Readers, pacts and tech share spotlight at BIBF

Books may have been the main attraction, but the 32nd Beijing International Book Fair was equally a showcase of ideas, technology and cultural exchange.

Over five days, the fair transformed the China National Convention Center into a global meeting place for publishers, authors, literary agents and readers. By the time the event concluded last Sunday, it had attracted nearly 300,000 visitors and facilitated 2,835 copyright trade agreements and intentions between Chinese and international partners, underscoring its growing influence in the global publishing landscape.

Among the agreements reached during the fair were 1,959 copyright export deals, 754 import agreements and 122 cooperative publishing projects. Social sciences, children's literature, and science and technology were the most active categories in terms of trade volume.

The United Arab Emirates, this year's guest of honor, embraced the theme "Society and People" and introduced a cultural pavilion known as the United Arab Emirates House, alongside a dedicated copyright trading booth.

Through a series of cultural seminars, professional discussions, visits, exchanges, and cooperation signings, the UAE highlighted its rich cultural heritage and demonstrated a commitment to enhancing Sino-Arab cultural ties and expanding collaborative opportunities.

"The book fair is no longer merely a platform for displaying publications; it is a global arena for cultural exchanges, cutting-edge knowledge dissemination, and transformative developments within the publishing industry," said Salem bin Khalid Al Qassimi, the UAE Minister of Culture.

Gvantsa Jobava, president of the International Publishers Association, attended the fair for the second time and said she was impressed by the diversity of Chinese publications, the quality of their content, the high standards of printing, and the meticulous organization of the event.

William Achauer, editorial director for business, economics, politics and law at Springer Nature, described the BIBF as the company's premier copyright matchmaking platform in Asia. He noted that this year's technology and business management matchmaking sessions featured prearranged meetings with Chinese publishers specializing in science, engineering and management, resulting in highly efficient exchanges.

The fair also placed a spotlight on emerging industry trends, demonstrating how new technologies, innovative business models and evolving publishing practices are helping drive the sector's high-quality development.

Leading online literature companies like China Literature Group, alongside China National Publications Import and Export (Group) Co and various publishing institutions, presented a range of representative products and services centered on the innovative applications of big data, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence in publishing.

Professional forums throughout the event focused heavily on themes like new productivity and AI technology. The Beijing International Publishing Forum, the 2nd STM APAC Conference, and the 4th PubTech Conference delved into cutting-edge topics such as AI empowerment in publishing and AI-driven industry transformation.

For instance, the 2026 Beijing International Publishing Forum, themed Redefining Publishing in the AI Era, explored topics like "opening a new chapter in nationwide reading", "Chinese expression and global dialogue in philosophy and social sciences", and "AI-driven systemic transformation in the publishing industry", addressing the opportunities and challenges faced by the global publishing industry and underscoring the book fair's role as a trendsetter.

Beyond the professional program, organizers introduced a variety of attractions designed to engage the general public. Five themed exhibition areas — the BIBF Picture Book Fair, BIBF Art Book Fair, BIBF Illustration Exhibition, BIBF Gourmet Book Fair and Gifts from the World — offered visitors new ways to experience books and visual culture.

Together with a Harry Potter-themed pop-up store, these spaces became some of the fair's most popular attractions, turning exhibition halls into vibrant destinations for reading, discovery and social interaction.

The BIBF Picture Book Fair welcomed more than 40,000 visitors, while the Harry Potter pop-up store attracted over 25,000 fans.

In total, the fair hosted more than 1,000 cultural events. Renowned writers and thinkers, including Liu Zhenyun, Yu Hua, Tsai Chih-chung, Chen Hui and Canadian poet and essayist Tim Lilburn, met audiences through programs such as the BIBF Ambassador Salon, Author Focus and the First Beijing International Literature Week.