Shou Xiaoli:
Two more reporters have raised their hands. We'll take the last two questions.
China Pictorial:
In recent years, Jiangxi province has vigorously promoted the construction of the Jingdezhen National Ceramic Culture Inheritance and Innovation Pilot Zone. How is the construction of the pilot zone going? Additionally, what measures will be taken next to revitalize Jingdezhen, the "Millennium Porcelain Capital?" Thank you.
Ye Jianchun:
Thank you for your questions. I'll address them. Jingdezhen has attracted significant attention in recent years, not only for its ceramics but also due to the continuous development of its cultural tourism and the ongoing innovation in ceramic culture heritage.
The establishment of the Jingdezhen National Ceramic Culture Inheritance and Innovation Pilot Zone is a significant measure to promote the creative transformation and innovative development of ceramic culture. It is also a major strategic task assigned by the central government to Jiangxi. Since the plan on building the pilot zone was approved by the State Council in in 2019, over the past four years, we have vigorously promoted the construction of the "two areas and one center," which refers to the National Ceramic Culture Protection, Inheritance, and Innovation Base, a world-renowned ceramic cultural tourism destination, and the International Ceramic Culture Exchange and Cooperation Trading Center. We have made significant progress in areas such as heritage protection, cultural inheritance, industrial development, talent aggregation, and external exchanges. For instance, in terms of external exchanges, we successfully held cultural exchange activities like the Jingdezhen Ceramic Culture Theme Month in Berlin, Germany, and Cairo, Egypt, significantly boosting Jingdezhen's visibility, reputation, and influence both domestically and internationally.
Next, we will continue to deepen the construction of the Jingdezhen National Ceramic Culture Inheritance and Innovation Pilot Zone, revitalize the "Millennium Porcelain Capital," and make Jingdezhen's unparalleled ceramic culture renowned worldwide.
First, we will preserve the roots of ceramic culture. "One Jingdezhen accounts for half of China's ceramic history." Seizing the opportunity to apply for UNESCO World Heritage designation for Jingdezhen's ceramic industry cultural landscape, we will comprehensively promote the protection of ceramic cultural relics, the diversified inheritance of intangible ceramic-related cultural heritage, and the systematic interpretation of ceramic culture. Our goal is to ensure that the memory of history and the roots of civilization are safeguarded for generations to come. Jingdezhen, the birthplace, inheritance site, and innovation center of ceramic culture, will forever be a revered destination for ceramic artists and pottery enthusiasts worldwide.
Second, we will expand and strengthen the ceramic cultural industry. In recent years, the development of Jingdezhen's ceramic industry has also experienced four kinds of transformation, changing from disorder to order, from decentralization to concentration, from low-end to high-end and from small quantities to large scale. Next, we will focus on industrial chain extension, brand building, business integration, and other areas to make art ceramics more exquisite, daily ceramics better, and industrial ceramics more distinctive to truly expand and strengthen the ceramic cultural industry. At the same time, in order to better promote Jingdezhen ceramics and make them more convenient for people to purchase, we have established official flagship stores of Jingdezhen ceramics in Beijing, Shanghai and other places, as well as overseas in Dubai and United Arab Emirates. There are currently two stores in Beijing, one at Beijing Daxing International Airport and the other in Xicheng district. One in Chaoyang district is under accelerated construction and will be open in two months.
Third, we will expand ceramic cultural exchanges. Jingdezhen ceramic culture is an important cultural symbol for the world to understand China and for China to go global. We will tell China's stories, Jiangxi's stories and Jingdezhen's stories through a variety of ways such as the "never-ending" China Jingdezhen International Ceramics Expo, and truly build Jingdezhen into a living room for national cultural exchange and a famous hub for international cultural exchange. At present, there are tens of thousands of foreign "Jingdezhen Drifters" from more than 40 countries and regions around the world. Among them, many foreign artisans are exchanging innovative creations in Jingdezhen city. This scene is conveying the historical scenario of "craftsmen come from all directions and their wares are distributed around the world." We will pay attention to the process of these foreign "Jingdezhen Drifters" participating in cultural exchanges, tell their stories and continue to expand the global influence of Jingdezhen ceramic culture. Thank you.
