Arabic readers' interest in Chinese books is expanding from literature, learning Chinese language and getting to know more of China, to that even of Chinese web novels. [Photo provided to China Daily]

China Renmin University Press joined China Intercontinental Press as well as People & Tangel Publishing House at the Moroccan fair, which opened on Feb 7 and ran until Feb 17, while China Intercontinental took books in Spanish to the Havana International Book Fair.

The year celebrates the 60th anniversary of establishing Sino-Moroccan diplomatic relations. The Chinese delegation brings 5,000 copies in Arabic and French to the fair. And 1,000 copies of books in 300 Chinese titles are donated to University of Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah to enhance the ties.

To Liu, director of International Publishing Center of the press, the Casablanca fair is just like a family reunion of the Belt and Road Academic Publishing Alliance of publishing houses from countries involved with the Belt and Road Initiative.

Established in 2017, the alliance has attracted 207 publishing partners from 44 countries, among which 29 are from the Arab world.

"And we'll probably have new members after the fair," Liu says, adding that the Moroccan readers are well-educated and are interested in China's traditional culture, TCM, language learning, the initiative and how China develops.