Chinese parents are being asked to read to their children under a new program designed to encourage book reading.
The campaign follows a drop in the number of people reading books, with many workers saying they simply don't have the time.
Under the program, bookstores will be asked to extend their trading hours and to offer more discounts from April 23.
Also included are plans to open new libraries and an appeal for book donations.
The number of people who read books dropped to 34.7 percent in 2008, a China Institute of Publication Science survey of 20,000 people showed.
This was 14 percent lower than the figure for 2005.
The survey showed 43 percent of people did not have a reading habit, and that about half of those said they were too busy to pick up a book.
"I don't have time to read books," Alex Chang, a 24-year-old accountant, said.
However, he did find time recently to read a 260,000-word book titled A Story of Lala's Promotion about the experience of a white-collar employee.
"It's quite useful for workers like us," he said.
Luo Hongmei, a Beijing bookstore owner, said her business has made little money since it opened last July.
"Young readers read online. Money we make from selling the books each month is on par with the coffee we sell," she said.
The book purchase rate remained at 1.75 book per family last year, but the number of people reading online is growing.
"The trend of online reading overtaking the traditional book reading is irreversible," said Zheng Baowei, a communication researcher with the Renmin University of China.
"But the next question is, can the Internet provide food for thoughts as good as the print."
The Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the General Administration of Press and Publication said the campaign aims to promote a book reading habit, especially among the young Chinese who are under direct influence of pop culture.
"It is still a rare habit for people to read on subways," said mother Ellen Deng, who said she will pass on her habit with books to her daughter.
Source: China Daily
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