Cultural Trials Launched in Shanghai Free Trade Zone

Professionals from the sector of cultural industries note that in a short term, open policies for cultural service will bring new opportunities for the performing and entertainment indus- tries of Shanghai Free Trade Zone （SFTZ） and the city of Shanghai as a whole; in a long run, SFTZ＇s practices and experiences will have extensive impacts on the country＇s performing and entertainment industries. What is the scenario of SFTZ~ cultural industries and what trend will they embrace？     

Ten Years of Progress and Success --China （Shenzhen） International Cultural Industries Fair

As Mainland China ＇s.first international exposition on cultural industries, China （Shenzhen） International Cultural Industries Fair （ICIF） has seen the rapid growth of the country＇s cultural and creative industries over the past ten years. In retrospect, ICIF has made excellent performance and success.     

Policy Impact on Cultural Industries in the Next Decade

Cultural industries in China are heavily influenced by policies. With the ever-deepening cultural restructuring, cultural industries in China are embracing fast growth and becoming the country＇s pillar industry with strategic importance.     

Investment Fever in Cultural Industries

China Cultural Development Report 2014 released statistics that the added value created by cultural businesses in China in 2012 reached up to 1.8 trillion RMB yuan, making up 3.48% of the country＇s total GDP. However; capital＇s impact on culture is a double-edge sword. On one hand, industrialization and merger of cultural industries would be impossible without capital; on the other hand, the profit-pursuing nature of capital would lead bogus boom.     

Art Information

Cultural Capital of East Asia Announced China＇s Quanzhou was recently proclaimed as the Cultural Capital of East Asia, along with Gwangju of South Korea and Yokohama of Japan. Chinese Cultural Minister Cai Wu noted that the Cultural Capital of East Asia was launched in order to implement the important consensuses reached at the 5th Meeting of Leaders of China, Japan and South Korea and the Shanghai Action Plan signed by cultural ministers of the three countries.     

Art Information

Government and Bank Collaborate to Support Cultural Industries
On March 10, the Ministry of Culture of China （MOC） and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China （ICBC） signed a strategic cooperation agreement in supporting cultural industries. Cultural Minister Cai Wu and ICBC Chairman Jiang Jianqing attended the signing ceremony. According to this agreement, MOC and ICBC will abide by the principle of＂conducting long-term cooperation, supplementing each other＇s advantages and promoting common development＂ in order to encourage the development of cultural industries of China.     

CHINA, US VOW TO BUILD CLOSER CULTURAL TIES

＂Cultural relations comprise an important part of China-US relationship. Steady and buoyant cultural exchanges help to ensure the healthy development of the bilateral pofitical and economic relations. Cultural ties at the governmental dimension should be given top priority when handling the bilateral cultural relations. The visit by the US President＇s Committee on the Arts and Humanities （PCAH） represents a landmark progress in the bilateral cultural relations at the governmental level, indicating the attitude of great support and active promotion of China-US cultural ties by the two governments and official institutions of the two nations.＂ -- Sun Jiazheng, Chinese Cultural Minister     

＂Shanghai Dreams＂ Reveals Cruelty of Youth

Wang Xiaoshuai＇s Cannes prizewinning film Shanghai Dreams （Qing Hong） is rooted in first handed memories. In the late 60s, when China feared attack by the USSR, armament factories and other ＂front line＂ industries were relocated from cities on the eastern seaboard to remote inland areas, and idealistic young adults were persuaded to resettle in dirt-towns like Guiyang to staff them. Less than 15 years later, many were desperate to move back to the urban sophistication of such cities as Shanghai, disillusioned by life in the sticks and eager to taste the newFreedoms of the 80s. The Wu family is a case in point.     

New Breakthroughs Made in Cultural Finance

On March 17, 2014, the Ministry of Culture, People＇s Bank of China and the Ministry of Finance jointly issued the Opinion Concerning the Deepening of Culture-Finance Cooperation （hereinafter referred to as ＂Opinion ＂）. This landmark document has drawn nationwide attention, as it calls for the innovation of the financial system for cultural development and the design of financial products and services that meet needs of cultural industries. What actions have been taken by local banking institutions in response to this reJorm policy and what efforts have been made to seek innovative approaches to culture-finance cooperation？ Here is the news story by China Culture Daily.     

