Publicity head of CPC Pingnan Committee talks about cultural industries

( chinadaily.com.cn )

Updated: 2014-01-15

Journalist: Can you give us an overview of Pingnan county’s cultural industries?

Zheng Jianfeng (Zheng): Pingnan boasts 56 cultural industry units and 1 key service industry, and they mainly concern tourist services at various sites and the manufacture of arts and crafts. Lately, we have managed to develop our tourism industry and performing arts and have also founded Huizelong Wine Culture development limited corporation. In addition, the Baishuiyang characteristic cultural performing art project has already been listed in the Fujian Implement Scheme about Promoting Culture and Tourism Integration Development Demonstration Project.

Journalist: What are some of the highlights and characteristics of Pingnan’s ecotourism industry?

Zheng: The biggest and most shining brand of Pingnan ecotourism is still Baishuiyang and Yuanyangxi - a World Geopark, national scenic area and a national 5A scenic spot. From January to November 2013, a total of 20,518,000 tourists visited the county, a year on year increase of 65%, generating tourism revenue of 1.436 billion yuan, an increase of 65.4%. We can’t deny the fact that Pingnan tourism is seasonal tourism, and this is the obstacle that we aim to overcome. We must also recognize the historical and cultural heritage of Pingnan.

It owns 1 Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding, 4 key national heritage conservation units, 2 historically and culturally famous villages, and 7 traditional Chinese villages. This is what our ancestors left us and – if we continue to make efforts to protect this inheritance - they can constitute a foundation with great potential for the development of the ecotourism industry.

Journalist: What are the new growth areas for Pingnan cultural industries?

Zheng: First, the UNESCO’s Tentative List of World Cultural Heritages - concerning the ancient village tourism project near Wanan Bridge. Shanghai Kunda Enterprise Co.,Ltd. plans to invest 500 million yuan($82.7 million) in the project. The company signed a Letter of Intent in Jan 2013, and finished the first draft plan in May.

Second, the“Baishuiyang International Water Outdoor Sports Competition”project. Professor Bao Xiaoming,director of CISS Sports Social Science Research Center, led a group of experts to Pingnan county to inspect the project, with the aim of including it in the annual tournament plan of the State General Administration of Sports .

Third, the Baishuiyang urban complex project, with total investment of 38 million yuan, is an urban cultural complex combining hotels, shopping malls, performing arts, culture and entertainment, and large-scale exhibitions. We are trying to meet the operational conditions by Sept 2014.

Fourth, Baishuiyang characteristic cultural art performance project which - by establishing a location for modern art performances - can apply the advanced technologies of 3D and 4D digital simulation and meet the requirements of performing art for tourists, and can also help define Pingnan’s local culture and showcase it in a modern and artistic way.

Edited?by Wang Yifei and Niva Whyman