He Xiaozu, Party Secretary and Director of the Gansu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism: Seizing the Opportunities of the Belt and Road Initiative to Promote Cultural and Tourism Exchanges, Cooperation, and Mutual Learning
Editor-in-Chief | Yang Ming
Source |
China Culture Daily
Recently, the 2025 National Conference of Directors of Cultural and Tourism Bureaus was held in Beijing. He Xiaoyu, Secretary of the Party Committee and Director of the Gansu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, delivered a speech at the conference. The following is the content of the speech:
In recent years, Gansu's culture and tourism system has built bridges for cultural exchange, expanded the space for tourism cooperation, forged bonds of mutual understanding, and added impetus to economic development, contributing to the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative.
Building a cultural high ground along the Belt and Road, polishing the cultural "gold medal". Accelerating the construction of Dunhuang culture as a "model" and "highland", continuously deepening international exchanges and cooperation. Creating a model for the protection of cultural heritage. Implementing 22 Mogao Grottoes restoration and digitalization projects, undertaking more than 80 cultural relic protection projects from 10 provinces and cities, and conducting extensive cooperation with more than 60 countries along the Belt and Road in cultural relic protection, cultural inheritance, and heritage management. The Dunhuang experience, Dunhuang standards, and Dunhuang model for grotto protection and heritage management have gone global. Building a research highland for Dunhuang studies. The Dunhuang Academy has undertaken 125 key provincial and ministerial-level projects, continuously leading the international research direction of Dunhuang studies in areas such as grotto archaeology, literature research, and art theory. Significant breakthroughs have been made in the digital restoration of Dunhuang cultural relics lost overseas, obtaining more than 103,000 high-definition digital images of Dunhuang cultural relics from countries such as the UK and France. A Dunhuang Studies Research Literature Database has been initially established, making high-definition images of 30 caves and more than 6,500 documents from the Cave of the Thousand Buddhas available online for global sharing and use. Expanding the dissemination of Dunhuang culture. The performances "Silk Road Blossoms" and "A Thousand Hands and A Thousand Eyes" have toured globally. The Dunhuang Academy has conducted 63 mutual visits and exchanges with countries along the Belt and Road, held 14 exhibitions of grotto art and digital Dunhuang in countries such as New Zealand and in Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, and conducted more than 30 academic exchange activities.
Consolidating the Silk Road platform for international exchanges and cooperation, expanding the external "circle of friends". The Dunhuang Cultural Expo and the Ceremony Commemorating the Ancestor of the Chinese People, Fuxi, have become important platforms for Gansu to jointly discuss, build, and share with countries and regions along the Belt and Road. Promoting exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations. The 7th Dunhuang Cultural Expo invited more than 800 guests from 50 countries, regions, and international organizations along the Belt and Road. Promoting the inheritance of cultural traditions. The "Taihao Fuxi Festival" is one of the first national-level intangible cultural heritages. The Fuxi Commemoration Ceremony, held for 34 consecutive years, has become a grand event for overseas Chinese to visit their ancestors and trace their roots. Promoting the development of cultural and tourism cooperation. In 2024, 123 international cultural exchange activities were carried out, actively participating in activities such as "Happy Chinese New Year" and "Ministry-Province Cooperation" organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Gansu cultural exchanges and tourism promotion activities were carried out in countries and regions such as the Netherlands, Italy, and Southeast Asia, receiving widespread attention. A series of activities such as the International Young Sinologists Training Class and the Hong Kong and Macao Youth Mainland Study Tour Alliance Conference were held, continuously expanding Gansu's "circle of friends" along the Belt and Road.
Carrying out more cohesive publicity and promotion, gathering "big traffic" for dissemination. Comprehensively building a publicity matrix, the "Symphony Silk Road, Auspicious Gansu" culture and tourism brand continues to stand out, planning and carrying out a series of creative and influential themed activities such as "Tianshui Mala Tang and Gansu Characteristic Food Big PK", the "Three Thousand Miles of Silk Road Wind" series of poetry meetings, "Let the World Enter the Hexi Corridor", the Internet celebrity creative conference, the research and study travel conference, and the Silk Road Global Tourism Festival. The "Micro-Tour Gansu" five media matrices and more than 2,000 accounts integrate publicity, with annual dissemination exceeding 80 billion times, igniting the Gansu tourism market with big traffic.
Promoting the integration of the cultural and tourism industry into the joint construction of the Belt and Road, creating an international tourist destination. Striving for progress and creating benchmarks, in 2024, the provincial cultural and tourism industry created 231 national-level and above brand honors. Comprehensively optimizing the inbound tourism environment. Exceeding the task of deploying POS machines and ATMs in star-rated hotels, scenic spots, and resorts; coordinating the opening of 7 international routes such as Lanzhou's direct flights to Bangkok and Nha Trang, Vietnam, and other chartered flights. Accelerating the creation of world-class and national-level brands. Focusing on building the Hexi Corridor National Cultural Heritage Route and the Yellow River Cultural Tourism Belt. Zagana Village in Gannan was created as a "World's Most Beautiful Village", Linxia Geopark was listed as a World Geopark, and the Liujiagxia Resort successfully created a national-level tourist resort. Actively promoting Jiayuguan Pass and Tianshui Maiji Mountain as candidates for world-class tourist attractions. Launching more attractive cultural and tourism products. Ten themes, one hundred routes, and one thousand courses for research and study travel, and four themes and 13 boutique routes for outdoor camping have greatly enhanced the interactive experience. Integrated industry products such as "Dunhuang Culture + Immersive Experience", the Mingsha Mountain 10,000-person star concert, and the night tour of Jiayuguan Pass are gradually leading the "scene consumption era".
Next, we will deepen pragmatic cooperation with countries and regions along the Belt and Road, cooperate in carrying out international cultural exchange activities such as "Happy Chinese New Year", and conduct cultural exchanges and tourism promotion in 26 countries including Russia, New Zealand, and Japan, and in Hong Kong and Macao. Implementing inbound tourism promotion actions, holding an inbound tourism international travel agency conference, striving for the permanent establishment of the Young Sinologists Training Program in Gansu, and promoting the opening and increase of international flight routes in cities such as Lanzhou and Dunhuang. Successfully holding the 8th Dunhuang Cultural Expo and the 2025 Fuxi Commemoration Ceremony. Strengthening international exchanges and cooperation on Dunhuang culture, actively participating in the Asian Cultural Heritage Protection Action and Sino-foreign Joint Archaeological Actions, and continuously expanding the international influence of the "Chinese Characteristics and Dunhuang Experience".
Special Survey on Investment in the Cultural and Tourism Industry
To gain a deeper understanding of the investment and development of the cultural and tourism industry, the China Tourism Academy, in conjunction with the China Amusement Machine and Amusement Park Association and other units, is conducting a special survey on investment in the cultural and tourism industry. We sincerely invite all member units and cultural and tourism enterprises to participate in the survey.
▲Scan the QR code to fill out the questionnaire
