China to bring its best to Cuba's 2018 book fair: official

HAVANA, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- China will bring the best of its literature and culture to Cuba 2018 International Book Fair to strengthen bilateral cultural ties, Yao Fei, political counselor of the Chinese embassy in the island said on Tuesday.

"We will bring the best of China to present it to the Cuban and international public and with this participation we want this edition of the Cuban book fair to be brilliant, splendid and very successful," Yao said at a press conference organized to present the coming edition of the literary event.

This 27th edition of the book fair, with China as the nation guest of honor, will take place between February 1 and 11 of next year at its usual site in the Morro Cabana park in eastern Havana and 22 other cultural venues in the Cuban capital.

According to the diplomat, Beijing has always placed high importance on its cultural ties with Cuba, and the Ministry of Culture and the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television of China is working hard to ensure a satisfactory participation in the book fair.

"During the book fair, an official editorial delegation will come from China, a high-level artistic group, a delegation of the most important publishing houses in the country and a group of the most prestigious writers of modern China," said Yao.

He also informed that Chinese writers and artists will participate in various cultural activities, book presentations and exchange of opinions and experiences with professionals and readers from Cuba and other countries.

Actions will be organized in promotion of Chinese culture, with a large exhibition of books from China, Chinese classical texts translated into Spanish and Cuban works translated into Mandarin and an exhibition on the ancient Chinese technique of printing.

"There will be a meeting between Chinese writers and Cuban readers, we will have a week of Chinese films and we will offer a great artistic show of very high level at Havana's Grand Theater," the diplomat said.

China's pavilion in the literary event will have a wide range of texts such as governance, the development of modern society, traditional cultures, the daily life of the people, Chinese language, science, technology, education, among others.

According to Juan Rodriguez, president of the Cuban Book Institute (ICL) and the fair's organizing committee, so far 318 invited authors, intellectuals and exhibitors from 31 countries will attend the event.

He added that 17 nations will have spaces for sale and exhibition of books and 133 foreign publishing houses will participate.

"This year is a luxury and good coincidence because the fair is dedicated to a great country like China and an intellectual as important to our country as the historian of Havana, Eusebio Leal," said Rodriguez.

The Book Fair is the most important and massive cultural event that is celebrated in Cuba every year and after its culmination in the capital it will reach every province of the country. Enditem