China.org.cn | September 21, 2023
Sansha Satellite TV:
Place names are fundamental public information in society. Last year, the State Council introduced a revised rule on the management of place names. May I ask what actions the MCA has taken to implement this rule? And what are the next steps or measures planned? Thank you.
Tang Dengjie:
Thank you for your questions and concern about our civil affairs work. I'd like to invite Mr. Li Baojun to answer your queries.
Li Baojun:
Let me outline the implementation of the Rule on the Management of Place Names. Initially issued by the State Council in 1986, significant changes have occurred in the scope, objectives, tasks, methods, and environment of place name management in the past 30 years. The CPC Central Committee and the State Council have attached great importance to place name management. The State Council revised the Rule, which came into effect on May 1 of last year. Following the promulgation of the Rule, the MCA has steadily advanced implementation work, striving to enhance scientific and standardized management of place names under the rule of law. We have primarily focused on three aspects:
First, we've enhanced the place name management systems and mechanisms. We've introduced and published the Measures for the Administration of Place Name Filing and Announcement (Trial) and actively promoted the formulation and revision of regulations, national standards and industry standards related to place names, including the Implementation Measures for the Rule on Place Name Management. We've also improved a system featuring unified supervision and management, and assignment of responsibility to different levels and categories, enabling relevant departments and local authorities to perform their respective duties.
The second aspect is the ongoing improvement of place name management services. We've exercised strict control over the naming and renaming of places, improved naming guidelines, standardized work procedures, encouraged the development of place name plans, implemented the filing and announcement system, and established a unified national platform for filing and announcing. We've advanced the standardization of place names, regularized non-standard place names, and standardized the spelling and translation of place names. Continuous updates and enhancements have been made to the China National Geographical Names Information Database. We've launched a special action in rural areas, taking the opportunity to collect place names and add them to the map, driving projects related to the naming and standardizing of rural place names, cultural promotion and preservation, and place name information services in order to support the development of beautiful, livable, and business-friendly rural areas. We've actively participated in the session of the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names, raising awareness of our geographical names work and promoting international exchanges and cooperation in geographical name management.
The third aspect is our commitment to preserving and protecting place name culture. With a clear value orientation and a reflection of the spirit of the times, we advocate the incorporation of core socialist values, outstanding Chinese traditional culture, revolutionary culture, and advanced socialist culture into place naming, effectively enhancing the cultural significance of newly designated place names. We've implemented relevant provisions on the cultural protection of place names in the revised Rule, intensifying research on the cultural protection system of place names, fostering a place name protection list, and safeguarding old place names with historical and cultural significance. In collaboration with China Media Group, we produced and broadcasted the TV show China Place Names Conference, organized various place name cultural promotion activities, and actively promoted place name culture.
In the next phase, we'll continue to rigorously implement the Rule on the Management of Place Names. We aim to further enhance place name management services, deepen our efforts in place name culture preservation and promotion, contribute to rural revitalization, support economic and social development, and continue the legacy of China's outstanding traditional culture.
Thank you!
Chen Wenjun:
The last question, please.