People read books at a public library in east China's Shanghai, Nov. 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Cai Xiangxin)

​The rapid rise of digital reading is encouraging more Chinese people to develop reading habits, as access to books and overall reading rates continue to grow alongside a nationwide push to build a book-loving society.

Figures released Monday at the fifth National Conference on Reading show that China's overall adult reading rate has reached 82.3 percent, while the number of books read per person, including both print and digital, rose to 8.39 in 2025.

The data, from a national reading survey and the 2025 China Digital Reading Report, reflects a growing reading population increasingly supported by digital formats.

The conference opened in Nanchang, east China's Jiangxi Province, coinciding with the launch of China's first national reading week, which runs through Sunday. The initiative is part of wider efforts to foster a reading culture in China.

The survey shows that 80.8 percent of Chinese adults now engage with digital reading through formats such as e-books, online literature, audiobooks and video-based summaries.

The ability to listen to books during commutes or read serialized fiction on mobile devices has made reading more convenient and accessible, helping to expand participation, according to the findings.

By the end of 2025, China's digital reading user base had reached 689 million, up 2.95 percent from the previous year, while the total number of digital reading works exceeded 70 million.

The market size of digital reading has nearly doubled over the past five years, growing from 30.25 billion yuan (about 4.4 billion U.S. dollars) to 59.48 billion yuan, pointing to strong growth in both supply and demand.

The market growth can be partly attributed to the evolution of online literature into a broader cultural industry. "The essence of reading is to allow stories to break through boundaries and enter everyday life," said Xie Lanfang, vice president of Yuewen Group, noting that content is increasingly extending into offline cultural consumption and interactive experiences.

Acknowledging the importance of reading in strengthening ethical and intellectual development and fostering innovation and creativity, China has been advancing efforts to build a book-loving society.

To enhance institutional support, a regulation on promoting nationwide reading, which took effect in February, sets out measures to improve reading facilities and services, as well as to reinforce relevant mechanisms.

The regulation designates the fourth week of April each year as national reading week, which is being observed for the first time this year. Over the coming week, reading events will be held across the country, including lectures and book fairs, salons and book donations, all aimed at promoting reading among the public.

"Reading service facilities have improved, and public awareness and satisfaction are relatively high," said Feng Shixin, president of the Chinese Academy of Press and Publication, adding that further efforts are needed to enhance accessibility and service quality.

Despite the surge in digital formats, traditional reading remains resilient. The survey shows that 45.9 percent of adults still prefer reading printed books, especially literary works, indicating continued demand for immersive and in-depth reading.

Wu Shulin, chairman of the Publishers Association of China, believes that in the digital era, deep reading remains the foundation for personal growth, career success and moral cultivation.

He called for stronger guidance on digital reading and efforts to foster a culture of deep reading, encouraging readers to shift from "fragmented browsing" to "in-depth reading."