A Chinese publishing group has launched a bookshelf project here in the Czech Republic during the ongoing Book World Prague, an international book fair.

China Education Publishing and Media Group (CEPMG) on Friday held a Chinese language and cultural exchange experience activity alongside an inauguration ceremony of its bookshelf project at the Confucius Institute of the University of Finance and Administration (VSFS) in Prague.

During the event, CEPMG donated a collection of books to the Confucius Institute, covering a wide range of subjects including Chinese culture, history, economy, and language.

Called "CEPMG Shelf," the bookshelf project aims to promote educational and cultural exchange through books. It provides overseas youth with structured resources for learning Chinese and understanding contemporary China. The project has already been launched in eight countries, including Malaysia, Thailand, Egypt, and Türkiye.

Speaking at the event, Chinese Ambassador to the Czech Republic Feng Biao highlighted that holding a cultural experience activity and launching the bookshelf project during the Book World Prague not only served as a significant cultural presentation, but also marked a major step in deepening publishing cooperation between China and the Czech Republic.

He noted that China will further promote in-depth exchanges between the two countries in areas such as educational publishing and language and cultural cooperation.

Sun Qiang, vice general manager of CEPMG, expressed his hope that the bookshelf project would offer rich academic resources and a high-quality learning experience to the teachers and students at the Confucius Institute, allowing them to gain a deeper and more tangible understanding of Chinese civilization as well as the vibrancy of modern China.

In her remarks, VSFS Rector Bohuslava Senkyrova noted that the books would help students at the Confucius Institute develop a deeper understanding of China and its cultural heritage, laying a strong foundation for their future study and exchange in China.

The Confucius Institute was jointly established by China Jiliang University, a university based in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, and the VSFS in 2018.

The Book World Prague, now in its 30th edition, runs from May 15 to May 18 at the Prague Exhibition Grounds.