China News Service:

The report to the 20th CPC National Congress explicitly outlines the implementation of a national cultural digitalization strategy . How has the MCT worked towards this goal, and what progress has been made? What's the next plans in this regard? Thank you.

Lu Yingchuan:

Thank you for your question. Implementing the national cultural digitization strategy is a major strategic plan proposed by the CPC Central Committee. It is of great significance for turning China into a country with a strong culture, building cultural confidence and strength, promoting high-quality development, and enhancing cultural soft power and the appeal of Chinese culture. The MCT has thoroughly implemented the major national strategy of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, and has successively launched a series of important measures to promote the implementation of the cultural digitization strategy. Our work has mainly focused on the following aspects:

First, we have accelerated the pace of digitization of cultural resources and promoted its digital development and transformation. This includes cultural relics, classics and various types of artworks. For example, among the over 1.86 million cultural relics that are preserved by the renowned Palace Museum, 900,000 sets of them have been digitized, accounting for about 48% of the total. The National Museum of China has about 1.43 million items/sets, of which 700,000 have been digitized, accounting for about 49%. The National Art Museum of China has a collection of about 130,000 pieces/sets, of which almost 100,000 have been digitized, accounting for about 76.9%. The National Library of China has approximately 3.17 million volumes of ancient books, of which 610,000 have currently been digitized, accounting for approximately 19.3%. By vigorously advancing the digitization of cultural resources and the development and transformation of digital products, we can lay a solid foundation for better utilization and display of cultural resources.

Second, we have vigorously advanced the application of digital technology and cultivated and developed new business formats. For example, in the field of stage art, we have vigorously promoted the integration of online and in-person performances, and encouraged the use of internet and other digital technologies to create a "second theater." For example, the National Peking Opera Company's annual Spring Festival show "Dragon and Phoenix" has been held for three consecutive years, as well as the China National Opera and Dance Drama Theater's "Dancing in Spring" and the National Theater of China's special stage art digital products "The Age of Heroes" and "Literature and Arts During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression." Through such methods, digital transformation has been achieved, which has greatly assisted cultural communication. Every year, our "Literary China" New Year special program is launched online and has received very positive responses. In addition to the field of stage arts, we have also strongly promoted the development of immersive experience formats in the field of tourism and cultivated new cultural and tourism formats, which have achieved very good results.

Third, we have strengthened the supply of digital content for public cultural services and enhanced the digital service capabilities of cultural services. This includes promoting the construction of smart library systems and public cultural cloud systems. At present, in addition to the national public cultural cloud, there are public cultural clouds in more than 200 places, with a total resource volume of more than 1,530 TB. This has played a very important role in promoting reading and popularizing art nationwide, and developing digital public cultural services.

Fourth, we have utilized digitization to improve the communication efficiency of culture and art and promote tourism development. We have used digital technology to empower the dissemination of culture and art, promoted continuous improvement of tourism service management, and actively promoted online exhibitions, such as "Digital Dunhuang" and "Digital Forbidden City," which have been well-received by the public. These measures have played an important role in promoting the implementation of the national cultural digitization strategy and achieved good results.

Going forward, we will continue to focus our work on the following four aspects:

First, we will continue to focus on the construction of digital cultural resources and accelerate the pace of digitization for these resources. Second, we will strengthen cultural originality, develop more digital products and continuously increase the supply of digital cultural content. Third, we will continue to promote the application of digital technology in cultural and artistic production, public cultural services, cultural heritage protection and inheritance, tourism services and management, and tourism development. Through digitization, we can foster new cultural formats, products and models to better meet and serve people's needs. Fourth, we will actively build a regulatory framework for digital culture. We will work to establish rules and regulations for market entry, market supervision, product certification, intellectual property protection and security in the digital cultural sector to ensure the implementation of the national cultural digitization strategy and promote the healthy development of digitization.

By promoting the implementation of the national cultural digitization strategy, we will definitely promote the continuous improvement, upgrading and efficiency of culture, art and tourism, thus contribute to high-quality development. Thank you.

Chen Wenjun:

Thank you to all the speakers and friends from the media. Today's press conference is hereby concluded. Goodbye.

Translated and edited by Yan Bin, Li Huiru, Xu Xiaoxuan, Liu Qiang, Xu Kailin, Yuan Fang, Li Xiao, He Shan, Gong Yingchun, Wang Yiming, Cui Can, Wang Wei, Ma Yujia, Liu Sitong, Wang Qian, Huang Shan, Liu Caiyi, David Ball, Tom Arnsten, and Jay Birbeck. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.