From January 24 to January 25, 2019, the annual work conference of the "Cultural and Tourism China Construction Project" by the Art Development Center of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism was held in Beijing. The two-day conference included a symposium of the "Cultural and Tourism China" expert think tank, a forum with ministry-affiliated system partner units, and a working exchange meeting with relevant partner enterprises. Discussions mainly revolved around the 2018 annual work summary of the "Cultural and Tourism China Construction Project," the 2019 work plan and key projects to be implemented, cross-industry think tank construction plans, and the preparation and establishment of the Yizhuang Cultural Economy Institute.
The "Cultural and Tourism China Construction Project" was approved for financial funding by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in 2017. Based on national strategic deployments, it aims to tap cultural resources, unleash humanistic dividends, tell China’s stories, and empower culture to transform cultural resources into core industrial competitiveness through resource allocation. It promotes supply-side reform in culture and tourism, cultivates new consumption trends in culture and tourism, fosters a new ecosystem for the cultural industry, and creates a better life.
The expert think tank is tasked with sorting out the theoretical framework for the integration of culture and tourism and the development of cross-sector "culture+" industries under the "Cultural and Tourism China Construction Project." By combining theory, models, and industry practices, it drives market transformation and promotes industrial integration and development through collaborative innovation and theory-led approaches. Experts invited to the conference included: Che Shujian, Counselor of the State Council and Chairman of the Architectural Society of China; Zhang Xiaoming, Deputy Director of the Cultural Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and doctoral supervisor at the Communication University of China; Yang Tao, Assistant Director and doctoral supervisor at the Financial Research Institute; Jin Zhun, researcher at the Tourism Research Center; Zhang Hongyu, Vice President of the China Rural Research Institute at Tsinghua University and former Director of the Department of Rural Economy at the Ministry of Agriculture; Chen Shaofeng, Vice President of the Peking University Cultural Industry Research Institute and doctoral supervisor; Wei Pengju, Dean of the Cultural Economy Research Institute at the Central University of Finance and Economics; Li Xinjian, Dean of the School of Tourism Management at Beijing International Studies University; Guo Wanchao, Director of the Beijing Cultural and Creative Industry Research Center and researcher; Song Ziqian, researcher at the China Tourism Academy; and Xiao Jianyong, Deputy Director of the Cultural Tourism Research Base. Additionally, off-session discussions were held with Li Fengliang, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee at Southern University of Science and Technology and Dean of the Cultural Industry Research Institute at Shenzhen University, focusing on the integration of culture and technology, as well as the digital creative industry. Each expert provided in-depth analysis and discussion from their respective industry and professional perspectives, covering policy theory, industry status, practical experience, and cross-sector approaches.
From the perspectives of industry status and practical experience, the experts discussed the construction of the cross-sector think tank. Zhang Xiaoming, an expert from the Central Cultural Assets Management Office and from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, suggested that the think tank’s work could start in four areas: first, supporting research activities related to national strategies and policies; second, developing projects with clear niche positioning—such as approaching cultural technology from a technical standpoint and collaborating with top technical universities; third, ensuring that the "Cultural and Tourism China Construction Project" takes local realities into full consideration and aligns with local cultural and consumption characteristics when developing innovative projects; fourth, organizing forums for the public and industry professionals to enhance internal talent development and externally communicate insights and specialized topics. Zhang Hongyu from Tsinghua University stated that the "Cultural and Tourism China Construction Project" should consider urban-rural integrated development, focus on coordinated urban-rural progress, explore experiences to eliminate the dual urban-rural institutional contradictions, build solid platforms, comprehensively analyze local strengths, set goal plans, and lay a research foundation for industrial implementation in developing sightseeing agriculture and leisure tourism. Chen Shaofeng from Peking University emphasized that cultural tourism projects should prioritize content, requiring planning across the entire process and the whole industry chain, as well as providing pilot opportunities for experts to be involved throughout. Each expert explored various pathways for the methodologies and mechanisms of the think tank’s operations.
During the forum with partner units from various ministries and commissions, responsible officials from the National Development and Reform Commission’s Urban and Small Town Reform and Development Center, the Asset Management Association of China, and the China General Chamber of Commerce discussed collaboration mechanisms and key projects. They reviewed topics in urban (rural) development, private equity funds, commerce, and consumption, and deliberated on specific cooperation content and methods to provide cross-industry support for the construction of "Cultural and Tourism China."
In meetings with enterprise partners, over ten partner companies, represented by Beijing Yizhuang Holding Investment Co., Ltd., exchanged views on the 2019 work plan, division of responsibilities, and cooperation mechanisms. Discussions also focused on the key projects of the "Cultural and Tourism China Construction Project" for the year and the preparatory work for the Yizhuang Cultural Economy Institute, analyzing pathways and deploying tasks to further deepen cooperation.
Kong [Name not fully provided], Deputy Director of the Art Development Center of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and person-in-charge of the "Cultural and Tourism China Construction Project"