The 11-day 2026 Beijing Book Fair kicked off on Thursday at the Ditan Park, also known as the Temple of Earth.
Titled "The Temple of Earth and me," the book fair spans the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival holiday.
The exhibition area at Ditan Park totals over 20,000 square meters and features nine major themed zones.
At the fair, visitors can browse rare and vintage books, pick up titles, explore intangible cultural heritage experiences from across China, and discover authentic local crafts, and pause to exchange ideas.
"I came early on the first day and spent a long time at the stall for old books," said Ms Han, a visitor.
"Many ancient books and out-of-print books are showcased at the slightly-worn book stall, which attracts lots of people at the fair every year. We also reprint some out-of-print books especially for this fair," said Yu Liping, a staff member.
The venue has also set up a reading area where visitors can experience the joy of reading on the spot. In addition, initiatives such as book vouchers are introduced to benefit the visitors.
2026 Beijing Book Fair opens at Temple of Earth
Angola's National Assembly President Adao de Almeida has praised China's legislative model, saying citizen participation gives parliamentary decisions broader legitimacy and better serves public interests.
De Almeida made the remarks during an interview with China Media Group (CMG) as part of his China trip from Sept. 9 to 16. While in Shanghai on Sept. 15, he toured the Hongqiao Street grassroots legislative contact point and a local practice station for whole-process people's democracy, learning about how public opinions are collected and legislative suggestions are adopted.
"We have learned in more detail about how China's legislative system operates and how citizens participate in the legislative process. As a parliamentary institution, if we can involve citizens in parliamentary affairs and decision-making, we can give relevant decisions a broader legitimacy basis and more fully reflect the representativeness of citizens. Because the decisions made and laws passed in this way can better fit the interests of citizens and respond to their demands," said De Almeida.
Turning to China's major legislative milestones, including its Civil Code and new Ecological Environment Code, De Almeida highlighted how strong regulatory frameworks drive modernization.
"China's progress in modernization and digital transformation demonstrates institutional advantages, complete values, development vision and strong execution. Undoubtedly, regulatory mechanisms are a crucial, indispensable and decisive part of this system. Modernization is closely related to digitalization and digital transformation. We are all witnessing the world's evolution in this field, and China is at the forefront of this process," he said.
He added that it is commendable to ensure that modernization and social transformation follow ethical standards and uphold common human values through specific regulatory measures.
"The same applies to environmental legislation. Environmental protection and climate change are perhaps among the most important issues today, determining the present and future of human society. A country like China, actively committed to environmental protection under the multilateral framework, has set an example for major countries to participate in multilateral cooperation and assume their due responsibilities," said De Almeida.
Angolan parliament president praises China's legislative model, civic engagement
