Xinhua Publishing House eyes deeper engagement in Russian market after 39th Moscow Book Fair

The Xinhua Publishing House showcased a curated selection of books and cultural products at the 39th Moscow International Book Fair earlier this month, drawing Russian readers and publishing professionals to its booth at the China pavilion.

Held from Sept 2 to 6 at Gostiny Dvor in Moscow, the fair welcomed China as this year's Guest of Honor. Under the theme "Reading China", the Chinese delegation presented more than 2,000 titles and nearly 5,000 copies, highlighting the recent achievements in Chinese publishing.

A centerpiece of the Xinhua Publishing House booth was the first volume of "China's Governance Under Xi Jinping's Leadership", compiled by Xinhua News Agency and displayed in Chinese, English, Arabic and Russian. Its Russian edition was launched in June at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

Also on show was the English version of "2025 China Yearbook", covering China's national conditions, the political party system, state institutions and other core themes. This English-language edition runs to over one million words and features more than 100 photographs.

First published bilingually in 1981, the yearbook is widely valued for its authoritative data and broad scope and serves as a key reference for research institutions worldwide. In 2025 alone, nearly 100 university libraries added it to their collections and a streamlined redesign has made the latest edition easier to navigate.

Beyond book displays, the fair hosted more than 40 cultural exchange events, including a China-Russia forum on civilizational exchanges, copyright negotiations, book launches, and writer-scholar dialogues. First staged in 1977, the fair ranks among Russia's flagship publishing events.

Moving forward, the Xinhua Publishing House will deepen its focus on the Russian market and explore new channels to bring Chinese publications to local readers. Leveraging its presence at the fair and its growing portfolio of multilingual titles, the publisher aims to strengthen exchanges with Russia's publishing and cultural communities while gaining sharper insight into local readers' interests.