LONDON/BEIJING, April 16 -- The overseas popularity of the book entitled "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China" shows that the book offers a unique window for foreign readers to have a better understanding of China.

Since its global debut in October 2014 at the Frankfurt Book Show, sales of the book have surpassed 4 million copies, with overseas sales accounting for 10 percent, Lu Cairong, vice president of the China International Publishing Group, told the ongoing London Book Fair.

The book, published in nine languages and with contents covering speeches, answers to questions and instructions by Xi from Nov. 15, 2012 to June 13, 2014, has set a new record for overseas sales of books written by Chinese leaders since the country's reform and opening up.

The book has captured great attention at the London Book Fair, with its multi-language editions attracting global exhibitors, local media, and common readers, Lu said.

Former British Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott witnessed the official launch of the book at the London Book Show on Wednesday.

"This book is obviously an important step towards providing even a deeper insight into the concepts and principles of governance in the new leadership of China," he said.

"It's another important step towards the understanding between our countries, but it's much more than that. It's at a global level," he noted.

Prescott said that the book was designed for a better understanding of China's ideology, its pattern of development, its foreign policy, and its values under the new leadership.

The veteran statesman also praised the timeliness of the book. "It is critical that he's producing a book at this time. It couldn't be a timelier book to be actually produced, when we want to see global governance playing a major part than it has done in the past."

Peter Nolan, professor of Chinese development at Cambridge University, said the way in which China's economic system is organized is centrally important not only for China's governance, but also for global governance.

Noting that the topic of governance "has a key place" in Xi's book, he elaborated: "The way in which China is governed is of fundamental importance for the country's future. It has the potential also to make a profound contribution to the way in which the global community as a whole is governed in the 21st century and beyond."

A core part of the philosophy of China's governance, Nolan said, is the search for the most appropriate balance between the invisible hand of market forces and the visible hand of government action.

Nolan's views were echoed by British sociologist and emeritus professor Martin Albrow, who called the book "a wonderful publication."

"If I was still teaching, I would say every student in the social sciences in the rest of the world should read this book, because it tells you so much about China," said Albrow, who is also a senior fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Britain.

The scholar argued that the book represents the thought of the Chinese people today under the current leadership, and conveys "an idea of direction that the world should be taking in the future."

"I hope it will make a big impact in the world," the expert said.

Ambassadors of various countries to China interviewed by Xinhua earlier also spoke highly of the book.

The book is definitely a good choice for those who want to know China better, said Indonesian ambassador Soegen Rahardjo, adding that the book expounds on how China achieves development based on the country's specific conditions.

He said he would recommend the book to his colleagues and hoped they could better understand nowadays China and gain deeper insight into its future, the Indonesian diplomat said.

The publication of the book is significant since many government officials as well as common citizens would rather read first-hand materials so as to have a better understanding of the ideas and thoughts of the Chinese leader, instead of reading only news reports on the leader, Danish ambassador Friis Arne Peterson said.

Pakistani ambassador Masood Khalid said the book provides an interpretation from a unique perspective of the Chinese leadership's governance philosophy, adding that the book allows foreign readers to know how the Chinese leadership has made its vision into reality.

Egyptian ambassador to China Magdy Amer said the fact that the book was published in several languages including the Arabic is a proof that China wishes to work together with members of the international community for win-win results.