Students read a book in a primary school's reading room in Gaomi, East China's Shandong Province, on December 10, 2025. Photo: VCG

Chinese Premier Li Qiang has signed a State Council decree to unveil the regulation on promoting national reading, which will take effect on February 1, 2026, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Tuesday. This regulation stands as a key initiative in China's drive to develop itself into a cultural powerhouse.

Comprising six chapters and 45 articles, the regulation aims to boost nationwide reading, cultivate a reading-oriented society, raise the nation's ideological, moral, scientific, and cultural standards, elevate the overall level of social civility, and advance the development of a strong socialist culture, Xinhua reported.

Additionally, the regulation designates the fourth week of April each year as national reading week and supports the use of information technology in promoting nationwide reading, per Xinhua.

The formulation of a regulation with legislative attributes and programmatic binding force - a measure designed to create favorable conditions for reading - demonstrates the government's commitment to advancing nationwide reading, Chu Zhaohui, a research fellow at the National Institute of Education Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Zheng Jiajian, president of the Fujian Normal University in East China's Fujian Province, said this move not only provides a legal foundation for promoting reading across society but also reflects deeper considerations for building a cultural powerhouse and advancing Chinese modernization.

The regulation stipulates the establishment of a comprehensive, inclusive and efficient national reading promotion system. It emphasizes improving the quality of publications, increasing the output of outstanding works, and nurturing a robust social atmosphere where all citizens cherish reading, engage with quality books and master effective reading skills.

Diverse reading promotion activities that feature positive content, embody profound cultural heritage and adopt varied forms are encouraged in the regulation. It highlights the cultivation of iconic brands for nationwide reading events, effective promotion of quality publications, and guidance for citizens to engage with high‑quality reading materials, Xinhua reported.

These measures are designed to transform reading from a static, individual activity into a dynamic, socially embraced trend, Zheng said. Through various activities, reading can be integrated into daily life, fostering a strong reading atmosphere, thereby making reading a genuine lifestyle and spiritual pursuit, he added.

The planning of public reading facilities shall be conducted in a scientific and rational manner. Government departments, schools, enterprises, public institutions and public service organizations are encouraged to set up corresponding reading facilities, according to the regulation.

It also stipulates that policy measures shall be adopted based on practical conditions to support the development of physical bookstores, encouraging related departments to enhance bookstores' reading conditions and organize reading activities. 

Related departments should encourage and support social forces to legally participate in offering reading services, constructing public reading spaces, facilitating activities of exchanging used books, and enriching the diverse scenarios for nationwide reading activities, Xinhua reported.
Such multi‑pronged methods aim to break the spatial and temporal constraints of public cultural services, building a convenient reading network that enables access to reading anywhere and anytime, said Zheng, noting that it also embodies the principles of public benefit, fundamentality, equality, and convenience for reading.

Strengthening safeguards for nationwide reading is also highlighted in the regulation. Relevant departments are required to prioritize support for reading promotion in rural areas, old revolutionary base areas, ethnic regions, border regions, and underdeveloped areas.

Efforts to ensure reading access for minors, persons with disabilities, and the elderly shall be enhanced through measures such as providing suitable reading materials, offering reading courses, supporting the development of barrier‑free reading facilities, and optimizing elderly friendly service standards, according to the regulation.

The regulation also mandates the formulation of rural reading plans to promote the equalization of basic public cultural services between urban and rural areas.

Chu said these measures will effectively address shortcomings such as limited reading conditions, insufficient resources, and weak reading habits in some regions, thereby extending nationwide reading to a broader scope. 

These efforts demonstrate the government's striving to ensure no one is left behind on the path to spiritual enrichment, serving as a vivid practice in advancing social fairness and justice while enriching citizens' spiritual lives, the expert added.