The Shanghai Book Fair opens in China's largest city today, with around 40 world-renowned writers and poets -- most notably last year's Nobel laureate Svetlana Alexievich -- expected to grace the annual event that showcases over 150,000 books.

The Belarusian journalist and author famed for her polyphonic writings is in China to promote her latest work, "Second-hand Time", the Chinese version of which was published by China CITIC Press earlier this year.

Other celebrated names that will show up at the event include British science fiction novelist Ian McDonald, American Pulitzer-Prize winner Junot Diaz and British poet Sean O'Brien. Well-known Chinese writers and scholars, including Alai, Zhao Lihong and Chen Danyan, will also be participating in the event.

A total of 700 reading events will be held during the 7-day fair.,

A recent report says the average Shanghai citizen reads 6.61 books in 2015, with 2.1 percent more people literally not reading at all compared to the previous year.

The book fair will be open to visitors from 9am to 9pm at the Shanghai Exhibition Center between August 17 and 21.

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