The 2025 Southern China Book Fair concluded last August at the China Import and Export Fair Complex in Guangzhou, transforming the region into a vibrant hub for global literary and cultural exchange.
Spanning 40,000 square meters, the main venue anchored the fair’s Bay Area Book Festival · Discover the World · Share the Future theme, complemented by four major exhibition halls: “Read the World,” “Read the Future,” “Read Life,” and “Read Guangzhou.” In total, the festival brought together more than 1,500 publishers from both domestic and international backgrounds, who showcased close to 500,000 publications and cultural products. The expansive “1+1+N” format featured the main venue plus 467 specialty sub-venues, resulting in an impressive agenda of 2,335 cultural activities.
This edition boasted the largest-ever gathering of award-winning authors and artists, including Mao Dun Literature Award recipients Ge Fei and Liang Xiaosheng, celebrated scholars like Dai Jianye and Kang Zhen, and entertainment icons such as director Wong Jing and musician Han Hong. Best-selling authors including Ma Boyong and Liu Tong mingled with overseas luminaries such as American writer Wendelin Van Draanen (“Flipped”) and Neil Packer, illustrator of the full-color edition of “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”.
The festival spotlighted numerous international writers presenting their latest works. Wendelin Van Draanen hosted a “Heartbeat” sharing session, Neil Packer led an illustration dialogue, and Dutch sci-fi author Roderick Leeuvenhardt discussed his novel “Astral Body.” The event also welcomed Laurence Brham, recipient of both the Chinese Government Friendship Award and the Chinese Book Special Contribution Award, whose “Understanding China—Starting from Chinese Kung Fu” session drew significant attention.
Attendees explored a wealth of global literary treasures in the “Read the World” hall, including Han Kang’s “We Do Not Part,” Percival Everett’s “James,” Katherine Rundell’s “Impossible Creatures,” and Kristin Hannah’s “The Nightingale” (10th anniversary edition). International pop culture made waves with “Stranger Things” and “Atomic Habits,” while the European Pavilion highlighted IP series like “The Little Prince”—an effort to foster Chinese European cultural bridges.
Special collections of over 20,000 bestselling and classic international books, including newly published titles and rare editions not yet available in simplified Chinese, provided mainland readers with exclusive first access.
Festival visitors experienced more than literature: the international halls offered Vietnamese coffee and snacks, Southeast Asian Baba Nyonya porcelain painting, European desserts and wine, Qatari coffee ceremonies, Central Asian music, as well as a VR-powered Millet Culture exhibition. The International Art Pavilion showcased classic records and IP licensing. At the same time, the “Dudu Chao Huo Huo Pavilion” exhibited over 5,000 trendy products and cultural creative items, from Guoman peripherals to Lingnan craftsmanship and interactive flash mobs.
Technology Meets Publishing
A major highlight this year was the increased focus on science and technology publishing, with the share of related publications rising to 25%. Major academic institutions, such as the China Science and Technology Publishing Group, introduced groundbreaking titles like “Road to Science and Technology in China” and “Frontier of Artificial Intelligence.” A forum titled “Outsmarting the Future: Technology Reshaping the New Ecology of World Publishing” gathered global publishing leaders to discuss AI and the future of reading.
Children’s literature and educational tech also took center stage, with dedicated zones for AI reading and hands-on experiences like the “Future Adventure Island.” The Digital Science and Technology Museum showcased advances at the intersection of technology, education, and culture, highlighting the transformative impact of AI on publishing.
The “Reading Guangzhou” hall doubled as the Yangcheng Book Fair, blending formats from animation to heritage and offering books at 60% off alongside specially priced “Huimin Good Books.” Interactive zones, such as the Flower City Study Room, facilitated digital reading, expert talks, and cultural participation through mini-programs and live events, culminating in inclusive benefits for book lovers and the local community.
Now in its 32nd edition, the Southern China Book Fair affirmed its status as an international stage for literary heritage, technological innovation, and cultural diversity, setting new benchmarks for scale and impact in the region and beyond.
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