Malaysia named guest country of honour at 2025 Beijing book fair
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's participation as the Guest Country of Honour at the 2025 Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF) is expected to create greater opportunities for collaboration with various international parties.
Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh said the number of Malaysian industry players participating in the book fair has increased consistently over the past decade.
"We hope that with the opportunity given this year, we can forge more partnerships with various parties from across the globe," he said, as quoted by People's Daily Online yesterday.
Wong, who is leading the Malaysian delegation at the book fair, said the Malaysian Institute of Translation and Books (ITBM) is partnering with China-based Global Tone Communication Technology (GTCOM) to develop a national-level artificial intelligence (AI)-powered translation engine.
He said the collaboration between ITBM—an agency under the Education Ministry—and GTCOM is expected to drive the advancement of AI while preserving Malaysia's cultural and linguistic heritage, and bring a positive impact to the country's translation and intellectual communities.
"This initiative will certainly facilitate multilingual communication and support inclusive education policies and the development of a highly skilled talent base, particularly in the fields of language and translation.
"The Education Ministry will continue to support this initiative, which is set to contribute significantly to the advancement of national technology and education," he said, adding that this effort aligns with the government's goal to enhance Malaysia's global competitiveness.
Meanwhile, Malaysia's Ambassador to China Datuk Norman Muhamad, in his keynote address at the launch of the Malaysia Pavilion at BIBF, said the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) would collaborate with the National Book Council of Malaysia, Perbadanan Kota Buku, and industry players to explore new opportunities, especially in digital publishing.
He said this includes leveraging e-commerce, education, and traditional retail platforms in China, adding that the Malaysian Embassy, through its Education Office in Beijing, is committed to supporting efforts to expand Malaysia's publishing footprint in the Chinese market.
Publishers Association of China head Wu Shulin said that Malaysia's participation as the guest country of honour, along with activities such as copyright negotiations, forums, and cultural exhibitions, reflects joint efforts to build the China-Malaysia Community with a Shared Future with its distinct cultural elements.
"I believe Malaysia's participation will mark another milestone in the history of cultural and publishing exchanges between our countries, opening new avenues for cooperation and deepening bilateral friendship," he said.
Themed 'Read, Lead', the 31st BIBF is taking place at the China National Convention Centre in Beijing from June 18 to 22. The event features over 1,700 exhibitors from 80 countries and regions, showcasing some 220,000 high-quality books from both China and around the world. - BERNAMA
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