The 30th National Book Expo opened on Thursday in Jinan, east China's Shandong Province, attracting a great number of book lovers and readers of all ages to pick up their favorite books.

More than 400,000 books and creative cultural products are on display at the five-day expo, marking a new record this year.

The event features more than 1,600 publishers and distributors from various places across the country, covering an exhibition area of nearly 100,000 square meters.

A significant platform for China's publishing industry, the event also features more than 600 cultural activities, including a forum and a reading festival for children.

An online book expo featuring live-streams and virtual reality exhibitions also made its debut as a sideline event of the expo.

The expo is running until July 19. Free admission is available for the general public.