Three of Xi's works debut at HK book fair

The traditional Chinese language versions of three titles featuring President Xi Jinping's articles on education and thoughts on culture, along with a photo album documenting the president's field visits and work, made their debut at the Hong Kong Book Fair on Wednesday.

Published by Sino United Publishing in Hong Kong, the three titles are the article collection On Education, the photo album Xi Jinping among the People: Moments in Focus, and the Outline for Studying Xi Jinping Thought on Culture.

Addressing the books' launch event — a highlight of the 35th Hong Kong Book Fair — on Wednesday afternoon, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said the works enable Hong Kong residents to gain a comprehensive understanding of Xi's vision for cultural development with Chinese characteristics.

Lee said he hopes these works inspire Hong Kong people to apply Xi's principles in their lives, more actively contribute to Hong Kong's development and better support the rejuvenation of the nation and its path to modernization.

Zhou Ji, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, said the releases will help readers from Hong Kong, Macao and overseas better understand Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

A Hong Kong reader surnamed Pong purchased a copy of Xi Jinping among the People: Moments in Focus and took a selfie with the album to celebrate the acquisition.

Having previously read the president's works in libraries, Pong said she was drawn to the album after browsing a sample at the fair.

The Hong Kong Book Fair — the city's decades-old premier literary event — kicked off at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai on Wednesday morning. Organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, it is held concurrently with the 8th HKTDC Sports and Leisure Expo and the 5th HKTDC World of Snacks, drawing more than 770 exhibitors.

As a flagship event of July's Hong Kong Summer Viva promotion, the fair extends beyond book sales. It features more than 620 cultural activities where prominent authors explore cultural identity and lifestyle philosophy.

Capitalizing on the nation's cultural tourism boom, this year's seven-day fair is themed "Food Culture, Future Living" and is aimed at serving as a gateway for readers to explore the whole spectrum of life experience — from culinary traditions to lifestyle evolution — through written words.

"The fair fosters a passion for reading and is a vital platform for cultural exchange between East and West," said HKTDC Chairman Frederick Ma Si-hang.

Drawn by new releases and discounts, crowds packed the venue. Dozens of stalls from local publishers and bookstores were lined with stacks of books, with signs boasting attractive discounts, most of which were at least 20 percent.

Introducing an array of new titles on various topics — from the enigmatic Sanxingdui culture to Chinese philosophy and published by Chung Hwa Book — Tiffany Man Lai-ling, the publisher's marketing director, said she's confident the books' exceptional content will astonish readers.

This year's theme also materialized in the World of Art and Culture — a sideline event of the book fair. An event called A Book a Table, Food for Thought brought together artists and foreign diplomats in Hong Kong to jointly explore the global culinary landscape via assorted publications and exhibits.

At the event, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui found inspiration in a bouillabaisse recipe (seafood soup), vowing to recreate the dish.

Surveying the halls, she said she had seen many novelties and creative sections at this year's book fair, adding she hoped more children would visit, not just in the name of homework, but to play games, find great pieces and read beyond the classroom.

The fair's scope extends beyond local audiences. Sichuan province's leading publisher, Xinhua Winshare Publishing and Media Co, was invited to curate this year's featured provincial pavilion.

Their exhibits spanned four key categories: publications on archaeological discoveries like the Sanxingdui ruins; Sichuan cuisine; award-winning local titles; and cultural products featuring the province's iconic panda intellectual property.

Hu Wei, deputy general manager of Xinhua Winshare, praised Hong Kong's launchpad role to project Sichuan's heritage onto the global stage.

Sichuan has been promoting its local culture toward global reach, Hu said.

Drawn by online advertisements, Aeris Yan, a high school student from Shenzhen Foreign Languages School, is visiting Hong Kong on her maiden tour to the book fair.

She described it as "dynamic and attractive" as she gazed at numerous English detective novels available on various stalls.

"This is where we can meet the broader literary world," she said. "I'll certainly return next year to touch more stories."

Huang Yawen contributed to this story.