A CULTURAL HUB WITH AN IMPRESSIVE TRACK RECORD
By the time the 20th HKTDC Hong Kong Book Fair closed on 28 July 2009, 900,000 people had attended the event, up 8% from the previous year. Some 10,000 of these visitors came from the Chinese mainland, Macau and Taiwan, even as far away as Canada and the United States. During the Fair, more than 200 cultural events were organised. These included the Renowned Writers Lecture Series, the Reading Hong Kong Lecture Series and Storytelling by Celebrities. Together these events attracted the participation of more than 40,000 readers.

“It is lucky for China to have this piece of land called Hong Kong which has run the Book Fair for 20 years in a manner which is diversified yet inclusive, open yet consistent. An event of such mass appeal would not have been possible in other places - not in Japan, not in Beijing, not in Shanghai. It is just not possible to organise such a book fair on the mainland or in Taiwan, showing that this is the one and only one piece of culturally fertile land. I'm really proud of the Hong Kong people.”
Yang Yi, Japan-based Chinese writer, in Yazhou Zhoukan, 9 August 2009.

TRADE AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Over the years, Hong Kong Book Fair has been striving to forge a cultural exchange platform to provide the general public with a cultural feast while allowing the publication sectors from the mainland, Taiwan and Hong Kong to meet and exchange ideas. The Book Fair has three major strengths - the diversified profile of exhibitors, the diversified range of events and the participation of the public. These three aspects allow Hong Kong Book Fair to play a decisive role in Chinese language regions.

A FLEXIBLE AND INNOVATIVE PUBLISHING SECTOR
Hong Kong is an ideal publishing centre because its strengths lie in its quick reception of information from around the world, its efficiency and its expertise in turning innovative ideas into publication. Although its market is small, its stage is important.

“Hong Kong’s unique cultural background and sound system for the protection of intellectual property rights make it an ideal place for Chinese language publishing and copyright trading in Asia. Compared to the mainland cities, Hong Kong’s cultural sense is more diversified, more avant-garde and more internationalised. Books published in Hong Kong may cover all sorts of subject matters. Some contents which may be regarded on both sides of the Straits as too sensitive for publication will get a chance in Hong Kong.” Shenzhen Special Zone Daily, 29 July 2009.

CULTURAL EVENTS WITH PROFUNDITY
As in the past, the events held during the Book Fair are abundant in variety and profound in contents. More than 200 cultural events were organised during the Hong Kong Book Fair 2009, bringing together famous writers from Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland, Taiwan, Japan and Singapore for experience-sharing with their readers. They included Yesi, Hon Lai-Chu, Zhang Xian-Liang, Mai Jia, Chu Tien-Hsin, Yang Yi, Yang Zhao, Dung Kai-Cheung and Daisaku Ikeda.

In addition to the rich variety of books and the outstanding lectures, the Book Fair also features a Art Gallery which displays precious collections and ancient books of literary masters. In 2009, readers were presented with precious collections in the form of photos, manuscripts, autographed books, screenplays and others mementos of famous writers Eileen Chang and Liang Yu-Sheng at the Gallery. Also on display were the scrolls of calligraphy and painting, sculptures, tea sets, ancient jade pieces and bamboo strips of Chinese studies guru Jao Tsung-I.

The Asian Publishing and Copyright Forum features industry experts who will share insights on the latest developments in the publishing and copyright industry.

All these events have helped Hong Kong establish its cultural standing. In the coming year, the Book Fair will organise more events of substance.

ENTHUSIASTIC PARTICIPATION OF THE PUBLIC
“For a long, long time, people like us have regarded boisterous Hong Kong a cultural desert. But we were merely repeating what other people were saying. And the Book Fair in Hong Kong every July has made me abandon such ignorance completely,” says writer Yan Lian-Ke.

The spending power and reading preferences of Hong Kong citizens are not to be ignored. According to a survey undertaken during Hong Kong Book Fair 2009 by Actrium Solutions, an independent body, those interviewed had spent an average of HK$469 (approximately US$60.5) on books at the Book Fair. About 50% of the books bought were fiction, 23% were non-fiction, 16% were on travel, followed by religion and philosophy, self-improvement, children's books and art and music.

Books on display covered such a comprehensive array of subject matters, sensitive topics included, that they attracted the interest of people from the mainland and other Chinese language territories.

Figures cannot tell it all, but the attendance of 900,000 people is a clear indication that Hong Kong Book Fair is an ideal platform for displaying publications and promoting reading to Hong Kong and to Chinese-language speakers in general.

A MEDIA FOCAL POINT
Hong Kong Book Fair is a media focal point every year. In 2009, it was the subject of more than 4,000 news stories from around the world. Some of the writer’s lectures were even uploaded on the mainland websites.

“This Book Fair draws the greatest number of media reporters from the Chinese language world. Based on this, and adding the amazing crowds of attendees, Hong Kong Book Fair has indeed a very good chance of becoming the publishing media centre of the Chinese language world,” says Leung Man-To, The Reader Magazine, August 2008 Issue.

VISION THE FUTURE
The Hong Kong Book Fair will continue to promote reading and cultural exchange. As quoted in a newspaper, we will “make use of the Hong Kong Book Fair platform to achieve frequent contacts and prolific interaction among publishers from the mainland and from Hong Kong and Taiwan, allowing complete free-flow of publishing resources and the simultaneous release of simplified Chinese and traditional Chinese versions. In addition, books of common interest across the Straits can be selected for translation into foreign languages and their overseas copyrights can be sold, thereby forging Hong Kong Book Fair into a cultural platform from which Asian publications can reach out to the world.” Shenzhen Special Zone Daily, 28 July 2009.

EXHIBITION GROUND SEGMENTED TO MEET DIFFERENT NEEDS
The expansion project of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre has added 19,400 sqm of floor space, increasing the exhibition area by 44% to a total of 66,000 sqm, providing Hong Kong Book Fair with a much larger potential for development. The Book Fair will be divided into different theme zones in Exhibition Halls 1 and 3:

Children’s Paradise - Exhibiting quality children’s books and educational publications, with a Family Corner and a Performance Stage. A number of parenting workshops and events will also be held to encourage the participation of parents in the company of their children. The aim is to nurture children’s reading habit from a young age.

Chinese Mainland Publishers - Participation of various publication groups from Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangdong will be organised by China Universal Press & Publication Company Limited under the General Administration of Press and Publication.

Taiwan Publishing Community - The Taiwan Pavilion is organised every year by the Taiwan Book Publishers' Association. In 2009, this section took up an area of 900 sqm, the largest ever

University's Square - Promoting publications of a more academic nature.

Religious and Spirituality Zone - This includes Buddhist's Square, Christian's Square and an exhibition of books from other religions.

Teens' World - Exhibiting books for the youths.

Stationery & Printed Products Zone - Exhibiting of stationery products.

In a nutshell, Hong Kong Book Fair is an ideal platform for promoting publications, for business discussion with counterparts in the publication trade and for cultural exchange. So don’t miss this grand opportunity to be an exhibitor. Send in your application now!