Traders talk about peony-related creative and cultural products at the 17th China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industries Fair on Thursday, in Shenzhen, Guangdong province. (XUAN HUI / FOR CHINA DAILY)
The 17th China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industries Fair, which began on Thursday at the Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Center and will run until Monday, includes offline as well as online activities this year.
The fair is expected to help boost confidence in and promote the development of the cultural industry, said Liu Wenbin, deputy director of the publicity department of Shenzhen, Guangdong province.
"Since the outbreak of COVID-19, many industries have suffered a heavy blow, including the cultural industry. Under such a circumstance, we have restored the offline fair, showing that the Party and country attach great importance to this industry and hope to boost confidence in it."
Last year's fair was held online only due to restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Participants this year include 2,468 cultural institutions, enterprises and government-organized groups, and 868 online exhibitors. Among the fair's organizers are the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Ministry of Commerce.
The fair highlights such themes as the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC, the nation's new dual-circulation development paradigm (in which the domestic market is the mainstay and the domestic and foreign markets reinforce each other), the digitalization strategy in the cultural industry, the inheritance and development of traditional Chinese culture, and carrying out the development plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
Regarding the theme of combining culture and technology, the fair showcases the latest achievements in upgrading culture through the use of such technology as 5G, big data, cloud computing and artificial intelligence.
An online Belt and Road venue will display domestic and overseas cultural products and feature content about cultural trade, thereby promoting Chinese culture and showing the integration and creative development of Chinese as well as overseas cultures.
Since its start in Shenzhen in 2004, the fair hosts more than 100,000 cultural and creative exhibits and shows annually, according to Xinhua News Agency.
Content of the fair, which has drawn participants from across China, is related to publications, film and animation, creative design, cultural tourism, intangible cultural heritage and arts and crafts.
Through the fair, about 30 original works of animation have been promoted in 100 countries and regions, and overseas products such as knitted products from Hungary and bangles from India have been introduced to Chinese consumers.
Thanks to the event, government-organized groups have shown new progress in cultural institution reform and communicated their experience in reform and innovation to others in the cultural industry, according to Xinhua. As a result, cultural enterprises have received comments and adjusted their direction for future development.
The fair has released a list of the top 30 cultural enterprises in China, including China Publishing Group, China Film Co, China Education Publishing and Media Group, Overseas Chinese Town Holdings Co and Fantawild Holdings.
