Beijing International Book Fair's Lei Jianhua on what to expect at BIBF 2026
The vice president of Beijing International Book Fair’s parent company CNPIEC discusses BIBF’s 32nd outing and the vision for its future
Would you tell us about the IP licensing zone and the Digital Publishing Pavilion, and the strategy behind opening these new zones at this year’s fair?
Both of these initiatives reflect the Beijing International Book Fair’s (BIBF) broader strategic direction: moving beyond traditional book exhibition formats and becoming a support to the wider creative content ecosystem.
Following the successful launch of the Digital Publishing Pavilion last year, BIBF 2026 will introduce its first Digital Publishing Collective Stand, bringing together 28 participating organisations, including 15 major Chinese provincial publishing groups. The space is designed as an immersive and interactive showcase featuring online literature, gaming, animation and digital IP, supported by AI solutions, intelligent interaction systems, multimedia displays and integrated publishing technologies.
At the same time, BIBF is launching its first dedicated IP Licensing Lounge in partnership with the Licensing Branch of the China Toy and Juvenile Products Association. The zone will feature more than 120 well-known domestic and international IPs spanning publishing, cultural heritage, lifestyle and entertainment sectors.
Featured properties include Ultraman, GG Bond, Nezha Legend, Moomin and others, highlighting the growing integration between publishing, animation, gaming, film, tourism and consumer products.
Obviously, AI is the dominant theme of this BIBF. Could you sketch out some of the events and seminars we can look forward to?
The Beijing International Publishing Forum (BIPF) remains the highest-level professional publishing conference during BIBF. Since its launch in 2004, it has brought together senior publishing executives and leading experts from nearly 30 countries and regions.
This year’s forum, taking place on 18th June under the theme “Together for a Shared Future of Publishing”, will explore major topics including the evolution of global knowledge systems and AI-driven transformation across the publishing industry.
Another major AI-themed event will be the 2026 PubTech Conference, themed “Re-Imagining the Publishing Landscape: AI Empowered Future”. The conference will examine how AI is reshaping publishing infrastructure, workflows and academic communication, while also addressing issues of openness, integrity and international collaboration within scholarly publishing. Global publishing leaders, researchers and technology experts will participate in discussions on how to balance technological innovation with publishing standards and long-term industry sustainability.
‘We aim to further strengthen the entire publishing value chain – from rights trading and editorial collaboration to translation, marketing and distribution’
This will be the fourth year that BIBF has been held at the China National Convention Center (CNCC). How has that move impacted the fair?
The move to the CNCC has brought BIBF into central Beijing, which has significantly strengthened public participation and international visitor experience. The venue benefits from a highly accessible central location within Beijing’s Olympic Park area, with excellent transport connections and direct subway access.
At the same time, BIBF has expanded its public-facing programming both inside and outside of the exhibition space, transforming the fair from a primarily professional rights platform into a broader cultural event centred around reading and creativity. This year BIBF will also host more than 1,000 cultural events around Beijing, including events hosted by BIBF Global Reading Ambassador Liu Zhenyun and a dedicated exhibition for his latest work, and an event by Chinese author Yu Hua.
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BIBF has been rebuilding since worldwide lockdowns of 2020. But like most international book fairs, professional exhibitor numbers are still not back up to where we were at in 2019. Will we ever get back to those previous attendance levels? If not, how is BIBF strategising to entice as many visitors as possible?
The role of book fairs is evolving globally. BIBF is no longer only about book displays or copyright transactions – it is increasingly about creating meaningful connections between people, industries and ideas.
The boundaries of publishing are expanding into film, gaming, animation, audio content and digital creativity, and the profile of participants is becoming far more diverse. Today, alongside publishers and rights professionals, BIBF also attracts screenwriters, illustrators, podcasters, engineers, designers and creators from across the wider creative economy.
Looking ahead, BIBF will continue pursuing a diversified and international development strategy, expanding both its professional and public dimensions while creating new opportunities for global publishing and cross-media collaboration.
Since it has been 40 years since the first BIBF, I wondered if you might reflect on then versus now. Do you think the original fair organisers would be impressed with how much it has grown? And how do you see BIBF expanding in the medium and longer term?
Since its launch in 1986, BIBF has gone through several stages of development. In 2005, it introduced its Guest of Honour programme, and by 2016 it had become the world’s second-largest book fair. In 2020, BIBF launched one of the industry’s first large-scale online book fairs.
Looking ahead, BIBF will continue focusing on professionalism, internationalisation, market development and digital innovation. We aim to further strengthen the entire publishing value chain – from rights trading and editorial collaboration to translation, marketing and distribution. At the same time, we will continue encouraging cross-media co-operation between publishing, film, animation, gaming and other creative industries, helping expand the global value and reach of publishing IP.
Don’t miss: four BIBF showcases
The Picture Book Exhibition
Now in its 11th year, the Picture Book Exhibition acts more like BIBF’s sister event, as it is an immersive reading and storytelling space for children under the age of 14. The various themed zones will have exhibitions and activities this year centred on a major children’s IP such as The Gruffalo, Bizzy Bear, Pop Mart’s Molly, and Ricky, the Rock that Couldn’t Roll.
The Art Book Fair
First launched in 2023, the hall will once again play host to international art publishers such as Taschen and Thames & Hudson, and a stream of seminars – under its 2026 banner “between colours, difference emerges” – on art and culture. The fair will also feature exhibitions on Henri Matisse, Penguin Classics’ 80th anniversary and international book design.
BIBF International Illustration Awards
These awards are open to anyone, from children to professional illustrators, and this year BIBF received more than 18,000 submissions from 58 countries and regions. The works of around 600 shortlisted and winning illustrators from across a range of ages and categories will be displayed throughout BIBF 2026’s exhibition space; BIBF will celebrate the most outstanding entries at a special awards ceremony during the fair.
The Gourmet Book Fair
BIBF is promising a “fully upgraded feast that you can read, taste and feel” in its Gourmet Book Fair’s 10th anniversary year. It brings together food publications from over 40 countries and regions, alongside outstanding local food culture titles from Chinese publishers. A special highlight this year is the “World of Food in Comics” exhibition, created in partnership with Insight Editions, Quarto and Penguin Random House, showcasing more than 50 classic comic-themed cookbooks – bringing the flavours of the comic world into real-life kitchens.
