Global readers' passion for original Chinese storytelling reflects the world's interest in a fast-growing Asian country and its culture. "You can catch the heartbeat of a nation by reading its novels," Mai Jia once said. Once foreigners are willing to sit down and listen, then it's the perfect time to tell our stories, Chen said.

Still, to translate passion into sales requires talent and perseverance. More professional translators and literary agents are needed in China, and a copyright broker mechanism needs to be nurtured in the country, Tan said.

In the end, to ensure the long-term success of Chinese stories in the global market, the real task is not selling books, but to "bridge the cultural gap between the East and the West," Tan said, and to "win the hearts and minds" of readers.

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