Overview

The 18th Straits Forum’s 3rd Cross‑Strait Reading Conference commenced in Fuzhou on July 2, 2026, attracting nearly 200 representatives from publishing, the arts, academia and youth groups. The event, themed “Chinese Aesthetics, Shared Reading Culture,” emphasized aesthetic education, digital culture and the promotion of reading.

Core Announcement

Straits Publishing & Distributing Group introduced the Cross‑Strait Aesthetic Education Intelligent Agent, an AI‑powered platform that incorporates artificial intelligence, blockchain and other digital technologies to connect the creation of aesthetic‑education resources, the dissemination of aesthetic culture and related study programmes, thereby offering young people new ways to engage with traditional Chinese culture.

Cooperation Agreements

Five cooperation agreements were signed at the conference, covering marine‑culture promotion, a Fujian‑Taiwan book‑copyright exchange and operations related to digital‑art assets.

Competitions and Initiatives

The “Shared Reading” essay competition received 673 submissions from Taiwan, marking a sharp increase over previous editions. The ceremony also launched a shared‑reading study camp and the 2nd “Strait Cup” publishing contest, aimed at enhancing digital publishing skills.

Event Schedule and Related Activities

The conference will run through July 31, with additional events across Fujian Province, including art‑publishing seminars, artist exchanges, study programmes, reader activities, and public‑benefit book exhibitions and sales.

Organisers and Sponsors

The conference is guided by the Publishers Association of China, the Books and Periodicals Distribution Association of China and the China Publication & Promotion Association. It is co‑hosted by the Fujian Provincial Administration of Press and Publication, the Ye Shengtao Research Association of China, the Fujian Provincial Committee of the China Association for Promoting Democracy, the Fujian Federation of Literary and Art Circles, and Straits Publishing & Distributing Group.

Release Information

The press release was issued by The Straits Publishing & Distributing Group on July 3, 2026 (10:07:36 GMT+8) via PRNewswire.