Digital reading, publishing gain momentum in nation

The number of digital readers in China reached 670 million last year, marking a 17.52 percent year-on-year increase, according to a report released on Wednesday at the Fourth National Conference on Reading in Taiyuan, Shanxi province.

"The growth of digital readers can be attributed to the rapid increase in users closely related to the intellectual property derivatives and peripheral services within the online literature industry," said Zhang Yijun, first vice-chairman of the China Audio-video and Digital Publishing Association, at the conference.

Over the past five years, China has added 176 million digital readers, representing a growth rate of 35.63 percent, Zhang said. He added that digital reading is becoming a primary means for internet users in the country to acquire knowledge and inspiration in daily life.