Amazon has announced it will no longer sell the Kindle e-reader in China, and will close its ebook store next year.
The retail giant will stop shipping Kindles to Chinese retailers from this week, and will refund any purchases made this year.
“We remain committed to our customers in China,” an Amazon spokesperson told Reuters.
“As a global business, we periodically evaluate our offerings and make adjustments, wherever we operate.
“With our portfolio of businesses in China, we will continue to innovate and invest where we can provide value to our customers.”
Amazon has stressed this was a business decision, and not a political move.