The event has also drawn Chinese veteran writers Su Tong, Li Er and Xi Chuan, as well as younger writers, including Xu Zechen, Di An and A Yi.

Li Er has just released a novel about the lives and careers of intellectuals in contemporary China. Li said European literature has deeply influenced Chinese modern and contemporary writing.

"Chinese literature places a special emphasis on reality. … But facing the rapid transformations, writers are working to reflect and record the reality with their words from different angles and with different methods," Li said. "As a result, their new works will be interesting to European readers."

The previous editions of the festival were held in November 2017, May 2018 and November 2018, involving 160 writers and spanning several Chinese cities.

This edition is jointly organized by Experience Europe, Beijing Reading Festival and China Citic Press.

Upcoming highlights of the festival include the following events, which can also be viewed live online:

June 1

11:00 - 12:00

A Story of a Spanish-born Chinese Woman

Quanzhou Wu

Citic Bookstore at the Place, Beijing

June 1

17:00 - 18:30

The Art of World Building – How Sci-fi Writers Create and Inhabit their Realms

Li Hongwei and Rafat Kosig

The Bookworm Beijing

June 1

17:00 - 18:30

Art Makes the World Go Round

Hei Mi, Max Ducos, Piret Raud

Qihao/Genesis Citic Bookstore at Xin Yuan Nan Lu