Shenzhen Opens Largest Bookstore for APEC Reading Salon

On September 3, 2026, the "Read the Asia-Pacific · Discover Shenzhen" 2026 APEC Reading Salon and Silk Road Cultural Market opened at the North Zone of the Eyes of the GBA in Shenzhen, China. The event, co-presented by Program Group of Silk Road Story of Guangdong Satellite TV, Guangdong Touch Media Technology Co., Ltd., and the Eyes of the GBA, marked a significant step in cultural exchange and promotion of reading. More than 150 media representatives, including 49 foreign journalists from countries such as Russia, Pakistan, Indonesia, Singapore, and Myanmar, as well as Chinese online influencers and local media reporters, participated in the event.

The highlight of the event was the world's largest physical bookstore, covering 131,000 square meters. Scholars and journalists from China and abroad gathered to engage in reading-themed dialogues through books, physical exhibits, and face-to-face discussions. This initiative transformed cultural exchange from a static exhibition into interactive communication, allowing Shenzhen's city stories to reach a global audience through the power of reading.

Shenzhen, a city renowned for its commitment to reading, was named a "Model City for Universal Reading" by UNESCO in 2013. Since its opening in September 2025, the Eyes of the GBA has curated over 100,000 book titles, blending reading, cultural exchange, tech experiences, and art spaces. The venue has quickly become the city's new cultural hub, fostering a vibrant reading community.

One of the foreign journalists, a Russian correspondent, expressed his admiration for the bookstore during his first visit. He found an AI-themed shelf particularly intriguing and shared his personal reading habits, favoring detective novels, science fiction, and biographies of successful figures. The Russian journalist's visit underscored the diverse interests that can be found in the expansive collection of books.

The Eyes of the GBA, described as "a pair of eyes open to the world" or "an open book," symbolizes Shenzhen's mission to share its stories with the world. Through this initiative, the city aims to use books as bridges to engage with a broader audience, inviting readers to "Meet Shenzhen and witness miracles."

The event reflects Shenzhen's ongoing commitment to fostering a reading culture and promoting international understanding. By bringing together a diverse group of media representatives, the organizers hoped to create a platform for dialogue and mutual learning, ensuring that the city's stories are told and heard by a global audience.