The China Cultural Centre (CCC) in Malta, in collaboration with a delegation of leading Chinese publishers, participated in the Malta Book Festival for the first time this year.

The ‘Reading China’ stand featured around 200 books covering topics such as culture, history, tourism, education, science and medicine, offering a glimpse into China’s rich heritage and today’s development. These books, in both English and Chinese, will soon be available for public borrowing from the CCC’s library.

One of the festival’s highlights was the ‘Meeting Chinese Publishers’ event wherein the Chinese delegation representing the People’s Publishing House, the China Education Publishing and Media Group Ltd, the Higher Education Press Ltd Co., the People’s Education Press Ltd and the China Educational Publications Import & Export Corporation Ltd had the opportunity to meet local publishers to explore opportunities for translating and publishing works from both countries.

At the event, Mark Camilleri, chairperson of Malta’s National Book Council, extended a warm welcome to the Chinese publishers’ delegation. He emphasised that their debut at the Malta Book Festival marks a significant milestone, opening a new chapter for enhanced exchanges and collaboration in literature and publishing between Malta and China.

Zhang Jing, head of the Chinese publishers’ delegation, highlighted the importance of strengthening collaboration in the publishing sector. She said both sides could benefit by expanding translations and publications, creating shared data platforms to facilitate learning and cultural exchange, and fostering publishing talent.

Yuan Yuan, director of the CCC in Malta, expressed delight at the public’s enthusiasm for the displayed books. She was especially encouraged by the attention from Maltese visitors, who regarded the collection as valuable for language learners, avid readers of Chinese texts and those eager to explore China’s culture and society. The warm reception of the exhibition highlighted the strengthening connection between the two countries through the exchange of stories and ideas, she noted.