Expo shows off capital's cultural, creative talents

Organizers say city's many-faceted qualities are an inspiration for the country

The charm of Beijing's culture was a highlight of the recent 13th China Beijing International Cultural and Creative Industry Expo.

With the theme "leading the high quality development of the cultural industry to boost the construction of the national cultural center", the four-day event, which kicked off in Beijing on Oct 25, mainly focused on displaying new development trends in China's cultural industry, said Lin Bin, deputy director of the expo's organizing committee office.

This year, the expo included more than 100 activities, ranging from exhibitions and promotions to forums and creative workshops, highlighting Beijing's overall value as a cultural capital, Lin said.

The exhibitions showcased Beijing's efforts to build itself into a national culture center and the achievements of the city's cultural creative industries, she said.

Items on display ranged from intangible cultural heritage and time-honored brands to modern cultural creative products, representing the charm of traditional culture and promoting the upgrades in innovation and entrepreneurship, she added.

Beijing is a world-renowned historic city, said Du Feijin, head of the publicity department of the Beijing Committee of the Communist Party of China.

"In recent years, Beijing has insisted on making the cultural industry an important engine to promote social and economic development," he said, adding that the capital's cultural innovation and quality continue to improve.

In 2017, Beijing's cultural industry generated 270.04 billion yuan ($38.89 billion) in added value, accounting for 9.6 percent of the city's GDP and ranking it top in the country, Du said.

"This year, the expo witnessed the latest progress in Beijing's construction as a national cultural center and showcased new achievements, industries and patterns resulting from the reform and growth of China's cultural industry," he said.

During the expo, cultural projects were presented, aimed at attracting more cooperation partners, according to organizers. The projects highlighted the integration of cultural creativity with other sectors such as technology, sports and education.

The event also displayed cultural resources from other regions, including the city of Tianjin and Hebei province, in a bid to facilitate more cultural collaboration.

"As the national cultural center, Beijing plays an important role in the growth of the knowledge economy, " said Cai Wu, chairman of the National Arts Fund's Council.

Beijing has also given full play to its cultural and artistic resources, to promote the city's development, he added.

Liu Binjie, director-general of the Publishers Association of China, said Beijing has the most advanced cultural creative industries, boasting sound employment, strong investment and consumption and a booming market.

"We believe the advantages of Beijing's culture resources, creative talent and technology, as well as the potential of its creative culture, are unique and the sector is a good bet to develop well," he added.

liangkaiyan@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 10/31/2018 page10)