SHARJAH, (Pakistan Point News - 24th Jun, 2026) Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone (SPC) concluded its participation in the Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF) 2026, reinforcing Sharjah’s position as a leading global publishing hub and strengthening links between Arab publishers and international markets.
SPC participated as part of the Sharjah delegation at Al Bait Al Emarati (The Emirati House), the centrepiece of the UAE’s Guest of Honour programme at the 32nd edition of the fair, held at the China National Convention Centre in Beijing.
As the world’s first free zone dedicated to publishing, creative and related industries, SPC showcased the opportunities Sharjah offers as a gateway to Arab and regional markets. The participation also highlighted how companies can use the free zone’s platform to expand across the middle East and North Africa while creating new opportunities for Emirati and Arab publishers to build commercial partnerships with publishing houses, printers, distributors and creative-sector organisations across China and Asia.
During the fair, SPC presented its integrated publishing ecosystem, which includes company formation, streamlined licensing services, office and warehouse facilities, banking services, and legal and logistics support. It also highlighted solutions covering printing, distribution, storage and supply-chain management, supporting books from production through to market access.
As part of its efforts to promote Sharjah’s business environment internationally, SPC participated in a panel discussion titled Sharjah Publishing City: A Global Hub for the Growth of the Publishing Industry.
The session featured Saif Al Suwaidi, Director of Sharjah Publishing City; Shi Yang (Hefa), Director of Outar Publications; and Maywan (Aisha), Director of New Pages Publishing and Distribution House. The discussion examined how SPC supports publishers through specialised infrastructure, print-on-demand services and international distribution networks. The session was moderated by Karima Al Azizi, Head of International Relations at Sharjah Book Authority.
Al Suwaidi said, “Our participation in BIBF is particularly significant because it enables direct engagement with an Asian market that plays a major role in printing, digital publishing, rights trading and publishing supply chains. SPC has become a hub for a growing number of Chinese and Asian companies due to its strategic access to Arab markets, supportive business environment and advanced operational infrastructure.”
He added that the participation provided an opportunity to demonstrate the advantages Sharjah offers to both Asian and Arab publishers, positioning the emirate as a meeting point between a rapidly growing Arab publishing sector and influential Asian markets.
During the event, SPC explored opportunities for cooperation with Chinese printing houses and companies to provide Emirati and Arab publishers with competitively priced printing solutions, particularly for large-scale print runs and joint publishing projects.
The free zone also highlighted its strategic partnerships, including its collaboration with Lightning Source, which provides print-on-demand services that allow publishers to manage production more efficiently while reducing warehousing costs.
Participants were also introduced to the role of Arab Book Verse in expanding the reach of Arabic content and SPC’s partnership with Big Bad Wolf Books, which offers additional sales and distribution channels and helps publishers reach wider audiences.
SPC’s participation opened new avenues for cooperation with Chinese translation and printing companies and attracted interest from businesses exploring opportunities to establish operations within the free zone.
The participation formed part of the UAE’s Guest of Honour programme at BIBF through Al Bait Al Emarati, overseen by the UAE Embassy in China and organised in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture. The programme brought together 120 representatives from 20 cultural institutions and showcased Emirati achievements in literature, arts, heritage and publishing.
Founded in 1986, the Beijing International Book Fair is one of the world’s leading publishing events, attracting thousands of exhibitors from more than 100 countries and regions annually. The fair serves as a major platform for publishers, literary agents, rights professionals and digital publishing organisations, while providing SPC with opportunities to showcase its services and strengthen direct engagement with key global publishing markets.
