It appears that kids in China enjoy reading nearly as much as watching television. This same survey also attempted to gauge the influence of electronic media on children's reading habits. While observers often tend to be of the view that the more time kids spend with electronic media, the less time they spend with books, this survey demonstrates virtually no such correlation between the two pastimes. This suggests that even as electronic media and the Internet grow more popular, children's reading habits will remain largely unchanged. Contributing to this view is the fervor Chinese parents display in encouraging their children to read.
Most parents frequently buy books for their kids.
According to yet another survey, over 60 percent of parents nationwide believe that they should encourage their children to read more. The habit of reading is something instilled during childhood. Any changes in the practice of, or attitude toward, reading on the part of the young will certainly exert a major impact on the future reading habits of the Chinese population. But if we are to draw any conclusions from the aforementioned surveys, there would appear to be no need to worry that the Chinese will lose their love for books anytime soon. Profile Liu Zhiming, assistant professor of journalism at Renmin University of China and a researcher at the Public Opinion Research Institute, specializes in mass communication.