As a major form of support for national unity and a source of creativity, China's cultural industry will play a more important role in the country's economic and social development, read a statement issued by the sixth plenary session of the 17th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Oct 18.
Minister of Culture Cai Wu said culture is soft power and the government must pay more attention to cultural creativity as a way to improve the quality of the country's economic growth.
The following is an excerpt from Cai’s report:
We have to deal with several relationships between the cultural elements and further our efforts in high-quality artistic production when we strive for the prosperity of social culture to meet the spiritual needs of the people.
First of all, we will combine ancient and modern cultures properly. We have to respect the good side of our traditional cultures that enabled China to forge ahead and retain unbroken continuity over the long history.
The best way to preserve our cultural heritage is to absorb the good and reject the bad, as a means of enriching the modern society. We also have to stay aware of the fact that ancient culture might not be applied to problems arising from modern society. Innovation should be at the center of any strategy in facilitating the healthy cultural development.
For literature production, we have to produce inventive literature works and performances, while at the same time, learn from the achievements of other countries to enhance their appeal to the public.
Second, we have to strike a balance between social and economic benefits of artistic production. All the cultural organizations should put people at the center of their development strategies and establish themselves in the competitive market by producing quality work. Without pressure from the market, complacency may rest and their role as social enlighteners may fade away.
Third, we have to handle the relationship between localization and globalization. In an increasingly integrated world, a certain culture cannot develop independently as it has become a must for different cultures to learn from each other. China should infuse new blood to its culture by assimilating excellent cultural achievements in other countries, while at the same time, it has to become a more active player in the world arena. China will also produce more cultural brands with Chinese characteristics to meet the specific needs of foreign audiences, showcase its development over the past three decades, and improve the global understanding of China’s realities, values and development policies.
Fourth, we have to improve the quality of its cultural production. By getting closer to the common people, those works can effectively stand the test of time and society. Only those telling of the healthy spiritual standard and life pursuit can be accepted by the people. People should be the focus of the cultural production.
By Xu Xinlei
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