​Jinan passes 2022 Culture City of East Asia final review

Jinan, capital of East China's Shandong province, was one of five candidate cities to pass the final review of the 2022 Culture City of East Asia, which was held in Beijing on May 5.

Jinan officials said that they have great confidence that if selected, the city will show the unique Chinese culture to the world.

The title of Culture City of East Asia is an important humanities achievement that is determined by China, Japan, and South Korea. Since 2013, a total of 23 cities have been elected in the three countries. In China, Quanzhou, Qingdao, Ningbo, and several other cities have won the election.

As an important site for the inheritance and development of Confucian culture, Jinan is also known as a famous springs city, said Sun Shutao, mayor of Jinan.

Sun also added that Jinan is open and inclusive. It can be a gateway for cultural exchange and mutual learning among three countries, he said.

If their application is successful, Jinan will implement a three-year project to fully display the charm of the city and to also make contributions to East Asian cultural exchanges, Sun added.

Since becoming a candidate city in 2019, Jinan has included the goal of being the Culture City of East Asia in its 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25). In particular, Jinan has put forward the concept of "co-creation, co-construction, and sharing", allowing every resident to participate in its efforts.

To date, Jinan has established five think tanks and forums based on university resources, as well as developed 17 key establishment bases, 46 demonstration communities, and 60,000 social volunteers.

In addition, Jinan has established five normalized cultural exchange platforms, such as the Asian Fashion Alliance, and 10 overseas interchange stations, creating a wide-ranging influence for the Culture City of East Asia at home and abroad.

It is expected that the elected city will carry out various cultural activities in the name of being the Culture City of East Asia, as well as actively participate in East Asia regional cultural cooperation. It will also stimulate the vitality and expand the popularity of the chosen city.