After an exceptional attendance and a busy programme, the UAE concluded yesterday its participation as a “guest of honor” in the 2026 Beijing International Book Fair, which was held from the 17th to the 21st of this month at the China National Convention Center in the capital, Beijing, and attracted more than 300,000 visitors and 1,700 exhibitors from 82 countries.
The “Emirati House” formed the focus of Emirati participation, as it provided visitors with an integrated cultural experience that introduced Emirati literature, the publishing movement, national heritage, innovation, and cultural and creative industries, and shed light on the Emirati cultural scene through the participation of 30 Emirati exhibitors, and the highlighting of more than 469 publications, in a presence that strengthened the UAE’s position as a global center for culture, creativity, and knowledge exchange.
The Emirati Pavilion hosted more than 140 diverse cultural events, including the arts of Al-Ayyala, Sheila, Henna, Coffee House, Sadu, and Emirati cuisine, in addition to 23 dialogue sessions, the launch of two new books, two signing ceremonies, artistic performances, workshops, and interactive experiences that reflected the diversity of the Emirati cultural scene and highlighted the country’s growing contribution to enriching global cultural dialogue.
One of the most prominent milestones in the Emirati participation is that the Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at the United Arab Emirates University, Dr. Muhammad Musa Muhammad Bin Huiden, won the China Special Book Award at its 19th session, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to enhancing academic, cultural and intellectual exchange between China and the Arab world.
The Children’s Corner at the Emirati House witnessed a wide turnout, as it attracted more than 2,000 children and their family members over the course of the exhibition, and more than 75 storytelling sessions were presented, in addition to a variety of educational and interactive activities that contributed to consolidating the culture of reading among the younger generations, and introducing them to the richness of Emirati culture.
The Emirati cultural experience extended beyond the exhibition halls, through displays of Al-Ayyala art held in four prominent commercial locations in the capital, Beijing, attracting thousands of visitors and presenting to the Chinese public one of the most prominent elements of the UAE’s intangible cultural heritage.
Opinion polls showed that 98% of visitors to the “Emirati House” expressed a positive impression of the experience, while 95.6% of them confirmed that participation contributed to enhancing their knowledge of the UAE and its culture.
Travel literature
For its part, the National Archives and the National Library organized various cultural events within the Emirates Pavilion “Emirati House” at the Beijing International Book Fair, including a symposium entitled “Travel Literature: The Emirates in the Eyes of the Chinese, and China in the Eyes of the Emiratis,” which shed light on the historical, civilizational and cultural dimensions of the relations between the two countries through what travelers and writers from both sides have documented throughout the ages.
The symposium, presented by Muhammad Ismail Abdullah, from the National Archives and Library, discussed the process of cultural communication between Arabs and Chinese since its beginnings via the land and sea Silk Roads, reviewing the most prominent historical milestones that contributed to building bridges of understanding and cultural exchange between the two civilizations. It highlighted the contributions of a number of travelers and historians who documented the features of this communication, led by Suleiman al-Tajer, who provided the first documented Arabic description of China in the book “China and India News,” and Ibn Battuta, who recorded his observations of Chinese cities and their social and economic life, along with the Chinese traveler Zheng He, who led major sea voyages to the Arab region and contributed to strengthening communication between East and West.
The symposium reviewed prominent milestones in the path of modern UAE-Chinese relations, most notably the historic visit made by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul, to the People’s Republic of China in 1990, which constituted an important milestone in the development of bilateral relations between the two countries.
She touched on the role played by Emirati cultural institutions in promoting knowledge and cultural exchange with China, through translation and publishing initiatives and introducing Chinese literature, which contributes to expanding the horizons of civilizational dialogue and enhancing understanding between the two friendly peoples.
She stressed that travel literature represents one of the most important cultural bridges between nations, because it provides the space to get to know others and understand their culture and history, noting that what was written about the Emirates in Chinese literature, and what Emirati and Arab writers wrote about China, reflects the depth of mutual interest and embodies the development of cultural and human relations between the two countries.
Preserving heritage
For its part, the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority organized a specialized dialogue session entitled “The Role of Cultural Institutions in Preserving and Promoting Heritage… A Reading of the Chinese and Emirati Experiences,” as part of its participation in the 2026 Beijing International Book Fair.
The session shed light on the Emirati and Chinese experiences in the field of heritage preservation and protection, and the role played by cultural and heritage institutions in preserving heritage and enhancing its presence in society, in addition to reviewing initiatives and programs aimed at transferring heritage knowledge to future generations and consolidating its connection to national identity.
During the session, the participants discussed the impact of developments in the fields of artificial intelligence and digital technologies on the future of heritage protection, stressing the importance of benefiting from these tools in documenting heritage and transmitting it to future generations, ensuring its sustainability and enhancing access to it.
The participants stressed that the UAE and China’s interest in heritage and culture constitutes an important basis for cooperation between cultural institutions in the two countries, as the session discussed the prospects for cultural and heritage cooperation between the two countries, and opportunities to exchange experiences and knowledge between the institutions concerned, which contributes to the development of joint initiatives and projects in the fields of heritage and culture, and enhances cultural and civilizational communication between the two peoples.
The session came within the framework of the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority’s participation in the exhibition, and as part of its efforts to enhance the international presence of Emirati heritage, and expand areas of cultural and knowledge cooperation with specialized institutions around the world, which contributes to supporting efforts to preserve heritage and enhance its position as a basic pillar and bridge of communication between peoples.
450 issues of “Trends”
The Trends Group, represented by Trends Research and Consulting and Trends Global, participated with more than 450 peer-reviewed research and scientific publications in the 32nd session of the Beijing International Book Fair 2026, within the “Emirati House” pavilion.
The participation embodied a prominent knowledge presence, reflecting the role of “Trends” in promoting intellectual and cultural dialogue between the UAE and China, by displaying the latest research publications and organizing intellectual events and specialized dialogue sessions, in addition to holding academic meetings with prestigious Chinese institutions and universities, in a way that supports the building of sustainable knowledge partnerships and enhances scientific and cultural exchange between the two countries. The “Trends” pavilion attracted the attention of senior officials, diplomats and researchers participating in the exhibition, who viewed the group’s publications. And its research and consulting initiatives, praising its role in producing knowledge and anticipating global transformations.
• 98% of visitors to “Emirati House” expressed a positive impression of the experience.
• 140 diverse events, including the arts of Ayyala, Sheila, Henna, and Coffee House, organized by the “Emirati House.”
