TEHRAN-Iran is present at the 30th Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF) that commenced in Beijing, China, on Wednesday.

The pavilion of the Islamic Republic of Iran showcases more than 500 titles in various fields including literature, children’s, history, and art among others, IRNA reported.

This year’s BIBF has drawn a wider participation of foreign exhibitors compared to last year. With an expanded exhibition area of 55,000 square meters this year, the five-day event has gathered around 1,600 exhibitors from 71 countries and regions, showcasing 220,000 Chinese and foreign publications to visitors, according to the organizers.

The fair has seen an increase of 150 overseas participants compared to the previous year, featuring 1,050 exhibitors from abroad, accounting for 66 percent of the total participants.

Compared to 2023, this year's event has welcomed 15 new participating countries, including Azerbaijan, Qatar, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Nigeria.

Among the 550 domestic participants, including representatives from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, 38 new entities have joined, including the Shanghai Data Exchange, game publisher miHoYo, children's product developers, newspapers, and magazines.

In honor of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the BIBF is hosting an exhibition showcasing significant publishing achievements, particularly in the new era since the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in October 2022. 

Saudi Arabia is the Guest of Honor for this year, presenting approximately 120 titles in Arabic and English, focusing on literature, fairy tales, and educational materials. The country will also organize academic forums and a conference to promote copyright trading.

According to Lei Jianhua, assistant general manager of the China National Publications Import and Export (Group) Co, a co-organizer of the event, the Beijing International Publishing Forum, scheduled for June 21, will explore the potential innovations that new quality productive forces can bring to the publishing industry. Furthermore, high-level forums like the PubTech Conference will delve into the integration of artificial intelligence in the publishing sector.

Established in 198, the Beijing International Book Fair is one of the world's largest book fairs and serves as a major platform for copyright exchange, facilitating the trading of publications from China and abroad, including print books and multimedia works.

This year’s edition of the Beijing International Book Fair will conclude on June 23.

SS/SAB