On-line books face an unpredictable future now that many national websites are asking for money from their readers, reported the Shanghai Evening Post on July 30.

The country's popular websites, sina.com.cn and sohu.com, will start charging reading fees for some of its on-line books in upcoming months, according to the report.

Since the end of last May, QQ.com, another popular national website, has already opened a VIP channel that charges reading e-books.

Visitors in QQ.com pay 2 yuan (26 cents) to read VIP books that sell for less than 30 yuan (US$3.96) in bookstores. Increased rates are charged for books costing more than 30 yuan, according to Cheng Fang, a staff member from the website.

Cheng declined to reveal the number of current visits of its VIP channel.

Until now most websites, including Sina.com.cn, sohu.com and qq.com, provided free e-books for on-line readers.

Some Internet editors believe that the pay-to-read launch will help develop the e-book business.

"We're allowed to publish 50 percent to 60 percent of a book on line when we provide a free reading service because it functions like a new-book promotion," said Li Xin, chief editor from the reading channel of sohu.com.

"Charging fees enables us to provide the entire novel to our readers. Besides, reading fees are only one tenth of a book price on average," added Li.

Cmfu.com, a website carrying original Chinese literary works, started charging for its e-books in 2002. By last month it had more than 10 million registered members.

Although charging for e-books may indicate a paperless trend in the future as some of the publishers predict, readers have different viewpoints.

"I take little interest in charging e-books, though I love to read stories on line," said Li Xiao, a former magazine editor.

"I will buy my favorite books even though they cost 10 times more than the on line reading fees. Besides, with a paper copy I can read them again and again. But what do I get after paying for reading something on line?"

Although the electronic publishing business remains unclear, traditional publishers are now cooperating with websites in hopes of a brighter future.

"Paper works and e-books complement with each other. They cater to people with different reading habits," said an editor surnamed Dong, from the Taibai Literature & Art Publishing House.

"We would like to work together with websites. Cooperation with an e-publisher will promote our new books and cause a decline of pirated versions," explained Dong.

The copyright piracy has given many domestic publishing houses a big headache.

(China.org.cn by Wu Jin, August 5, 2007)