Chen Wenjun:

Thank you, Mr. Lu. The floor is open for questions. Please identify the news outlet you represent before raising questions. 

Xinhua News Agency:

The report to the 20th CPC National Congress called for the "production of more outstanding works that inspire the people." What measures has the MCT taken to encourage the creation and production of outstanding works? Thank you.

Lu Yingchuan:

The cultural and artistic achievements of an era are evaluated by the works created during that time. The MCT has always focused on enhancing the creation and production of artworks, fostering the creation of more outstanding works, and boosting the sound development of culture and art. Over the years, we have adopted a series of measures to cultivate more outstanding works of stagecraft. 

First, we have made more efforts regarding planning and guidance. To implement the art creation plan for the 14th Five-Year Plan period, we devised an action plan for stagecraft and artistic creation from 2023 to 2025 to better guide the selection of creative subjects and clarify priority tasks and objectives, covering the creation of new plays, old classics, and relatively short plays. Many outstanding stage artworks were created under the guidance of the action plan, which covers theater, traditional opera, music, stagecraft, quyi (Chinese folk performance arts), acrobatics, and many other art forms. 

Second, we have improved the promotion mechanism and strengthened our efforts in launching major projects. We launched a series of projects to promote the production of high-quality artworks in the new era. In particular, we focused on major topics and adopted various methods to stimulate the creativity of literary and art troupes, such as being directly responsible for those projects which get straight to the point, staying current with projects and providing guidance, and identifying great works and paying close attention to them. We also provided special support for key areas and weak links. This includes implementing a plan to support the creation of excellent stage productions, a project to promote the inheritance and development of Chinese national opera, a plan to support the creation of Chinese symphonies and national orchestral works, and projects to support the creation of scripts and fine arts. These measures aim to support projects that will have a demonstration effect and improve originality in art. A batch of new or revised artworks have been launched under these guidance plans, including the Peking Opera "The Protagonist," the opera "Minning Town ," the dance drama "Wing Chun," and the Kunqu Opera "The Peony Pavilion." These works have received praise from a wide range of audiences.

Third, we have strengthened policy guidance and leveraged the China National Arts Fund to support and sponsor a wide array of performances in various forms. The China National Arts Fund has been instrumental in supporting approximately 700 performances each year, encompassing art forms such as traditional opera, drama, dance, acrobatics, and activities related to communication, exchange, and talent development. Established a decade ago, the China National Arts Fund has provided support and funding for a total of 7,116 programs over the years. More than 80% of award-winning productions at prestigious events like the Splendor Award and the Best Works Award have received support from the China National Arts Fund, which has proved to be a great success. Besides the China National Arts Fund, over 20 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities across the country have established their own arts funds or special funds, contributing significantly to the creation of stage productions and fine arts.

Fourth, we have established platforms for communication and exchange. Producing excellent artworks is not enough; they also need to be effectively promoted. By organizing various performances and art events, we have extended the reach of stage artworks to both urban and rural areas, engaging the general public. In addition to promoting on-site performances, we have made progress in livestreaming these events online. To further the production and development of fine artworks, and to have them passed down from generation to generation in particular, we have intensified our efforts in talent development. By nurturing and cultivating talent, especially training a variety of leading figures in literature and art, including playwrights, directors, composers, and performers, we have ignited literary and art workers' creativity and passion. These measures have yielded significant results.

In the next step, we will continue to implement such policies and measures, working to introduce more high-quality works and present them to a broader audience. Thank you.