China was represented at the London Book Fair 2026 through thousands of books, dozens of publishing companies, and multiple events.
China showcased some of its best writing at the London Book Fair this month, with the overarching theme being ‘reading China’. At the main China Joint Pavilion, dozens of publishers participated, including People’s Publishing House, The Commercial Press, Fujian People’s Publishing House, and many more.
Collectively, they brought over 4,000 titles to the event, including literature, culture, academic works and children’s books.
The China Joint Pavilion also hosted more than 40 events, including signing ceremonies for new translated Chinese literature by Sinoist Books and a celebration of Mai Jia’s work in multiple languages.
The special event on Mai Jia included multiple speakers and the unveiling of the Mai Jia: A Landmark Year for a Modern Chinese Master exhibition, which showcased a series of his works translated into multiple languages. There were also free copies of Mai Jia’s The Light of Wounds being given away. A new English language translation of Mai Jia’s Decoded will be published in English this year by Penguin.
Sinoist held signing ceremonies for three upcoming English translations of Chinese books: The Passage of Roses, Nehe Memories, and Sounds and Faces. Marketing Manager Daniel Li also won a London Book Fair 2026 Trailblazer award for his work at Sinoist.
There were also opportunities during the three-day event for copyright and translation negotiations as Chinese publishers seek to share Chinese literature with more people.
Away from the main China stand, there were also large stands from Jiangsu Phoenix, China International Communications Group, and many more.
Perhaps the highlight of China at the London Book Fair was a special seminar titled History and Travel: New Writing From China. Chinese author, interviewer, and bookshop owner Xu Zhiyuan spoke with Chinese-to-English literary translator Nicky Harman. Opening by joking that he was still jet-lagged and that it would be much better to hold the seminar over some pints, Xu Zhiyuan went on to offer fascinating insights into Chinese literature, historical Chinese figures, AI, and the difficulties of running a bookshop.
The latter, which he described as like “being a dinosaur, a small dinosaur.”
The London Book Fair ran from 10th to 12th March at the major events venue Olympia in London. It is one of the most important publishing events in the world, offering opportunities to secure book rights, connect authors and publishers, and attend events. It attracted nearly 1,000 exhibitors and over 30,000 professionals from more than 90 countries and regions.
If you like this article, why not read: Sinoist Books Win Big at London Book Fair
