Reading China in Malta

Participation in Mediterranean island's book festival opens a new chapter in international ties

Reading China, an exhibition by the China Cultural Centre in Malta at the 45th Malta Book Festival between Nov 6 and 10 at the Malta Fairs & Conventions Centre, was a kaleidoscope of culture and society.

The exhibition was a collaborative effort between the center and several major publishers, including the China Education Publishing & Media Group Ltd, and the People's Publishing House. It was the first time for the center to participate in the festival, which it did on the invitation of the event's host, the National Book Council of Malta.

About 200 books in both Chinese and English were on display. They included various categories, including Chinese language education, traditional culture, literature, tourism, and children's books. Also on display were an array of special collectible editions of China Daily and its creative cultural products.

"The China Cultural Centre in Malta is very proud to present a selection of books that tell the stories of China to Maltese students and the wider public," Yuan Yuan, the center's director, told the China Daily website.

"The China Cultural Centre in Malta is an important organization that bridges the two countries — a very small country and a very big one. This is the first time that it is participating, and we hope that it continues to participate in the coming editions," said Mark Camilleri, executive chairman of the National Book Council of Malta.

The largest yearly celebration of book culture in the Mediterranean country since 1979, the Malta Book Festival boasts an attendance rate of around 50,000 visitors, and the 40-odd exhibitors present networking opportunities for industry professionals, according to organizers.

Camilleri said the center's presence at the festival enriched the event and the experience of the thousands of visitors who come each year.

A 26-year-old graduate student at the University of Malta majoring in Chinese, who prefers to identify himself as Mark, looked for travel guidebooks to prepare for a two-week trip to Beijing and Shanghai this month with his girlfriend as a graduation gift.

Yelyzaveta Bazalieieva, a 22-year-old Ukrainian student who studies chemistry in Malta, visited the exhibition in search of modern Chinese fiction.

"A modern Chinese fiction will give me a better and interesting perspective of the protagonist and help me learn about the references to pop culture, history, and society, than from the point of view of a tourist," she said.

Emiliano Salvi, a 34-year-old Italian bookseller exhibiting at the festival, was captivated by Every Treasure Tells a Story, a book published by the China Intercontinental Press and based on the 2018 hit eponymous mini-documentary series which taught viewers about one national treasure in every five-minute episode.

"My younger sister has been learning Chinese for years and she told me something about the evolution of Chinese characters, and I just found an example in this book, which is fascinating to me. I'd like to take it home for her," he said.

"It's not easy to find something about China directly in Italy, and I find this book festival a great opportunity to explore books on Chinese culture," he added.