THE CULTURAL INDENTITY OF CHINA CONTEMPORARY ART

A 36-person delegation from the US President＇s Committee on the Arts and the Humanity paid an official visit to China from June 5 to 13 at the invitation of Chinese Cultural Ministry. On June 10, the delegation attended a seminar on the cultural identity of Chinese contemporary art chaired by Director Fan Di＇an in the National Art Museum of China.     

China-Africa Cultural Exchange Embraces a New Era

The Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, held in 2006, represents a landmark for the country＇s cultural exchange and cooperation with the African Continent. In Beijing Action Plan declared at this historic event, cultural interactions have been upgraded as an important dimension equaling to the political and economic cooperation that both sides believe will considerably enrich the new type of China-Africa strategic Dartnership. In the Plan,     

Public Art in Beijing＇s Subway

Public art is an important comprising element for the development of urban culture and a direct physical barrier of urban culture. In addition to its unique artistic value, public art has more important cultural value because of its pubic nature. It connects the past and future of the city, add to the city＇s memory, narrate the city＇s story, meet urban dwellers＇ psychologi- cal and behavioral needs, create new cultural traditions, and present the city＇s kindness and friendship.     

Exhibition Showcases Tea and Wine Culture

During his state visit to France and Belgium this year, Chinese President Xi v Jinping stressed the importance of cultural origins and ties. In his speech delivered at the College of Europe, Xi took Chinese tea and Western wine as examples, noting that ＂Chinese tea＇s conservativness and restrainedness and European wine＇s vibrancy and warmth represents two different ways in enjoying life and interpreting the world.＂     

Qujiang Cultural Tourism Honored as ＂50 Good-Faith Listed Companies of China 2014＂

Qujiang Cultural Tourism Co., Ltd was recently inscribed as ＂50 Good- Faith l.isted Companies of China 2014＂. It stood out of the 239 candi- date companies and is the only cul- tural tourism business in China and listed company in Shaanxi province to he included in this new list. Good faith is an essential element comprising the value system of Chi- nese traditional culture. It lies at the very core of an enterprise＇s corporate culture and bears an enterprise＇s so- cial obligation. As a leading company in China＇s cultural tourism industry,     

Safeguard Civilization for the Future--China＇s achievements in the conservation of cultural heritage over the past three years

On the International Day for Monuments and Sites in April 2006, representatives from all industrial cities around China assembled in Wuxi, one of the birthplaces of modern China＇s industries, to discuss status quos and solutions for industrial heritage conservation. The Wuxi Recommendations, the consensus document reached at this historical event, calls for,     

Cultural Heritage： A Living Property --China Celebrates Cultural Heritage Day

June 14 marks China＇s 9th annual Cultural Heritage Day. This year＇s theme is “Cultural Heritage： a Living Property”. Various celebration activities were held across the country to boost people＇s awareness of the conservation of cultural heritage.     

Chinese Culture Today： Aspirations and Dreams

Editor＇s note： During the Festival of China taking place in Washington D.C. in October, 2005, Chinese Minister of Culture Sun Jiazheng made a keynote speech in National Press Club, addressing political, cultural and media celebrities on China＇s policies and strategies for cultural development. The following Is the whole text of his speech.     

China＇s Mt. Wutai Joins World Heritage List

Asacred mountain in China that has been witness to centuries of Buddhist history was added to UNESCO＇s World Heritage List during the 33rd session of the World Heritage Committee in Seville, Spain on June 6, 2009. The new addition to the heritage list is Mt. Wutai, comprised of five continuous mountains with flat peaks at altitudes of 2,500 to 3,000 meters above sea level. This new addition increased China＇s World Heritage entries to 38, including 27 cultural heritage sites, 7 natural heritage sits and 4 mixed heritage sites.     

Wuyutai： a Brand Name with Cultural Richness

For Wuyutai, the year 2009 bears on special importance. In this year, the century-old tea brand name won many honors such as China＇s top 100 franchised businesses andChina＇s 60 most famous brands in the 60 years of new China. The company＇s great success should be owed to its brand with cultural richness.     

A Photography Exhibition Held to Celebrate 65th Anniversary of China-Poland Diplomatic Ties

On October 11, a photography exhi bition opened at the Science Acad emy of Poland in celebration of the 65th anniversary of the establish ment of ChinaPoland diplomatic relations. Cohosted by Chinese Embassy and the Polish Home, the exhibition＇ s opening saw the presence of some 120 distinguished guests from the political, cultural and education fields of Po land, including the former prime min ister and former parliament speaker.