Changsha named national export center of cultural goods

Changsha, capital of Hunan province, made it on the first list of national export centers for cultural products. This was confirmed at an award ceremony held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province on June 14.

Launched by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and the Ministry of Commerce, the project is an important move to accelerate international cultural trade and popularize Chinese culture.

In recent years, Changsha has experienced rapid growth in its cultural industry, which has become a pillar of local economic development.

The complex that houses the Changsha Library, Changsha Museum, city planning exhibition hall, and a concert hall constitutes an important part of the city's culture sector. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Currently, the Hunan provincial capital is home to 12 State-level cultural industrial parks (or bases), 29 provincial-level parks, and 14 city-level parks.

By the end of 2016, out of 1,017 enterprises engaged in cultural business in Changsha, eight are listed firms and 14 are listed on the "New Three Board", or National Equities Exchange and Quotations (NEEQ) board — China's share transfer system for medium and small-sized companies.

Changsha will continue to expand its market potential, improve its trade environment, and develop local Changsha brands with global influence, Deputy Director of the Changsha Publicity Department Long Gangyue explained at the ceremony.

In addition, a number of trading centers and platforms will be set up to increase the global exposure of Changsha cultural products and services.

A distant view of Meixihu International Culture and Art Center, the newly opened cultural venue in Changsha [Photo provided to China Daily]

The value of Changsha's cultural industry is expected to reach 120 billion yuan ($18.77 billion), accounting for 10 percent of the gross regional production, and the value of its cultural exports is expected to reach 55 billion yuan, an annual average increase of 25 percent.

Other winners on the list are the Beijing Tianzhu Free Trade Zone, Shanghai's Xuhui district, Wuxi city in Jiangsu province, the China (Zhejiang) Experimentation Area for the International Cooperation of Film and TV, Hefei's Shushan district in Anhui province, Zibo's Boshan district in Shandong province, Guangzhou's Tianhe district in Guangdong province, Zigong city in Sichuan province, Kunming city in Yunnan province, the Tibet Cultural Tourism Creative Area, the Xi'an Hi-tech Industries Development Zone，and the Xiamen Area of China (Fujian) Pilot Free Trade Zone.