China blocked because they mention the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. It is unknown whether the guides to China and Beijing have been blocked by officials or whether local distribution channels are refusing to take them. Lonely Planet has also confirmed reports of small numbers of guides being seized by border officials from travelers arriving in China. “We are obviously concerned and disappointed that this is happening,” said Lonely Planet editor Tom Hall, “but from our conversations with travelers, we believe it is an extremely small issue affecting only a handful of travelers.”
All three publishers have no plans to change their guides. “We wouldn’t consider changing our information based on pressure from governments or local publishers,” said Rough Guides spokesman Anna Paynton. Hall added: “We choose not to let outside influences affect our editorial decisions.”