Shelf lives

"The progress China has made in improving for standards of living is important," she added.

In his book China and Us, Moroccan writer Fathallah Oualalou explains the reasons behind China's development from both a historical and cultural perspective.

The former mayor of Rabat, capital of Morocco, attributes China's growth to a carefully-designed, top-down revitalization plan.

"China went through the global financial crises, and has been investing in the digital and green economies since 2014.The Belt and Road Initiative is bringing about the chance to rebalance the global economy," he says.

British translator Olivia Milburn was born into a family of professors of foreign languages.

When her father once told her that Chinese was the most difficult language on Earth, she decided to tackle it, and became a specialist in ancient languages and culture.

Now a professor with the Department of Chinese Literature and Language at Seoul National University, she thought she needed to learn more about contemporary culture and she began reading works that have been awarded the Mao Dun Literature Prize. Through this she learned about Mai Jia, and was attracted to his novels - which were the kind of stories that could be enjoyed without a stack of notes about Chinese history and culture.

Her translations helped to establish Mai Jia's work in many overseas markets.

"In present-day society, many people hold grudges against and show resentment toward foreigners or people from other ethnic groups. Translated works enable us to understand the history, culture, mindset and dreams of other nations, and allow people with different ethnic backgrounds to be more tolerant and accept each other's cultures and customs," Milburn.

Iranian author and translator Elham Sadat Mirzania Chinese novels on history, urban life, and Chinese science fiction appeal to foreign readers. She also mentions the popularity of online Chinese novels.

"Translators are the ones that help foreigners gain a sense of how Chinese people live and love, and about their history and way of thinking," she says. "They are able to touch the souls of the Chinese."

Wei Qun contributed to the story.