The 30th Beijing International Book Fair opened in Beijing on Wednesday, with AI dominating discussions on shaping and empowering the publishing industry.
With an expanded exhibition area of 55,000 square meters this year, the five-day event has gathered around 1,600 exhibitors from 71 countries and regions, and over 20,000 people, including publishers, distributors, digital media professionals, agents and consumers, showcasing 220,000 Chinese and foreign publications to visitors, according to the organizers.
A hot topic at the book fair this year is how AI technology is shaping and empowering the publishing industry.
At the fair, China National Publications Import and Export Group hosted the 2024 PubTech Conference with the theme of "AI for Publishing" on Wednesday. Speakers at the conference said they will launch large language models and use generative AI to provide customized knowledge services to researchers. The conference also published a report on how to use technology to promote the secure, cross-border flow of academic data.
The Beijing International Book Fair, established in 1986, is one of the world's largest book fairs and serves as a major platform for copyright exchange, facilitating the trading of publications from China and abroad, including print books and multimedia works.
Beijing Int'l Book Fair opens with heavy focus on AI
Beijing Int'l Book Fair opens with heavy focus on AI
A youth summer camp aimed to carry forward the spirit of the Flying Tigers and promote friendship and cultural exchanges between Chinese and American students was opened in Beijing on Wednesday.
The Flying Tigers, officially known as the American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force, was formed in 1941 by U.S. General Claire Lee Chennault to help oppose the Japanese invasion of China during World War II.
After over eight decades, the stories about the Flying Tigers have been passed down from generation to generation in both China and the United States, with mutual friendship continuing to flourish, and with new vitality.
The summer camp, officially known as the Chinese Bridge Flying Tigers Summer Camp for American Students, was organized by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation under China's Ministry of Education and the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation (SAAHF), and has attracted over 100 teachers and students from the United States and various regions of China.
Before the launching ceremony, the organizers, along with many Chinese students, prepared various Chinese folk activities and games for the overseas friends, such as trying traditional Chinese musical instruments, playing the Touhu or pitch-pot game, and experiencing paper-cutting techniques.
"I'm going to try the Chinese flute," said an American student.
"I pretty much enjoyed the pitch-pot game," said another American student.
Most of the students participating in the event were from friendly schools of the Flying Tigers, and some were even descendants of the Flying Tigers.
"Yes, he was in the Flying Tigers before I was born. He flew hundreds of mission. [I am expecting] to see a lot more history about the Flying Tigers, to have a lot more learning about it," said another summer camp student. "I think this is a wonderful moment to commemorate our solidarity with the students of the Flying Tigers summer camp and to strive for progress together," said Zhang Yiyuan, a Chinese student from central China's Hunan Province.
At the opening ceremony, Jeffrey Greene, chairman of the SAAHF, said that he hoped the campers can cherish and enjoy this journey, spend a fulfilling and meaningful time in China, and share the story of the Flying Tigers with more people.
Organizers said that they will launch five such youth summer camps in the next five years to deepen bilateral friendship and pass on the Flying Tigers spirit.
After the trip to Beijing, the campers will also go to southwest China's Yunnan Province, the birthplace of the Flying Tigers, to learn more about the stories of these war heroes, according to organizers.
Flying Tigers youth summer camp opens in Beijing
