"Chinese Bookshelf," a project that aims to provide local readers with access to Chinese books and culture, has been launched in London. 

Located inside Foyles Bookstore at Charing Cross Road, near the British Museum and Chinatown, the "China Bookshelf" will introduce more than 100 kinds of books including classic literature, folk tales, economic publications and political works to UK readers.

Carmelo Puglisi, head of foreign language books at Foyles Bookstore, said the bookshop has always attached great importance to Chinese books as it started selling them years ago. 

"We had introduced books on Chinese culture to the UK and we thought what's available is limited. We try to get more books on arts, literature, politics and history. That's why we decided to join the project," Puglisi said. 

Pi Jun, president of China Youth Publishing Group, said the Chinese Bookshelf is an important measure to meet Western readers' increasing need to learn about China through high-quality books. 

Liu Xiaoming, Chinese ambassador to the UK, said in a congratulatory letter to the launching ceremony that the carefully selected books in the Chinese Bookshelf will serve as a bridge for cultural exchanges and a window for Western readers to understand China. 

Richard Charkin, a world-renowned publisher and former president of the International Publishers Association, said at the launch ceremony that he has worked closely with many Chinese publishers over his career and is happy to see further globalization of Chinese publishing the Chinese Bookshelf project. 

"Chinese publishing has transformed itself in the past 10 to 20 years, and it is now among the leading publishing nations of the world ... I think the more the Chinese and Western publishers can develop global Chinese books, journals, databases, the more understanding there will be between the East and West," he said.

(Cover image via VCG)