China issues five-year cultural development blueprint

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China on Wednesday issued a national outline for cultural reform and development for the 2011-2015 period, calling for further efforts to promote the cultural industry's development and boost the country's cultural influence.

Deepening systematic reforms in the cultural sector and promoting cultural prosperity is necessary for the creation of a moderately prosperous society and the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the outline said.

Issued by the general offices of both the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the State Council, the outline specifies the guiding principles, major goals and key aspects of the cultural reforms and development that will take place over the next five years.

Build modern cultural industry system

China will build a modern cultural industry system featuring innovative content and strong competitiveness, according to the blueprint.

The outline for the 12th five-year program (2011-2015) on cultural reform and development, issued by the general offices of both the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the State Council, specifies the guiding principles, major goals and key aspects of the development of China's cultural industry during the period.

China will accelerate the transformation of the industry's development mode, changing it into an intensive mode of development and focusing on quality, the outline said.

The plan calls for the country to undertake a variety of major projects in emerging sectors, such as digital publication and mobile multimedia, the outline said.

China will give more support to medium- and small-sized cultural enterprises and enterprises that own intellectual property rights (IPR), the outline said.

China should promote independent innovation, develop key technologies with proprietary IPR and accelerate the conversion of scientific innovation into real products, the outline said.

The outline calls for authorities to use social capital to invest in the cultural industry and participate in the construction of major cultural projects.

China will expand its market for popular culture and boost cultural consumption in local communities by cutting prices and providing subsidies, the outline said.

Boost social ethics, ideological guidance

China will increase efforts to promote good values among its citizens, according to the cultural development plan for 2011-15.

"We will positively explore effective methods to guide public opinion to pursue justice and denounce evil... strengthening ethics for society, professionals, families and individuals," according to the outline.

Issued by central authorities on Wednesday, the document urges the promotion of a "sense of self-respect and credibility among its citizens as well as a positive and rational way of thinking and doing things."

According to the outline, "the cultural environment should be cleansed so to ensure the healthy growth of young people." It also called for the construction of cultural activity venues and more instructive cultural products for minors.

Meanwhile, the outline encouraged innovation of social science research methods.

According to the document, the country will set up "a batch of think tanks with specialties" as well as state-level key laboratories for social science researchers.

Improve cultural services for special groups

China will improve its cultural service coverage for members of minority groups, handicapped people and other special groups, according to the cultural development plan.

"Public cultural services will be improved for women, minors, the elderly and the disabled. We will also support the creation of cultural products for ethnic groups and translate more quality Mandarin products into minority languages," said the outline.

Issued by central authorities, the document calls for the creation of publications for the visually-impaired while encouraging public libraries that have sufficient resources to set up electronic reading rooms for them.

In addition, the outline urges narrowing the cultural development gap between urban and rural areas by improving cultural services in China's rural regions, including central and west China.

The document includes a goal of arranging for 50,000 film screens to be allocated to or built in rural areas, allowing authorities to establish a monthly screening of at least one film for every village in the country by 2015.

The document also states that television and radio networks will be accessible by 99 percent of the country's population by 2015.

The outline states that migrant workers should be included in urban cultural service systems, with companies and communities encouraged to organize non-profit cultural activities for them.

Tighten cultural relic preservation

China will boost the preservation of its cultural relics by improving registration, overhauling initiatives and changing laws to better regulate the cultural relic market during the 2011-2015 period, according to the outline.

The country will introduce a qualification system for cultural relic appraisers, as well as step up efforts to regulate antique collectors, the outline said.

Vowing greater efforts to protect intangible cultural heritage (ICH), the outline said authorities will create a plan detailing the distribution of ICH items across the country and formulate classified protection plans.

The outline said more efforts will be made to explore ways to preserve and pass down cultural heritage.