German publishing company Wissen Media Verlag GmbH announced Friday at the Frankfurt Book Fair it will publish a large book of photographs of modern-day China.

The book of photographs, whose working title is The China of Today, will be the first of its kind catering to western readers prior to the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008.

With more than 220 pages, the book will consist of more than 500 pictures taken by photographers from Xinhua News Agency.

The pictures in the album will be divided into ten chapters, including such categories as preparations for the Beijing Olympic Games, China's landscape, social life, politics, economy and recreational activities.

Book designs for both the German and French versions have been completed, and it is scheduled to be printed by the end of 2007 and on the market in spring 2008, according to the publisher.

Ines Killat, a marketing promoter for Wissen, said that more and more western readers are interested in the Beijing Olympic Games.

They also have "a growing interest" in China, Killat said, which is why the company will publish the book.

The company also plans to publish English and Chinese versions of the book after the marketing of the German and French versions.

(Xinhua News Agency October 13, 2007)