The Chinese author Mo Yan, who won the 2012 Nobel Prize for Literature, was invited on Tuesday to give a speech at the Algiers International Book Fair, the most important cultural event in the North African country.

Mo made the speech at a conference dedicated to his 40-year writing career and works, including his masterpiece "Red Sorghum Clan."

"Red Sorghum Clan used to sell 200,000 copies a year, but after I won the Nobel Prize the annual sales hit 2 million copies," he said.

With high modesty, Mo also expressed his confidence in the exellence of the Chinese writers.

"Winning the Nobel Prize doesn't mean I'm the best in the world. I'm confident that there are many Chinese authors who may deserve this award more than me," he said.

A day earlier, Algeria awarded Mo the National Order of Merit Medal "El Athir" in honor of him and the Chinese culture, as Algeria and China celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations.

The Algiers International Book Fair kicked off on Monday, attracting around 1,000 local and foreign publishers from 47 countries and regions, with as many as 300,000 works of literature, history, science and other areas to be exhibited.

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