China to send its best to Cuba's 2018 book fair

China will send the best of its literature and culture to the Cuba 2018 International Book Fair to strengthen bilateral cultural ties, Yao Fei, political counselor of the Chinese embassy in the island said on Tuesday.

"We will send the best of China to present it to the Cuban and international public, and with this participation, we want this edition of the Cuban book fair to be brilliant, splendid and very successful," Yao said at a press conference organized to showcase the coming edition of the literary event.

This 27th edition of the book fair will take place between February 1 and 11 of next year at its usual site in the Morro Cabana park in eastern Havana as well as at 22 other cultural venues in the Cuban capital, with China as the Guest of Honor Nation.

Guests and journalists walk through the installations of the 26th Havana International Book Fair after the opening ceremony, which had Canada as the featured guest country and a special tribute to Cuba's late President Fidel Castro in Havana, Cuba, February 9, 2017.

"During the book fair, an official editorial delegation will come from China, as well as a high-level artistic group, a delegation of the most important publishing houses in the country and a group of the most prestigious writers of modern China," said Yao.

Actions will be organized to promote Chinese culture, with a large exhibition of books from China, Chinese classical texts translated into Spanish and Cuban works translated into Mandarin and an exhibition on the ancient Chinese technique of printing.

"There will be a meeting between Chinese writers and Cuban readers, we will have a week of Chinese films and we will offer a great artistic show of very high level at Havana's Grand Theater," the diplomat said.

According to Juan Rodriguez, president of the Cuban Book Institute (ICL) and the fair's organizing committee, so far 318 invited authors, intellectuals and exhibitors from 31 countries will attend the event.

The Book Fair is the most important and largest cultural event in Cuba every year, and after its culmination in the capital, it will move on to every province of the country.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)