Turkish, Chinese bookstore launch cultural exchange initiative

ISTANBUL, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Türkiye's prominent publishing house, Kirmizi Kedi, on Wednesday unveiled a dedicated section in its Istanbul stores showcasing books that introduce Chinese culture.

The initiative is part of the partnership between Kirmizi Kedi and China's largest bookstore chain, Xinhua Bookstore, aimed at promoting cultural exchange through literature.

"We agreed that this partnership between the two bookstore chains would be significant in strengthening cultural ties between our two countries," Haluk Hepkon, owner of Kirmizi Kedi, told Xinhua.

"As of today, we have brought that vision to life," he added.

Many books from China have been translated into Turkish. Similarly, Kirmizi Kedi will introduce sections featuring its own publications and books that showcase Turkish culture to Chinese readers in Beijing in June, according to Hepkon.

He also praised Xinhua Bookstore's long-standing legacy and extensive network of over 11,000 branches across China.

Yuan Hu, assistant general manager of Xinhua Bookstore's Head Office, expressed his enthusiasm about the collaboration with Kirmizi Kedi.

"Together, we launched a Xinhua-Kirmizi Kedi Chinese Culture Corner here. So that Turkish readers could get to know our culture through our books," Hu told Xinhua.

He mentioned that they are looking forward to welcoming Kirmizi Kedi's presence in their bookstores in China.

Over the past year, Kirmizi Kedi has consistently hosted events bringing together poets and writers from both China and Türkiye for thought-provoking discussions on literature.