'Xi Jinping: The Governance of China' Captivates UK Readers

The newly-published book "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China" appears to be gaining interest among readers since its introduction in the UK.

A collection of 79 speeches and some 45 photos of the Chinese president, the book is meant to provide readers with firsthand insight to the Chinese leadership.

Frank O'Reily, a retired academic, bought the book when it first came out in the UK last month.

"President Xi was quoting from Confucius, he said 'reading without thinking makes one muddled, thinking without reading makes one flighty'. So it's my opinion that in the west, we have so many comments about China but they never actually refer to the actual words or speeches of the Chinese leaders, they never refer to what they actually say or write."

O'Reily says as a retired academic, Xi Jinping's book is a helpful tool for those hoping to learn more about China.

"Presumably these speeches were made in Chinese, most of them anyway if not all, but the translation is very clear and very natural. And then there's an index at the back which makes it an excellent reference book as well as a straight read. And also there are excellent notes to the chapters, to speeches on history, literature, etc, all clearly explained."

"The Governance of China" was first introduced at this year's Frankfurt Book Fair.

It's since been published in ten languages, including English, French, Russian and Japanese.

Ru Jing with the UK branch of China's Foreign Languages Press, the book's publisher, says they're seeing an increasing demand for book on China written in English.

"The book has attracted a lot of media attention since it was launched. On top of that, we've seen quite positive feedback from the market. For instance, you can find the book on almost all major amazon sites, and with decent sales figures."

Guanghwa Bookshop is one of the main UK distributors for "The Governance of China".

Located in London's China Town district, the bookshop is a hub for all things Chinese.

Cai Shaojuan, owner of the bookshop says she has received many enquiries about Xi Jinping's book from both old and new customers.

"Most of them are academics who are interested in Chinese politics, but there are also young readers who come and ask about this book."