BEIJING  –  The Pakistan National Pavilion was inaugurated at the 2026 Southern China Book Fair, held at the China Import and Export Fair Complex in Guangzhou. The dedicated pavilion, featuring an array of cultural exhibits and literary works, marked an expansion of Pakistan’s participation in one of China’s largest and most influential book fairs, underscoring the deep cultural and people-to-people ties between the two countries. The Southern China Book Fair, first launched in 1993, is a comprehensive book and cultural exhibition that adheres to principles of public welfare, accessibility, mass engagement, and high-quality curation. This year’s edition covers approximately 40,000 square meters of exhibition space, featuring 31 specialised pavilions. More than 300 publishing institutions from China and abroad are showcasing over 500,000 titles of publications and cultural creative products, alongside nearly 30,000 original foreign-language editions, a wire service reported on Wednesday. At the opening ceremony of the Eurasian Pavilion, Sardar Muhammad, Consul General of Pakistan in Guangzhou, highlighted that books serve as a timeless bridge connecting different languages, peoples, and civilisations. The pavilion features a themed photo exhibition commemorating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. Three Pakistani enterprises and the country’s leading publishing institution participated in the exhibition, bringing a diverse selection of literary and cultural offerings. Among the participants, Pakistani publishing house Ferozsons (Pvt) Ltd, which traces its history back to 1894, has brought a collection of authoritative books and literary works from Pakistan for display and exchange, covering topics ranging from history and philosophy to contemporary fiction and poetry. Notably, Ferozsons has been actively translating popular Chinese children’s books into Urdu, thereby introducing outstanding Chinese literary works to young readers in Pakistan and fostering cross-cultural understanding from an early age. The opening event also featured a Rubab performance by a Pakistani artist. The Rubab, a traditional lute-like string instrument deeply rooted in Pakistani musical culture, captivated the audience and added a vibrant performing-arts dimension to the pavilion’s inauguration.