A big push to tap global markets

Chinese publishers are expanding the depth and range of cooperation with their global peers.

Huang Jian, president of Jieli Publishing House, says the publishers are not only buying and selling copyrights, but also inviting foreign writers and illustrators to collaborate with Chinese partners and starting branches of their companies abroad.

His publishing house opened an office in Egypt in 2016. It's the first established by a Chinese children's publisher overseas. And it produces 26 titles in Arabic.

During the recent 55th Bologna Children's Book Fair, which featured China as the guest of honor, many Chinese publishers made their presence known.

Kiran Gautam, president of the Nepalese firm Current Publication, says he feels that it is a huge success after seeing many new Chinese books and "legendary writers" at the fair.

He says that he has signed deals involving 400 Chinese titles in the last two years, about 100 of which will be published in 2018.

Here are some of the new Chinese titles in foreign languages unveiled at the fair:

Let's Read About Mao Zedong

The book by Han Yuhai, a Peking University professor, has sold 600,000 copies in its English, Dutch and other foreign versions. The Italian version will be released soon. Its translator, Sabrina Ardizzoni, says that the book is for "the young of mind, and those who really want to learn by putting themselves at stake".

Illustrated Version of Key Concepts in Chinese Thought and Culture

This series of books has been published in 13 languages. A version featuring art by Italian illustrators like Eva Montanari will soon be available for younger readers.

Monsters in the Forbidden City

The first six volumes of the series have been well received and have sold 1 million copies worldwide. The three latest volumes have just been released and all the books are to be turned into a stage play.

Bronze and Sunflower

Hans Christian Andersen award winner Cao Wenxuan's representative novel has 14 foreign-language versions, including French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Korean. The English version by Helen Wang is highly acclaimed.

The Magical Herb of Tu Youyou

A picture book created by Xu Lu and Alice Coppini has been released in Italian. It is about Nobel-winning Tu Youyou and her contributions in fighting malaria with an herb.