The 2025 Southern China Book Fair, themed "Bay Area Book Festival·Discover the World·Share the Future", will be held across Guangdong from Aug 15 to 19.

Adopting a "1+1+N" format (one main offline venue, one online cloud-based venue, and multiple thematic sub-venues), the fair will deeply integrate online and offline events, linking book fairs at all levels across the province to deliver a literary feast rooted in Lingnan culture while embracing the world.

The fair will bring together heavyweight guests from China and beyond. In addition to renowned Chinese authors such as Liang Xiaosheng, Kang Zhen, and Ma Boyong, international luminaries, including Wendelin Van Draanen, Evan Kail, and Roderick Leeuwenhart, will join the event. Activities will feature new book launches, celebrity interviews, and book signings, offering readers a chance to view the world through the rich soil of Chinese cultural heritage.

Beyond the main exhibition halls, this year's fair will introduce special national pavilions, including the Vietnam Pavilion (Guest of Honor), Southeast Asia Pavilion, Central Asia Pavilion, Arab Pavilion, European Pavilion, International Publishing Pavilion, and International Art Pavilion, fostering vibrant exchanges between Chinese and global civilizations.

The main venue will also collaborate with bookstore sub-venues across the province to host a joint exhibition with the theme of "marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War." Leading publishing houses from China and abroad will present outstanding works, complemented by photography, illustration, and picture book exhibitions. Together, these events aim to build an international cultural exchange platform led by high-quality books and enriched by innovative displays.

The 2024 Southern China Book Fair. [Photo/WeChat account: GZWS411665430]