A wide range of activities at the Beijing International Book Fair drew the attention of young visitors. The annual fair, launched in 1986, has now grown into one of the world's biggest book events. [Photo by Zou Hong/China Daily]

Wu says policy support and technological development will create better integration, and the "building a country with avid readers" strategy has boosted reading and publishing.

Hujiang, a Shanghai-based internet company for language learning, signed cooperation agreements with three domestic publishing houses for digital publishing of several bilingual dictionaries.

Chang Zhitao, vice-president of Hujiang, says: "The fair also provided opportunities for us to meet foreign publishing companies."

Meanwhile, Belarus' first Nobel-winning writer, Svetlana Alexievich, who visited the fair, held literary talks with Chinese writers.

Nineteen foreign translators, publishers and Sinologists won the 10th Special Book Award from Chinese government, including Sweden's Cecilia Lindqvist and Canada's Patricia Aldana.

Professionals from home and abroad also explored new prospects of integrated development at the fair's keynote forum.