China has decided to launch a long-term program beginning this
year to introduce 100 outstanding modern works of Chinese
literature to overseas readers, Chen Jiangong, vice-chairman of the
Chinese Writers' Association, said in Hangzhou on Sunday.
Speaking from the on-going third Writers' Festival in Zhejiang
Province, east China, Chen said the titles will be decided upon
by the association, book authors and foreign publishers.
The program will help promote Chinese literature and publishing
internationally, Chen said.
In the 1980s and 90s, the Beijing-based Chinese Literature Press
published the Panda Book series of Chinese literary works, similar
to the UK's Penguin Books, in English, French and German.
Panda Books publishes modern and classical Chinese fiction and
poetry by famous Chinese writers including Wang Meng, Chen
Jiangong, Jia Pingwa, Liang Xiaosheng, Shu Ting and Chi Li. The
books were often given as presents from the Chinese to foreign
friends.
This new project will be market-oriented, Chen said, and it is a
renewed attempt at boosting literary exchanges between China and
other parts of the world.
Chinese literary works have been attracting the attention of
more and more foreign publishers in recent years.
In 2004, a total of 26 Chinese writers took part in the
Salon du Livre Paris, an annual event dedicated to book
trade. These writers are virtually all of China's most famous and
important authors, including Yu Hua, Mo Yan and Su Tong. The works
of 21 of them have already been translated into French. About
15,000 copies were sold during the six-day event.
(Xinhua News Agency May 23, 2005)