A strong cultural manufacturing industry in China could assist the country's economic growth and allow other countries around the world access to the products, a forum at the ongoing China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industry Fair heard yesterday.

Liu Binjie, deputy director of the General Administration of Press and Publications told delegates: "We will increase the competitiveness of our cultural products and eventually play a leading role in the global market."

Chinese people are increasingly enjoying other country's cultures with easy access to US films, animation and comics from Japan, television from South Korea and best-selling European books. However, cultural exports from China remain limited.

China bought the copyright to nearly 4,000 books from the US in 2004 but published only 14 itself, Liu said. Russian art troupes staged more than 100 performances in China in the same year but 'home grown' art troupes produced less than 10 shows.

And the country's import of audio and video products and films are more than 10 times that of exports.

Ding Wei, assistant to the culture minister, agreed that China's cultural industry should play a more significant role in the global market. Learning from foreign countries, the Chinese authorities should reform and energize the cultural industry, he said.

The cultural industry has long been regarded as a non-core sector in China and depends heavily on government subsidies. Ding said that strong demand could provide favorable conditions for the development of the industry.

"Some experts estimate that expenditure on cultural products and services in our country will amount to 4,000 billion-5,000 billion yuan (US$500 billion-624 billion) in the next five years," Ding said.

With increasing government support and non-government funds, the industry has witnessed fast growth so far this year.

Shenzhen Customs yesterday released the figures for the export of cultural products, including publications, audio and video products, artwork and antiques, through the city's ports in the first four months of this year.

Exports surged 36.2 percent year-on-year to US$160 million. Of this figure, nearly US$100 million was produced by foreign-funded companies and around US$14.2 million by private companies.

The export of artwork and antiques increased by 1.5 times to US$3.68 million and the export of publications accounted for more than 80 percent of the total. Hong Kong, the United States and European Union were the three biggest export destinations.

The China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industry Fair is the country's only comprehensive professional event in the field of culture. Twenty-six overseas cities have companies exhibiting at the event and more than 3,400 foreign trade visitors have registered. The fair lasts four days and closes on May 21.

With a total of nine halls for industries including design, media, performance, publishing, cartoon, vocational education and arts, the fair takes up a total area of 105,000 square meters in the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center.

(China Daily May 19, 2006)