A staff member of Zhejiang Publishing United Group introduces their books to visitors at the 2018 Havana International Book Fair in Havana, Cuba. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]

Books published by Zhejiang Publishing United Group, one of the top 50 publishers in the world, were well received by visitors at the 2018 Havana International Book Fair, which ran from Feb 1-11 in Havana, Cuba.

The Havana International Book Fair, an annual public festival to promote books from around the world, is the most influential of its kind in Latin America. China was the guest country this year.

Zhejiang Publishing United Group, a member of the delegation from China, exhibited several hundred books at the fair, most of which were in English and Spanish. Among them were stories about Zhejiang's development, such as the report on Yiwu's commodity market, as well as Chinese literature and Mandarin language-learning books.

During the fair, Cubans displayed curiosity toward Zhejiang's costumes, food and special traditions.

Feb 4 was the Start of Spring, according to the Chinese traditional lunisolar calendar. Hu Xiaohan, director of Zhejiang People's Fine Arts Publishing House, demonstrated the art of Chinese painting and calligraphy to Cuban students at the Confucius Institute, University of Havana. Hu shared his insights on contemporary art in China and Latin America with nearly one hundred attendees, and his words were met with a warm response from the audience.

Zhejiang Publishing United Group also signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the University of Havana. The two parties will conduct extensive and in-depth exchanges and cooperation in the future. According to the agreement, the publishing group will send 500 Zhejiang-published books to the university and help it build a Chinese digital library. The publishing group is also going to translate books on Cuba's economy and culture and introduce them to Chinese people.

A teacher from the University of Havana said Zhejiang's development provides an opportunity for people to learn about President Xi Jinping's ideas and the great achievements of China's reform and opening-up policy over the past four decades. He said that today's Cuba can learn from the social development of Zhejiang.

Hu Xiaohan, director of Zhejiang People's Fine Arts Publishing House, shares his insights on contemporary art in China and Latin America in Havana, Cuba during the 2018 Havana International Book Fair. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]