On October 15, 2021, the Second Belt and Road Publishing Experience Exchanging Conference, hosted by The Publishers Association of China and China Publishing Group Co., Ltd., organized by the Belt and Road Publishing Committee of The Publishers Association of China, Xinhua Winshare Publishing and Media Co., Ltd. and International Publishing Weekly, was held in Chengdu. Ms. Wang Fang, Secretary of the CPC Committee of FLTRP Group, Chair of the Board of FLTRP Group, President of FLTRP, was invited to attend the conference and delivered a keynote speech entitled “To Promote Cooperation and Communication with Belt and Road Countries Based on Our Advantages”.

During the speech, Ms. Wang Fang mentioned, as a university press founded by Beijing Foreign Studies University, FLTRP has always taken the mission of “Recording Human Civilization and Bridging World Cultures” since its establishment 42 years ago. FLTRP has been playing an active role in promoting publishing "going global" and facilitating culture exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese and foreign civilizations. In recent years, FLTRP has continuously improved its international communication capacity, and has completed several key tasks in content construction, copyright licensing, localization management, and platform and channel expansion: first, strengthen the overseas dissemination of themed publications and actively promote China-themed academic books to enter the international publishing market; second, carry out multidimensional and multilevel in-depth development of the major national project: Key Concepts in Chinese Thought and Culture Translation and Communication Project. The rights of the series and its derivative titles has been sold in 32 languages, serving the construction of ideological system, academic system and discourse system with Chinese characteristics; third, standardize localization management. So far, FLTRP has established overseas China-themed editorial departments or publishing centers with local partners in 11 countries, deepening its cooperation with the Belt and Road countries. Fourth, promote the development of China-CEEC Publishing Association, strengthening the construction of international publishing platform. Over the past three years since its founding, the China-CEEC Publishing Association has grown in strength, with 54 members in total, among which 13 are publishers from Central and Eastern European countries, and has held a series of high-level publishing exchange activities. Fifth, facilitate the Project for Translation and Publications of Classical Literary Works of China and Foreign Countries, and promote culture exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations. Till now, FLTRP has successively undertaken seven Translation and Publications Projects and has published over 30 titles. 

Ms. Wang Fang has also shared FLTRP’s four experiences in the Belt and Road publishing cooperation. First, improve the political stance and make plans from an overall perspective. Second, give full play to publishers’ foreign language ability and international channel advantages. Third, elevate the communication effects through localization and marketization. Fourth, seek the coordinated development of content and channels, and enhance the joint force of international communication.

At the end of the speech, Ms. Wang Fang said that in the face of great changes and the complex pandemic situation, mankind is confronted with many severe challenges. As to the publishing cooperation with Belt and Road countries, Ms. Wang Fang made two suggestions. First is to promote convergence development and create new ecosystem for the publishing and communication. It’s important to empower the publishing cooperation with the Belt and Road countries by gathering diversified resources such as online education, mobile reading, database, online courses and knowledge services. In addition, publishers should pursue win-win cooperation and create new pattern for the Belt and Road development. The publishing industry should share resources, complement each other's advantages, and strengthen communication in copyright resources, marketing channels, platform mechanisms, etc. It is necessary to bring together talents from China and abroad, to set up industry think tanks, and to guide enterprises to release their potential and continuously enhance their cooperation with the Belt and Road countries.

The awards ceremony for representative examples and international talents of the Belt and Road publishing cooperation has also been held in the conference. FLTRP’s Key Concepts in Chinese Thought and Culture Translation and Communication Project and Ms. Meng Jiawen (rights manager of International Publishing Department) won the award respectively.