Beijing book fair growing in size and popularity

The 24th Beijing International Book Fair to be held at the new Beijing International Exhibition Center from Aug 23 to 27. [Photo provided to China Daily]

As an ambassador of reading, writer Liu Zhenyun will be the "torchbearer" for the 24th Beijing International Book Fair to be held at the new Beijing International Exhibition Center from Aug 23 to 27.

"Books are torches that light up human ideas and thoughts. Book fairs distribute the torches and stimulate exchanges," he says.

Liu says he has been visiting many international book fairs and he's glad to see the Beijing one growing bigger. It's now the world's second largest as others shrink in scale.

He will talk about literature creation and translation with French publisher Genevieve Imbot-Bichet, Israeli translator Kobi Levi, and Czech writer Iva Pekarkova during the fair.

This year, the fair will be held together with the 15th Beijing International Book Festival.

Lin Liying from China National Publications and Import & Export (Group) Corporation says the combined events will "highlight international copyright trade with professionals as well as promote the delight of reading among general readers".

The 2017 fair covers an area of about 92,700 square meters, the largest in its history.

Lin says about 2,500 publishing organizations from 89 countries and regions will attend the literary feast. Publishers from Oman, Azerbaijan and Ukraine are to attend for the first time.

Among the 300,000 titles on exhibition, 10,000 have been selected for a special showcasing books with high quality and far-reaching influences that were published in the last five years in Chinese and foreign languages.

The selected books also represent the Party's governing philosophy, the country's progress in multiple areas, and how Chinese titles are read by a more global audience. Xi Jinping: Telling the Stories, published by People's Publishing House, is one such publication.