中国出版商参加伦敦书展

More than 180 Chinese publishers are in Britain for the country's biigest book far. Known as the London Book Fair, the special invitation for China is a first for its organizers.

The London Book Fair is one of the world's biggest gatherings for the serious business of books. And this year it's a tale of East meeting West-a world viewed through the prism of two publishing traditions. For the first time a Chinese emphasis in London, with scores of Chinese publishing houses showing their wares to the world. China's body responsible for the administration of publishing sees the Book Fair as a chance to bring a little bit of China to the British high street.

Wu Shulin, deputy director of China Admin. of Press & Publications, said, "Using the London Book Fair, we want to build a bridge between China and Britain. We want to show the soul of Chinese culture."

Clearly the book Fair's an opportunity to get the message out. While publishers here are keen to get access to a market of more than a billion people. But it's about more than just books. Electronic books now feature significantly in a market that once only knew the hard copy. For some business people that's an opportunity with countless new applications out to help spread the word in Chinese - a careful portrayal of cultural character opening a window to the orient.

Yu Tan Wue, president of China Commercial Press, said, "This is just our first step. We are planning to make more apps for people learning Chinese around the world to help them discover more about our culture through language and writing."

CCTV's Richard Bestic said, "There is every kind of Chinese publication. Here, we have the Charles Dicken's in Chinese, and over here, enable to believe, we have Harry Potter in Chinese. In the past, Chinese years learned about the world. But it changes in the book fair. Now, China wants the world to learn more about Chinese culture. And there are of course many eager to learn the next steps in China's embrace of a global community.