From September 14 to 23, 2026, a delegation from China Renmin University Press held a series of talks and exchanges with publishers from Arabic-speaking regions, advancing practical cooperation in publishing as well as mutual learning between Chinese and Arabic civilizations.
On the 15th and the 16th, the delegation participated in the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair and took an active part in supporting events organized by the Chinese publishing delegation. They met with Zhao Liang, Chinese Minister-Counsellor to the United Arab Emirates, and Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre. The delegation introduced the development of China Renmin University Press and its achievements in international copyright cooperation, and presented high-quality books published by the Press. During the book fair, they held meetings with those in charge of projects funded by the Arabic Language and Culture Centre, the Secretary-General of the Arab Publishers Association, the President of Qatar University Press, the Director of the Moroccan Publishers Association, and those in charge of the Sharjah International Book Fair Literature Foundation. In-depth consultations were conducted on topics including copyright cooperation, sponsored cultural projects, and collaboration at various international book fairs. At the Book Fair, the delegation hosted the Forum “Publishing Classic Books and the Role of Publishers in Preserving Cultural Heritage: An Insight into the Treasures of Chinese Culture Project.” They also visited the booth of Hikmat Cultural Group for business talks, conducted field research at local libraries and book stores, and established extensive contacts with professional organizations and leading institutions in the publishing industry across Middle-Eastern countries.
From the 17th to the 19th , the delegation travelled to Cairo, Egypt for exchange and visits. They called on Nahdet Misr Publishing Group, where both sides were engaged in discussions on cooperation in higher-education and textbook publishing. The delegation visited bookstores in Cairo to conduct field research into business models of the local book market, reader demands and the domestic publishing ecosystem. They paid a visit to the Egyptian Publishers Association and held talks with Farid Zahran, its Chairman, together with board directors and industry representatives. The two sides reached multiple consensuses covering two-way copyright cooperation, publishing talent training, book fair collaboration and joint cultural exchange initiatives.
From the 20th to the 22nd, the delegation carried out business visits in Morocco to obtain first-hand knowledge about local publishers and bookselling operations. They met the deputy president and the core executive team of Al Aman, one of Morocco’s oldest publishing and distribution institutions, to discuss potential opportunities for publishing cooperation. The delegation also visited the book store of Al Alfia, a large-scale book retail outlet, to investigate the local book consumption market on the ground. They held discussions with administrators of the faculty of Letters and Human Sciences at Mohammed V University of Rabat, exchanging views on academic publishing and the two-way dissemination of humanities and social-sciences publications. The delegation then visited the Confucius Institute at Mohammed V University of Rabat and met its Moroccan Director Karima Yatribi and Chinese Director, Dai Xiaoqi. Drawing on Chinese-language education platforms, the parties explored pathways for cultural and publishing cooperation.
During the trip, the delegation connected with publishing associations, leading publishing groups, universities and cultural institutions in the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Morocco. Through field research and face-to-face meetings, they strove to explore and open up even more communication channels. This lays the groundwork for future copyright cooperation on humanities and social-sciences titles, talent training programs and cultural events. Publishing exchanges will contribute to dialogue and mutual learning between Chinese and Arab civilizations.
First Review: Yang Yang
Second Review: Liu Guangyu
Final Review: Guo Xiaoming