Spain's largest publishing trade fair Liber wrapped up on Thursday after drawing thousands of attendees and exhibitors from around the world, with the sizable Chinese booth attracting much attention from industry insiders and visitors.
The three-day fair was held at Barcelona's Gran Via venue and featured exhibitors from 19 countries, including China, the United States, Germany, France and Italy. Organizers said around 9,000 professionals attended, with almost 40 percent coming from abroad.
This year's event covered a wide range of sectors, including children's and young adult literature, adult fiction, and scientific, technical and educational publications.
At the Chinese booth, visitors were able to find a range of publications, from literature, history and culture, to books charting Chinese modernization and urban development.
"Apart from the quality of Chinese publications themselves, the rich publishing achievements and the Chinese writing tradition that has lasted for thousands of years, the variety and content of books presented at the Chinese booth also left a deep impression on me. The booth not only showcases Chinese culture and society, but also presents China's observations and thoughts on the world, which is highly worthy of attention," said Carlos Ostermann, president of Camara Departamental del Libro de La Paz (CDLLP), a Bolivian book organization.
During the fair, Chinese and Spanish publishing institutions also exchanged views on various issues including copyright, translation and international publishing cooperation, and hope to provide more opportunities for Chinese books to enter the Spanish-language market.
The potential for further cooperation in the publishing sector and beyond was highlighted by one attendee, who shared her curiosity and growing cultural interest in China.
"I like China very much. I once studied Chinese in Milan and Venice. I also love Chinese culture, history, art and cuisine. In China, I feel that the past, present and future seem to coexist simultaneously, which is what I think the most attractive aspect of China," said the visitor named Fabiana.
The Chinese participation at the fair grew again this year, with a delegation from the southwestern Chongqing Municipality debuting for the first time and bringing along nearly 80 different book and magazine publications from the region.
Chinese booth draws visitors at Spain's largest publishing trade fair
