The 2025 Southern China Book Fair will take place from August 15 to 19 at the Canton Fair Complex in Guangzhou, under the annual theme "Bay Area Book Festival · Discover the World · Share the Future."
Covering an area of 40,000 m², the main venue will feature four themed exhibition halls: "Read the World," "Read the Future," "Read Life," and "Read Guangdong," along with 24 specialty pavilions and four interactive areas.
More than 1,500 publishers from home and abroad will showcase nearly 500,000 publications and cultural and creative products, including titles from leading publishers in Europe and the United States, as well as representative publishing houses from Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and other regions. Over 200 prominent authors and scholars are scheduled to host cultural events, with a total of 2,335 sessions to be held across all venues, including 348 at the main venue and 1,987 at sub-venues throughout the region.
In particular, the "Read the World" Pavilion (the International Culture Exhibition Hall) features the Themed Pavilion, the Vietnam Pavilion (Guest Country of Honor), the Southeast Asian Pavilion, the Europe Pavilion, and the International Publishing Pavilion, among others.
Showcasing the cultural richness of Southeast Asia, Europe, the Arab world, Central Asia, and beyond, the "Read the World" Pavilion presents publishing achievements from 23 countries and regions, including 20,000 original publications in English, Japanese, Korean, and other languages. These works are provided by top international publishers such as Penguin Random House, Macmillan Publishers, and Shogakukan from Japan.
A World Children's Books and Illustration Fair will debut at the event, featuring a dedicated section showcasing winners of the International Award for Illustration Bologna Children's Book Fair and the Best Children's Books of 2025. Visitors will be able to enjoy a world-class feast of art and culture within the venue.
Acclaimed international authors will travel from around the globe to interact with Chinese readers. U.S. writer Wendelin Van Draanen will host a sharing session on "Flipped." British illustrator Neil Packer will lead a talk on independent illustration. Dutch science-fiction author Roderick Leeuwenhart will lead a discussion on science fiction, drawing on his novel "Sterrenlichaam." In addition, celebrated cultural figures from Russia, Georgia, Portugal, and other countries will participate in a special reading and book launch event, "Let the World Hear China, See China, Love China: 'We Are Walking on the Silk Road,'" which also features the debut of the new book "Charm of the Bay Area."
As this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Vietnam, Vietnam will take center stage as the Guest Country of Honor. The specially curated program includes a themed session titled "Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh in Guangzhou," an exhibition of Vietnam's national gift "painting within painting," and a display of the traditional attire áo dài. Visitors can also explore the retrospective exhibition "A Decade of Chinese Literature in Vietnam" and join Vietnamese author Đỗ Quang Tuấn Hoàng for a talk on his novel "Across the Country" ("Vắt Qua Những Ngàn Mây" in Vietnamese). To round out the cultural experience, the pavilion will offer local delicacies, such as Vietnamese drip coffee, Bánh Mì (Vietnamese baguette), and spring rolls.
At the Southeast Asian Pavilion, highlights include a special exhibition on Malaysian Chinese literature titled "Malaysia in 100 Books," a cultural session on the significance of the 24 Festive Drums, and a creative showcase of Nyonya fashion.
The Europe Pavilion will host a celebration of the 70th anniversary of Dutch character Miffy, a China-Netherlands book-sharing session, a Polish art performance, and an immersive French cultural experience.
The Arab Countries Pavilion will present book exhibitions, cultural showcases, and culinary experiences, including tasting the Qatari specialty coffee and dialogues with Egyptian publishers.
The Central Asian Pavilion will spotlight regional culture through art exhibitions, book launches, live dombra performances, and runway shows of traditional costumes.
The exhibition hall also features an International Art Pavilion, offering displays of vintage vinyl records, readings of world theatre classics, classical and contemporary dance workshops, and AI-powered dance performances, bringing iconic IPs to life with cutting-edge artistic innovation.
Within the International Culture Hall of the main venue, a dedicated Theme Pavilion and an International Copyright and Trade Zone will be set up. More than 20 consuls-general based in Guangzhou will be invited to jointly launch the global rollout of the "Low-Carbon Action" initiative. An interview series of "Global Dialogues" will run concurrently, and renowned economist Zheng Yongnian will host a book launch forum for his latest work, "New Growth Engines: Bay Area Economies."
Editor | Zhang Xuanzhen (intern), James, Shen He
