Far beyond printed words

Visitors attend the 24th Beijing International Book Fair, which attracted 1,460 exhibitors from overseas and showcased more than 300,000 books from 89 countries at the event held over Aug 23-27. [Photo by Zou Hong/China Daily]

New ways

Fan says Chinese publishers are not content with just selling rights, and they are exploring other ways to engage with the international market.

On the first day of the fair, New World Press and Cengage Learning agreed to set up an editorial office in the United States "to plan and publish books on China－a new way of working together and promoting Chinese books abroad," says Zhang Hai'ou from New World Press.

"A similar office was set up in India in October and we feel it's effective," says Zhang, adding that between five and eight titles will be planned, produced, promoted from the US office.

Alexander Broich, president of Cengage Learning (International), says: "In the last 30 years, China has achieved a lot in the economy, culture, technology and education spheres. China has changed, and China has changed the world.

"The world needs to learn more about China, and China's success and changes."

In another development, Renmin University Press launched its Belt and Road Academic Publishing Alliance with 92 publishers and academic organizations from 29 countries and regions.

"We feel a lack of resources and translators in China, and sometimes powerless in overseas markets, so the alliance offers new opportunities to publishers," says Li Yanhui, editor-in-chief of Beijing Normal University Press.

Adam Marszalek, a Polish publisher, says his press publishes 40 Chinese titles a year and "the numbers are increasing".

He adds that his readers want books on more aspects of the country and that the alliance opens up more avenues.