National conference on reading held to promote book-loving society

A special event is underway in southwest China's Yunnan in a bid to promote quality reading among the public, which is expected to serve as a cornerstone to propel modern civilization.

The third National Conference on Reading kicked off in Kunming, the provincial capital of Yunnan, on Tuesday, as the world commemorated World Book and Copyright Day. It brings together officials, writers, scholars and industry insiders to share insights on advancing reading initiatives.

"Reading serves as our most potent arsenal for self-enrichment," A Lai, a renowned Chinese writer, said while addressing the opening ceremony.

"It's also the finest path to explore our own landscapes, understand our homeland, discern our national circumstances, and seamlessly integrate with our people," said the writer from Tibetan ethnic group, who is also the president of Sichuan Provincial Writers' Association.

A survey on Chinese people's reading habits in 2023 was released during the conference, which shows that 81.9 percent of Chinese adults have a reading habit.

The survey, conducted by the Chinese Academy of Press and Publication, also indicates that Chinese adults read an average of 4.75 printed books, and there is an obvious rise in the popularity of new trends such as electronic reading and audiobooks.

"The surge in electronic reading has significantly bridged the urban-rural reading gap, almost achieving parity in access to information," Wei Yushan, president of the academy, told CGTN.

"Through digital reading, knowledge, culture and national policies can swiftly reach every corner of the nation. It's a crucial reading method," Wei added.

The three-day event features a series of forums exploring the link between reading and various societal dimensions, such as rural revitalization and ecological civilization.

One of the forums focuses on how to safeguard people's reading rights and interests. Representatives from related organizations jointly called for continued efforts and coordinated implementation of the Marrakesh Treaty to ensure the effective protection of cultural rights for individuals with reading disabilities.

"Reading is a right of citizens, who have the right to access culture and education, and this includes visually impaired individuals," said Yan Xiaohong, Chairman of the China Copyright Association.

Yan noted that under new technological conditions, it's necessary to further promote accessible reading.

China continues to ramp up efforts to cultivate a thriving reading culture throughout the country. To that end, many provinces and regions have formulated special regulations. Meanwhile, many reading spaces have emerged across the country in recent years under government support, including in remote rural areas.

"I think bookstores transcend mere places to buy books. They are public hubs within a city. Diverse independent bookstores, in particular, serve as a carrier of a city's cultural essence," Yang Xiong, founder of Elephant Books in Kunming, told CGTN.

Many participants at the event also advocate speeding up legislative measures to further ensure equal reading rights and create a better reading environment.

(CGTN's Luo Caiwen also contributed to this story.)