Beijing, Aug 26 (IANS): This year's Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF) will open online on September 26, with an estimated 400,000 books on display.

It will be the first virtual fair since the inaugural event back in 1986, the organisers said at a press conference on Wednesday.

The smart BIBF, utilising new technologies such as big data and AI, will create an all-year-round communications platform for the international book publishing industry, according to Xinhua news agency.

With Cuba as the Country of Honor, the book fair has attracted more than 1,000 registered online exhibitors from 68 countries and regions, including 29 countries and regions along the Belt and Road routes, the organisers said.

This year's book fair will be loaded with various programmes, including copyright trade, publication exhibition, the BIBF global reading festival and the 2020 Beijing international publishing forum.

The 27th event is being co-hosted by the National Press and Publication Administration, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Beijing municipal government, the Publishers Association of China and China Writers Association.