National Institute of Cultural Development Established in Beijing

China's Ministry of Culture and Beijing International Studies University have co-established the National Institute of Cultural Development in Beijing. The first state-level culture industry institute will seek ways to promote Chinese culture to the world from an economic and trade perspective. CRI's Wu Jia has the report.

Cultural exchange and export programs in China have long been organized and financed by the government. More often than not, huge investments of money and manpower were exchanged with little publicity.

To improve the situation, China introduced the concept of cultural trade in 2003 as a new channel to export Chinese cultural products and services, such as performances, exhibitions, films, radio and TV programs and books.

According to Li Xiaomu, President of the National Institute of Cultural Development, in the past people talked about culture from the angle of culture itself. But that notion is out of date. This is why the institute was established to explore the development of the cultural industry from the economic perspective.

"Cultural restructuring is a newly-sprouted thing in China. It was initiated in 2003 and actually started only 4 or 5 years ago. It's unwise not to learn from the successful experience accumulated from more than 30 years of economic reform."

The revitalization of the culture industry should exert the market's regulating function. While providing consumers with satisfactory cultural products and services, it will at the same time bring profits to the producers and stimulate their creative enthusiasm.

Li Xiaomu adds that the institute will serve as both a research platform for international cultural trade and an educational base for training specialized personnel.

"It's difficult to carry out such innovative subject with original education patterns. We hope that the research institution can help boost undergraduate and postgraduate education in this area. For the next step, we are planning to give on-the-job training for culture-related enterprises and public institutions."

At this point, China's cultural exports lag far behind its imports. Statistics show that China and other Asian countries altogether account for only 6 percent of the international cultural export market.

For CRI, I'm Wu Jia.