New guidelines

China has for decades been trying to provide an environment conducive to reading, and on Feb 1 a State Council regulation to promote reading among the public took effect.

The regulation aims to raise the intellectual, moral, scientific, and cultural standards of the Chinese people and enhance overall social civility. It underscores the importance of improving publishing quality and producing more high-quality publications.

The regulation emphasizes the need to plan and build public reading facilities and to support the integration of digital and traditional reading.

In addition, it calls for targeted support for reading initiatives in rural areas, ethnic regions, border areas, and less-developed regions, as well as improved access to reading for minors, people with disabilities, and the elderly.

Delivering the 2026 Government Work Report on Thursday, Premier Li Qiang said initiatives will be put in place to enhance the system for promoting reading among all people.

The draft outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) for national economic and social development also stressed that further efforts should be made to foster a culture of reading in our society.

Gu Qing, Party secretary of the Commercial Press and a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said the latest efforts are "very different" from previous ones "because now it's directly about a system to promote reading".

After two decades, promoting national reading has become a compulsory requirement rather than an initiative, he added.

The framework of the system has three elements — supplies of quality publications, recommendations of quality publications, and people who can teach the public how to improve their reading habits and choices, Gu said. "But building a sound system takes time," he added.

Dan, the professor, applauded the government's efforts.

"It is crucial for the government to promote reading and cultivate a positive social environment where young people can view reading as a cool thing," he said.

Chen Ziwen, a 20-year-old law student from Foshan University, said that reading is the best medium for her to understand human nature, and a good way for an individual to survive the "existential crisis" of the AI era.

"When everything is changing rapidly, like a turbulent sea, finding certainty in life becomes even more valuable. Books serve as that buoy where I can anchor myself," she said.

The reading process is like a treasure hunt, and as long as you keep expanding your mind and stimulating your imagination, it gradually reveals its true value, she said.

Chen said she has loved reading since childhood. However, many of her peers do not read, even if they have the time. They would rather travel or play video games.

"I think this choice is actually related to the habits formed during one's childhood or the prevailing social atmosphere. Reading itself is not something that provides immediate gratification or quick results, and it's somewhat out of sync with the fast pace of this era," she said.