Shanghai gets ready for latest book fair

The 22nd Shanghai Book Fair will run from Aug 12 to 18 at the Shanghai Exhibition Center and Shanghai Book Mall, the city's Administration of Press and Publication announced on Tuesday.

This year's fair will be open 12 hours a day, from 9 am to 9 pm, with various branch events being held in commercial centers, cultural spaces, libraries and bookstores across all 16 districts of the city.

Northeastern China's Heilongjiang province will serve as this year's guest of honor.

According to Quan Heng, head of the Shanghai municipal administration of press and publication, a key focus this year is digital innovation.

A cloud service platform and an AI-powered assistant for smart navigation, book recommendations and content generation will be launched, while there will also be robot performances and AI skills competitions.

Organizers have announced that a range of visitor-friendly measures—including discount coupons, free drinking water stations, barrier-free access, and a simplified Alipay-based entry system that requires no physical ID—will be available at the fair.

A popular night market featuring cultural creative products, local snacks, and live performances will also make a return to this year's event.

District-level events will offer unique experiences, ranging from literary walks along Suzhou Creek in Putuo district to immersive garden readings in Songjiang district's Zuibaichi Park and island visits by renowned authors in Chongming district.