Chinese book industry executives on Wednesday stressed at the largest book trade show in North America that Chinese publishers must embrace digital publishing and treat it as an opportunity to respond to the rapid growth and change taking place in the industry.

The Chinese publishing industry has witnessed "profound changes" due to the impact of digital technology and must respond accordingly, said Wu Shangzhi, vice-minister of the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television. Wu made his comments in a keynote address on the future of the Chinese publishing industry.

He spoke on the opening day of the three-day 2015 BookExpo America (BEA), the largest North American annual book trade show, at the Javits Convention Center in Manhattan. China is the exhibition's 2015 Global Guest of Honor.

"We're transitioning from purely quantity-based growth to quality growth," Wu said, due to great increase in digital reading from Chinese audiences. For the first time, the number of Chinese adults who have read digital books has surpassed the number of adults reading print books, 58.1 percent to 58 percent, according to statistics from the state administration.

He said that though the percentage difference is small, it still represents a "major transition" in the way readers are consuming books, and that while there is still great demand for traditional print publishing, the Chinese book industry must "continue to expand."

Wu Xiaoping, president of the Phoenix Publishing and Media Corp Ltd, one of the largest publishers in China, echoed the vice-minister's comments in a panel discussion on digital media, saying that "while some of my colleagues in the industry are pessimistic, I remain optimistic at the potential opportunities available."

The Jiangsu-based publisher, which puts out 10,000 books every year and has about 1,000 retail stores across the country, is increasing its efforts in digital publishing, the president said.

It has established 10 digital publishing organizations within the company over the last few years, Wu said, employing more than 2,000 people. "This is our guarantee against competition," he said.