China and UK agreed to enhance cooperation in creative cultural sector in a high-level forum in Edinburgh, Scotland, on Tuesday, as the 5th annual China-UK People-to-People Dialogue was held in the UK.

Chinese Vice-Premier Liu Yandong speaks at forum Shaping Cultural Landscapes in Edinburgh, Scotland, Dec 5, 2017. [Photo/chinaculture.org]

Titled Shaping Cultural Landscapes, the forum convened over 100 high-profile officials and artists from more than 30 well-known Chinese and British arts institutions. In three panel discussions under themes of Reimaging the City, Future Past and Festival of the People, the representatives exchanged ideas in areas including ways to better inherit and innovate cultural heritages, business models of cultural institutions and their digital innovation, as well as the values of culture and arts in urban development.
Addressing the forum, Chinese Vice-Premier Liu Yandong reviewed creative cultural collaborations between the two countries, and encouraged further cooperation, such as creating new projects and promoting cultural trade and investments.

Carma Elliot, director of the British Council China, speaks at forum Shaping Cultural Landscapes in Edinburgh, Scotland, Dec 5, 2017. [Photo/chinaculture.org]

Carma Elliot, director of the British Council China, described the present days as the “golden time” for creative cultural cooperation between the two nations. She emphasized the significance of individual cities in developing the creative cultural sector, and the importance of urban art festivals and protection of historical sites.
Yu Qun, assistant to China's minister of culture, said, “Both China and the UK attach great importance to the inheritance, protection and innovative development of culture.”

He said the UK was the first country to put forward the concept of “creative economy”, with a well developed creative cultural industry. “Although China’s creative industry started late, but its development has been fruitful in recent years.”
According to Yu, China’s cultural sector has made on average 6-percent contribution to the national economic growth since 2012, which means the cultural industry has become a new engine in the country’s economic development. He said he hopes the two countries could further promote creative cultural cooperation to achieve win-win development.

Fiona Hyslop, Scottish Cabinet Secretary of Culture, Tourism and External Affairs, speaks at forum Shaping Cultural Landscapes in Edinburgh, Scotland, Dec 5, 2017. [Photo/chinaculture.org]

In recent years, Sino-British cooperation in the cultural industry has yielded substantial results. The two countries have carried out multi-model and multi-channel exchanges via setting up industrial parks, participating in both sides’ major exhibitions, joint operations and co-productions.