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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) — China recently issued the Regulations on Promoting National Reading, which will take effect on February 1, 2026, marking a new milestone in the country's promotion of this cause.
The document, in the form of a legislative act, institutionalized existing practices, experiences, and models of work in the field of popular reading, defining principles, goals, objectives, and measures to promote popular reading, thereby providing reliable legislative guarantees for advancing the construction of a “reading society” in the country in order to improve the moral and ideological qualities, the general level of civilization of Chinese society, as well as the scientific and cultural literacy of the Chinese people.
HIGH-LEVEL PLANNING
At the end of October, the Proposals of the CPC Central Committee for the Development of the 15th Five-Year Program for National Economic and Social Development were published, which noted the need to “advance the work of creating a reading society,” setting the tone for work in this direction for the next five years.
This is not the first time that the Party and state leadership has emphasized the importance of promoting popular reading in high-level planning. For the 12th consecutive year, "popular reading" has been included in the Chinese government's work reports, demonstrating the importance the Chinese authorities attach to building a "reading society" and the concept of comprehensively promoting the coordinated development of material and spiritual culture in the country.
These tireless efforts are certainly yielding tangible results. According to official data, the overall reading rate among China's adult population reached 82.1 percent in 2024, up from 76.3 percent in 2012.
In 2024, adult Chinese citizens read an average of 4.8 paperback books and 3.5 e-books. Both figures increased compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, minors read an average of 11.65 books.
It should be noted that since 2022, China has held four regular national reading conferences, which have included forums, lectures, book fairs, and other various events focusing on the most important tasks and key elements of national reading.
According to relevant surveys, over 70 percent of China's population anticipates major public reading events. For them, participating in such events offers the opportunity not only to purchase books at reduced prices but also to interact with authors and other book lovers.
The Regulations on Promoting National Reading also stipulate that starting from 2026, a National Reading Week will be held annually in the 4th week of April, which, according to analysts, will further promote the construction of a “reading China.”
INNOVATIVE DEVELOPMENT OF LIBRARIES
Amid efforts to promote universal reading in China, libraries, which traditionally provide reading opportunities for all segments of the population, are gaining new drivers of development.
According to official data, there were 3,248 public libraries in China by the end of 2024. By the end of 2024, the total number of public library users nationwide had increased by 440 million, or 49% compared to 2019. It's no exaggeration to say that libraries in many cities across the country are full on weekends and after-hours weekdays.
In 2024, the number of visitors to the Shanxi Provincial Library (North China) increased by 70.52 percent year-on-year. During the same period, it held more than 3,500 reading promotion events, over 160 exhibitions, and provided services to over 3.1 million readers. In response to growing demand, the library underwent renovation work, increasing its service area by over 9,000 square meters and creating and renovating 2,034 reading spaces, a 43.6 percent increase over the pre-renovation level.
“The library has already become an integral part of urban life, just like family and work,” said Chen Chao, director of the Shanghai Library, noting that in addition to reading, libraries also provide spaces for lectures, exhibitions, film screenings, coffee breaks, and other activities, reflecting the values of openness, wisdom, inclusivity, and sharing.
The construction of smart libraries also makes reading more convenient. Using artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, many libraries in China can provide more personalized and targeted services to patrons. For example, the Hefei City Library (the capital of Anhui Province, eastern China) has launched a virtual assistant developed using the DeepSeek model. It helps patrons find their favorite books in the library's extensive collection based on their reading history and preferences after they enter keywords into the search engine on the library's public account on the Chinese social media platform WeChat.
In addition, more and more libraries in China are making efforts to protect antique books and develop traditional Chinese culture through interactive projects, including the restoration of ancient literature and the development of cultural and creative products such as pendants, badges, and writing instruments, which are very popular among the public, especially young people.
As of August 2025, 116 libraries nationwide have joined the China Library Cultural and Creative Products Development Association, established at the initiative of the National Library of China (NLC). The association's secretariat pledged to further strengthen its efforts in the future to participate in the inheritance, protection, revival, and utilization of antique books and cultural relics, in order to create a favorable social atmosphere for the continuation and dissemination of Chinese culture.
NEW READING TRENDS AMONG CONTEMPORARY CHINESE YOUTH
There are nearly 260 million members of Generation Z in China, born between 1995 and 2009, representing approximately 20 percent of the country's total population. They significantly shape current reading trends in contemporary Chinese society.
According to the China Digital Reading Report 2024, the number of digital reading service users in the country reached 670 million last year, with the majority of them aged 26 to 35. Thus, there is a clear inclination toward digital reading among members of Generation Z in China.
Lists of the most-read books on some digital reading platforms also indicate the popularity of traditional classics, famous literary works, books on political, economic, social and historical topics, books on psychology and personal development, and online literature among Chinese youth.
Watching video lectures has also become a new reading trend in China. According to official data for 2024, approximately 40 percent of Chinese adults have acquired the habit of listening to audiobooks, and approximately 80 percent of Chinese people read on mobile phones.
Last year, the number of reading-related videos longer than five minutes on Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok) increased by 336 percent year-on-year, and their views grew by 137 percent. Meanwhile, views of book review videos and graphic works increased by 135 percent, and their combined reposts jumped by 518 percent.
At the same time, the growing popularity of watching video lectures with book summaries has sparked heated debate in society. Some industry experts believe that such "superficial reading" over a long period of time reduces a person's ability to actively think critically and interpret text. Furthermore, such reading patterns may infringe the intellectual property rights of book authors.
Despite this, other experts believe that videos and livestreams featuring book reviews and guides are all part of reading in the broadest sense. New media not only haven't diminished the impact of reading, but are actually contributing to increased reading levels among the population as a whole.
In response to the changing reading habits of young people, representatives of the Chinese publishing industry believe that the publishing industry needs to develop in an integrated manner, focusing on young readers. It has become widely accepted that while the medium and space for reading may change from "reading paper books" to "reading electronically," readers' desire for knowledge remains unchanged. Traditional reading habits and digital technologies are perfectly compatible.
Chen Hui, a professor at Beijing Normal University, noted the need to encourage young people and teenagers to share experiences and express their feelings through innovative forms of youth reading activities to awaken their interest in reading and literary creativity and achieve success in this field. -0-
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