Annie Callanan, the newly appointed chief executive officer of UK academic publisher Taylor & Francis, at the Beijing International Book Fair. [Photo by Yan Dongjie/China Daily]

Executive believes the digital age has potential to revolutionize academic books. Andrew Moody and Yan Dongjie report.

Annie Callanan believes China's Belt and Road Initiative is not just about trade and infrastructure but about connecting the world in many different ways.

The newly appointed chief executive officer of UK academic publisher Taylor & Francis insists the initiative is just as relevant to an industry like publishing.

"The modern infrastructure today is technology. So yes, it can be about things such as building roads and airports but it can also be about technology infrastructure that connects countries," she says.

Callanan says she sees the Belt and Road breaking down the barriers that prevent the transfer of knowledge across borders.

"It is about fusing technology with knowledge and the learning process, to create frictionless communications and collaboration, particularly between the scholars of different countries," she says.

Callanan, who was appointed to her new position at the end of June, was speaking during the Beijing International Book Fair at the China International Exhibition Center, now one of the flagship international publishing events, rivaling even Frankfurt.

"It is absolutely one of the key book fairs now. We are here to show our respect for our Chinese partners and for our colleagues that we work with, and to stand behind our brand in this market," she says.