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E-mail China.org.cn, December 26, 2024
United Daily News:
With regard to cross-Strait personnel exchanges, the Chinese mainland recently announced the resumption of applications for travel endorsements for Fujian residents to Matsu and Kinmen. According to previous statements from the MCT, group tours for Fujian residents to Taiwan island will not resume until direct sea passenger transport between Pingtan and Taiwan is reinstated. What is the current progress on this? What is the follow-up plan? Thank you.
Zhang Zheng:
Thank you for your question. We understand that some mainland residents have already started their trips to Matsu and Kinmen. Please also note that during the National Day holiday, Matsu and Kinmen are expected to experience a surge in tourism. We hope that mainland residents will soon be able to travel to Taiwan. Additionally, we hope that the Taiwan authorities will ensure the smooth progress of cross-Strait tourism and exchanges for the well-being of the people on both sides of the Strait. Thank you, and I wish you a happy National Day holiday!
Shou Xiaoli:
There are two reporters raising their hands. We'll take the last two questions, please.
China Daily:
In recent years, the intellectual and cultural demands of the people in urban and rural communities have been rising. What efforts have been made to enrich cultural products and services at the community level and improve the service quality? Thank you.
Zhang Zheng:
We will have Mr. Chen answer this question.
Chen Binbin:
Currently, going to cultural venues to enjoy performances, visit exhibitions and listen to lectures has become a prominent interest among the general public. Meeting these needs and expectations is a key focus of our public cultural services. We are making progress in this regard from the following three aspects:
First, we've made it more convenient for ordinary people to access cultural venues and enjoy a wider range of services. I wonder if you've noticed that in many cities, in addition to traditional museums, art galleries, libraries and other facilities, there are many new additions called "city studies" and "cultural stations." These new cultural spaces are scattered throughout the community. They may not be large but offer rich content, making it easy for ordinary people to read books and enjoy small exhibitions and performances. These small but beautiful spaces have been developing rapidly. As of the end of August this year, the total number reached 38,800, reflecting an increase of 5,000 compared to last year. In addition to opening more facilities, we've also promoted extended and staggered hours for public cultural facilities. After the pandemic, the National Library's opening hours were extended to 9 p.m. in the summer and 8 p.m. in the winter. Recently, you may have noticed that museums and other public cultural facilities in Shanghai, Nanjing, Xi'an and Guangzhou have also extended their hours to accommodate the large number of tourists during the National Day holiday. The quality of services has also improved continuously. Over the past two years, online data has shown that citizen night schools for the arts have emerged in Shanghai, Zhejiang, Shandong and other regions, operated by public cultural institutions. There have been instances where 650,000 citizens scrambled for over 9,000 spots in these night schools, illustrating that studying art and recharging through night classes has become a way of life for many young people.
Second, we have organized a diverse range of cultural activities for people in villages and communities, focusing on their needs. Nowadays, people participating in cultural activities not only listen and watch but also want to sing and dance themselves, taking center stage. In recent years, we have continued to promote activities such as square dancing, choral singing and Spring Festival "village galas." On New Year's Day this year, General Secretary Xi Jinping praised the Spring Festival village galas, elevating them from a "small showcase" to a "diverse garden." In 2024 alone, there were 23,500 Spring Festival village galas, with nearly 100 million participants, greatly enriching rural cultural life and driving the development of rural tourism and industries. These activities are primarily organized by cultural and artistic groups that have formed spontaneously. As of this year, there are 460,000 registered groups, with many more unregistered. These cultural and artistic groups have become the main vehicles for mass cultural activities in our communities. This year, we will host a "Hundred-Group Art Show," featuring outstanding national mass cultural and artistic groups, which will encourage the participation of tens of thousands of groups.
Third, we have delivered high-quality resources at the community level through various public-benefit cultural projects. One of the biggest challenges in remote and impoverished areas is the lack of artistic talent. In recent years, the MCT has continued to promote the selection and dispatch of 187,000 professional cultural cadres and workers to community-level organizations, while also training 16,500 personnel for these cultural units. We have also actively promoted services for people with disabilities offered by public cultural institutions. For example, libraries at and above the county level nationwide have been required to provide services for blind readers. Currently, there are more than 35,000 reading seats designed for blind people and over 1.5 million Braille books available in libraries nationwide. To facilitate access for blind readers, libraries and relevant departments have collaborated to deliver Braille books directly to their homes and organize activities such as audio-described movies. They also provide intervention services for children with autism. Public cultural services aim to ensure that everyone in society feels a sense of warmth.
In the next step, we will further deepen reform across the board, open more cultural venues to the public, and bring additional cultural services closer to the people, continually addressing their ever-growing cultural needs. Thank you.
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