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From Past to Future: Chronology of Developing Dunhuang as an international cultural tourism city

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The first Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo opened on September 20, 2016.

Over 1,000 years ago, Dunhuang commanded a strategic position along the ancient Silk Road where four brilliant cultural systems met and achievements of diverse civilizations exchanged with and learned from each other.

At this point, Dunhuang is required to play an important role in the great "Belt and Road" Initiative benefiting 3 billion people around the world, serve as an indispensable medium to encourage all people involved in the great initiative to work together and lead other cities in China to be more confident in and aware of Chinese culture.

What's past is prologue. The building of Dunhuang as an international cultural tourism city will be undoubtedly a prologue to the rejuvenation of the city and its culture. Below are 10 events related to establishing Dunhuang as an international cultural tourism city:

1. Wang Sanyun, secretary of the CPC Gansu Provincial Committee, proposed the plan to establish Dunhuang as an International Cultural Tourism City when he first came to Dunhuang for research and inspection in January 2012. This kicked off the rejuvenation of Dunhuang and its culture. Cultural tourism was defined as the primary industry for upgrading and developing Dunhuang. Additionally, efforts focusing on "One Expo and Four Districts" were made in orderly way.

2. The General Office of the State Council approved and supported Gansu province in establishing Chinese Civilization Inheritance and Innovation Zone to build Gansu as a big province in cultural development in January 2013. When Project 1313 of Chinese Civilization Inheritance and Innovation Zone was undergoing, Dunhuang was identified as the leader in developing cultural industries related to the Silk Road and the core of Hexi Corridor Cultural and Ecological zone. After that, the establishment of Dunhuang as an international cultural tourism city was designated as the primary project in the course of constructing Chinese Civilization Inheritance and Innovation Zone.

3. After CPC Gansu Provincial Committee and government approved in March 2014 the Planning Outline on Establishing and Developing Dunhuang as an International Cultural Tourism City, taking two years to complete, Gansu provincial government immediately issued Suggestions in Support of Policies on Establishing Dunhuang as an International Cultural Tourism City and Notice on Printing and Publicizing Important Work Arrangement for Establishing International Cultural Tourism City to respond. As such, No. 222 mechanism for completing the establishment was orchestrated where two provincial organizations played leading role, 20 committees, departments, offices and bureaus focused on key works and government officials in Jiuquan and Dunhuang kept an eye on the progress of the project.

4. Dunhuang was designated as the leading city for Gansu's ambition to evolve into a famous tourist province and develop golden tourist tours along the Silk Road in Gansu Tourism Development Meeting held in December 2014. After that, various policies released brought in more chances and advantages for Dunhuang to become a famous tourism city. For example, Dunhuang was named by the Ministry of Culture as the Fifth National-level Demonstrative Zone for Cultural Industries, listed by National Tourism Administration as a national-level pilot area for tourism industry reform and innovation, and regarded as a pilot area for smart city both at provincial and national level, for smart tourism and for new-type urbanization.

5. Dunhuang enjoys rich resources and sound reputation to become a famous tourism city. In June 2014, UNESCO designated Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an – Tian-shan Corridor (China/Kazakhstan/Kyrgyzstan) as a World Cultural Heritage Site, enabling Dunhuang to be the home for three world heritage sites. In July and September of the same year, Mingsha Mountain •Yueya Spring were certified as Class AAAAA scenic areas while Dunhuang was awarded the title of China Dunhuang World Geological Park.

6. The Vision and Action to Promote the Development of the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road issued in March 2015, clearly declared that efforts should be made to deliver a successful Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo. This marked that Dunhuang had been involved in the "Belt and Road" initiative and granted Dunhuang the missions of supporting "Belt and Road" initiative, opening to the west and facilitating people-to-people exchanges.

7. Dunhuang has witnessed the completion of the Preparation Meeting for the first Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo, the Fourth International Culture Industry Summit and the Eighth Gansu Cultural Expo in October 2015. These made Dunhuang famous enough to be approved to host Dunhuang Cultural Expo. Meanwhile, important infrastructure programs were put on the agenda including convention and exhibition center, grand theater and international hotels. As such, Dunhuang is more confident in developing major programs concerning cultural industries such as See Dunhunag Again, Beauty Blessed by Heaven, Dunhuang in Millennium and the Silk Road Cultural Heritage Expo City.

8. The first Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo was held in Dunhuang in September 2016, with the approval from the CPC Central Committee, State Council and the leading group responsible to regulate celebrations, seminars and forums in November, 2015. As the only comprehensive expo focusing on international culture exchange in China, this expo is held once each year in Dunhuang. This brought a historic opportunity to revive the glory of Dunhuang which was once seen in Han and Tang dynasty. The preparation for the first Dunhuang Expo was fully unfolded under the leadership of a working team consisting of CPC Gansu Provincial Committee and provincial governments as well as a Cultural Expo Organizing Committee comprising the Ministry of Culture, State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, Administration of Cultural Heritage, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, CPC Gansu Provincial Committee and Gansu provincial government.

9. Dunhuang has to get five city titles to be qualified for a famous tourism city. Three among them have been attained since 2013 in succession, for example, National Garden City in 2014, National Sanitary City in 2015 and Shuangyong Model City in July 2016. This city was also nominated for Culturally Advanced City in China. These achievements fully mirrored efforts made by CPC Dunhuang Municipal Committee and Dunhuang government in accordance with the new development concept featuring innovation, coordination, green, openness and sharing.

10. Dunhuang has witnessed the creation of Dunhuang Pattern, Dunhuang Speed and Dunhuang Miracle in August 2016, brought by the successive completion of some Cultural Expo exhibition buildings and traffic infrastructures including Dunhuang international convention and exhibition center, Dunhuang grand theater, international hotel, new terminal building in Dunhuang airport, Feitian road, landscape road and reconstruction in grade-two Liudun highway. At the same time, the city would greet its visitors with beautiful environment, satisfactory services, well-functioned facilities, friendly citizens and well-regulated society. In sum, Dunhuang has brought out unprecedented brilliance and magnificence when the cultural expo was held.