As the London Book Fair draws near, fans of China's culture are eager for the opening of the literature gala with the country in center stage this year.

Among them of course is Alistair Burtenshaw, director of the book fair.

"I am looking forward to meeting many of the Chinese authors who are coming over," he said during an exclusive interview with Xinhua.

Burtenshaw has visited China on seven occasions, mostly to Beijing. Though having not been to the countryside, the director said he knew it quite well from Chinese books.

"I have been reading Chinese Mo Yan and Bi Feiyu, and I have had pleasure to read some of the short stories from Lu Xun, who is the Chinese Charles Dickens," he said.

The contemporary writer Bi Feiyu who is coming to the book fair, is one of Burtenshaw's favorite writers.

"His Three Sisters has been a great success in the UK," he said. "But many of his books haven't been translated yet into English."

The director met Bi once at a press conference about the book fair a month ago. "I had my copy of Three Sisters inscribed by him," he said.

Burtenshaw admits that most books he read were historical. "I am looking forward to read the works of more contemporary writers, like Sheng Keyi who is coming to the book fair this year."

He had been in China just several weeks ago and met some China writers who will come to the book fair. "There will be very powerful voices for Chinese culture and literature (at the book fair)," he said.

London Book Fair started its market-focus program in 2004, and since 2008, it has partnered with the British Council to focus on a number of major emerging markets. In 2008, it focused on the Arabic world, and then on India, South Africa and Russia. Burtenshaw noted that next year it will be Turkey.

Talking about China as the host this year, he said that "China is the world's largest market by volume, and one of the most important book industries in the world". "That is very distinctive," he said, adding that over 100 native Chinese publishers will be present at the book fair.

Each year, the London Book Fair welcomes publishers from around 110 countries and regions, and 25 thousand publishers, book sellers and literary agents. "There will be wonder opportunity for them to engage in the meet with Chinese publishers and Chinese authors," he said.

Copy right will surely be a hot topic at the book fair. "Copy right is very important in our business, and I know it is very important in China for the publishing industry," said Burtenshaw. "One of the prime activities at the book fair is copy right trading, sale of translation rights for fiction and other works around the world."

Besides, there will be a wide range of professional conferences and seminars across the book fair, as well as some other cultural events like concerts, dialogues, debates and discussions. "It is really hard to choose," he said. "I am looking forward to joining many of them."

The London Book Fair started in 1971, and was regarded as world's second largest global marketplace for rights negotiations and sales only after the Frankfurt book fair in Germany.

The book fair this year, scheduled to take place next Monday to Wednesday, will attract over 100 publishing houses, 600 specialists publishers, rights managers and celebrities in the literature and cultural circle.

Some 300 activities will be held across the book fair, during which fifty-seven leading Chinese writers, including Tie Ning, chairwoman of China Writers Association, as well as Wang Meng and Mo Yan, will participate in literary events with well-known British writers and readers.