Book fair closes amid booming copyright trade

21th Beijing Int'l Book Fair kicks off?

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The recently-concluded 21st Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF) saw a boom in the copyright trade, with Chinese publishers significantly increasing their copyright exports.

According to preliminary statistics from the BIBF Organizing Committee, a total of 4,246 copyright deals were signed at the five-day fair, which ran from August 27 to 31, up 18.5 percent from last year. The deals include 2,594 export and partnership contracts and 1,752 import contracts, up 24 percent and 11.1 percent, respectively. All figures have been on the rise in recent years.

Remarkably, Chinese publishers have shown greater strength in copyright exports. The ratio of the volume of imported and exported copyrights stood at 1:1.48.

A total of 2,162 publishers from 78 countries and regions attended this year’s fair.

The BIBF, started in 1986, is the world's third largest book fair, after the Frankfurt Book Fair and the London Book Fair, and it has become a platform on which to showcase China’s cultural glamour and connection to the world.