The book fair leverages diplomatic momentum to build a regional publishing exchange platform.

APEC Meets Publishing

The 2026 Southern China Book Fair will open in Guangzhou on 27 August with a debut APEC-themed cultural pavilion, positioning the five-day event as a cultural curtain-raiser to the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Shenzhen this November.

The fair runs from 27-31 August in Area B of the Canton Fair Complex.

Thailand Takes Centre Stage

Thailand will serve as the fair’s Guest Country of Honour, presenting a dedicated national pavilion alongside the APEC pavilion. Both spaces will showcase classic and contemporary literary works from APEC member economies. The APEC programme extends beyond publishing to include themed exhibitions on photography, wine culture, Southeast Asian fashion and East Asian design.

APEC 2026

The 33rd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting will convene in Shenzhen on 18-19 November 2026, accompanied by the APEC CEO Summit. China’s APEC 2026 theme is “Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together,” with priorities of openness, innovation and cooperation. The book fair leverages this diplomatic momentum to build a regional publishing exchange platform.

International Programming

Beyond the APEC focus, the fair will host dedicated exhibition areas for Asia, Europe, Latin America and Africa, plus an “International Bookstore” section. Invited international publishers include Penguin Random House and Oxford University Press. The fair adopts the annual theme “Book Fragrance in Lingnan, Learning Leads to the Future” and uses a “Main Venue + N Branch Venues + Cloud Book Fair” model spanning 21 prefecture-level cities, Hong Kong, Macau and Kashgar.

Author Line-Up and Industry Dialogue

Confirmed international authors include Northern Irish novelist Lucy Caldwell (2023 Walter Scott Prize), Polish science fiction writer Rafał Kosik (Cyberpunk 2077) and Kenyan author Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor (2003 Caine Prize).

Giovanni Hoepli, Vice President of the International Publishers Association, will join a conversation on international copyright trade.

Local culture exhibitions will cover Cantonese cuisine, traditional Chinese medicine and printing techniques.

This post first appeared in the TNPS LinkedIn newsfeed.