Multilingual versions of Xi's Book lauded by international readers

The second volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China was released in multiple languages at the London Book Fair on Wednesday. The book is being hailed by international readers as enlightening and insightful in helping them better understand China. 

The second volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China is released in multiple languages at the London Book Fair on April 11, 2018. [Photo: People’s Daily]

CRI's London Correspondent Duan Xuelian has more. 

The second volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China is a collection of the Chinese President's speeches, conversations and letters from 2014 to 2017. Translated into nine foreign languages and with highlights such as Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the book was well received at its official launch in London.

In his congratulatory speech, Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, spoke highly of the book.

"Publishing this book is a milestone and I'm delighted to be able to join you here. I hope these two volumes, I suspect there will be more coming down the pipe, will enlighten more people as to where China is going, thinking and being. I wish you all every success as this book launches at the London Book Fair and I hope this book encourage people to visit China and learn more and more about it."

Former Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti said the book offers an insight into China and Chinese society and it should be appreciated by those who wish to understand contemporary China.

"I think this book is crucially important to understand the vision of the leader of China, a vision that embraces the past, the present and the future of China. It explains how the governance of such a large country is conceived and implemented. And this is important for only for China but also the worldwide vision of President Xi Jinping is important for us to understand."

Terry Robinson is the managing director of Gale Publishing Company, one of the largest international publishing companies in the world. He said the book is well laid out and holds an appeal to ordinary readers like himself and his family and friends.

"I first got this book because I wanted to get some insight from President Xi in a variety of issues. I remember there was a speech in May in 2016 where he talked about Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and I thought it very informative. It kind of helped us in approaching our Chinese market and in understanding the Chinese society and the Chinese people. It was really impressive, so much so that I got copies of the book and gave it to all the executives of our company and even my wife took a Portuguese version and gave it to her father in Brazil where he's read it so the Chinese President has a reader in Brazil even before the book was launched there."

A series of seminars were held after the book launch in London with academics and politicians in attendance. Martin Albrow is a British sociologist and senior researcher of globalization. He has studied both the first and second volume of President Xi's book since 2014.

"As Chine goes out into the world we find here the further development of ideas behind the Belt and Road Initiative and the corresponding high level global governance that Xi proposes towards a community of shared future for mankind. This was the title of the speech he gave at the United Nations office in Geneva in January 2017 which is the fitting conclusion to this volume."

The second volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China was jointly compiled by China's State Council Information Office and the China International Publishing Group. The Chinese and English versions of the book were published in November 2017.

(Reporting by CRI London correspondents Duan Xuelian and Liang Tao)