Chinese cultural officials were also present in the ceremony, IRNA reported.
The exhibition opens today and will continue until August 27. Iran is taking part in the present edition of the fair as the Guest of Honor. More than 2,000 publishers from 86 countries have attended the expo.
China International Exhibition Center in Beijing will be the venue of the cultural event.
Deputy Head of China's State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, Wu Shangzhi, delivered a speech at the ceremony and announced Iran's participation in the expo as the Guest of Honor.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, President of Islamic Culture and Relations Organization Abouzar Ebrahimi Torkan said culture is the most important aspect of a nation's identity.
He added promoting the culture of book reading and paying greater attention to printing influential and high quality books are among the ways to foster a country's culture.
The time spent on reading books and the amount of information and cultural commodities produced and consumed are among the most important indices of a developed society, he added.
"Unfortunately, despite all the progress and advancement made by human, societies have not yet managed to get rid of war and violence."
Iran has dispatched an 80-member delegation to the exhibition. The team includes senior officials including Torkan, Managing Director of Iran Cultural Fairs Institute Amir-Masoud Shahram-Nia, Iran's Ambassador to China Ebrahim Khaji and Iran's Cultural Attaché in China Mohammad Rasoul Almasieh, who were all present at the opening ceremony.
Iran's slogan in this edition of the expo is: 'Iran — the Colorful Dream of Silk Road'.
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