Beijing International Book Fair Returns with a Focus on Children's Mental Health

The 29th edition of the Beijing International Book Fair, ended on June 18. The show had over 2,500 exhibitors, 60% of whom came from outside China.

on Jun 21, 2023

Beijing International Book Fair Returns with a Focus on Children's Mental Health | Frontlist

The first in-person event in three and a half years, the 29th edition of the Beijing International Book Fair, ended on June 18. The four-day race took place this month (instead of its customary dates in August) in a new location: the China National Convention Centre, which served as the Olympic site in 2008.

The show had over 2,500 exhibitors, 60% of whom came from outside China, and well over 200,000 titles. Children's books, which make up the largest section of the Chinese book industry, were once again the main emphasis.

The Picture Book Exhibition, with the slogan "Open picture books, see the world," featured first editions from 15 different nations, and the Ananas International Illustrations Exhibition featured artwork by Chinese and foreign artists, giving them a chance to network with publishers and other content/media companies. Then there was the Children's Publishing Forum, one of the BIBF's flagship events, where participants could discuss contentious topics while sharing viewpoints on the book industry.

Clavis publisher Philippe Werck, who spoke at the event and is from Belgium, provided a summary of the discussions. Three main subjects dominated the conversation.

After such a protracted time of pandemic lockdown, the first is about the necessity to create works that address and safeguard the mental health of Chinese children and youths, he added. "The dominance of short-video e-commerce, which already accounts for approximately 30% of all book sales in China and offers steep discounts, comes next. Since royalties are dependent on net sales, such substantial reductions result in lesser earnings for authors and artists, which will have an impact on the caliber of the output.

Additionally, there is the issue of excessive use of digital gadgets and gaming addiction, which will eventually have an impact on children's reading habits and abilities. Werck stated, "The agreement among publishers and experts is to deploy more user-friendly digital tools to lure children and youths to reading. This is not only a Chinese problem; it is becoming a worldwide one. In essence, the strategy is to "accept it rather than fight it.