Fourth China-Australia Literary Forum opens in Guangzhou

The Fourth China-Australia Literary Forum opened in Guangzhou on May 8.

The five-day event is organized by China Writers Association in partnership with the Writing and Research Center of Western Sydney University.

Participants at the forum include famous writers, scholars, translators and publishers from the both countries. They will discuss topics of "literature, mobility and place", "the prospect of publishing and the reason for publishing", "literature and translation", "the value of criticism", and "poetry and society".

Like in previous years, the forum aims to consider critical issues that define contemporary Chinese and Australian writing, to explore the issues for writing in each society, and the prospects for literary and publishing interactions between China and Australia in the future, said Peter Hutchings, dean of School of Humanities and Communication Arts, Western Sydney University.

"This is particularly timely in the era of the Belt and Road Initiative, an initiative which emphasizes cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and promotes the values of openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit," Peter said.

Tie Ning, president of the China Writers Association, speaks at the fourth China-Australia Literary Forum in Guangzhou on May 8. [Photo/gdzuoxie.com]

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of Sino-Australian diplomatic relations. The past three decades have witnessed increasing literary exchanges between the two countries, with translated works from both reaching each other's shores, said Tie Ning, president of the China Writers Association.

"The China Writers Association has always been committed to promoting international literary exchange and it is our goal to seek similarities out of differences and respect for diversity through inclusiveness," Tie said.

Shen Haixiong, director general of the Publicity Department of the CPC Guangdong Committee, attends the fourth China-Australia Literary Forum in Guangzhou on May 8. [Photo/gdzuoxie.com]