Accelerating the Development of a Strong Socialist Culture

The 20th issue of Qiushi Journal in 2024 published an article by the CPC Leadership Group of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, emphasizing the need to deepen reforms in the fields of culture and tourism, and stimulate cultural innovation and creativity, with a view to accelerating efforts to cultivate a strong socialist culture.

A thriving culture fosters national prosperity and cultural strength reinforces national strength. Socialist modernization cannot be achieved without the flourishing development of socialist culture. The Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization (hereinafter “the Resolution”) was adopted at the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. With a focus on developing a strong socialist culture in China and deepening reform in the cultural sector,  the Resolution has charted the direction of reforms in the cultural sector and provided fundamental guidance for our work on the new journey in the new era. 

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Party Central Committee with Xi Jinping at its core has given prominence to cultural development in national governance and considered cultural reform as an integral part of furthering reform on all fronts. In doing so, a series of major theoretical and practical results have been made. In particular, the proposal of Xi Jinping thought on culture has reflected the new heights the CPC had attained in its understanding of the laws governing socialist cultural development, and led to remarkable achievements in the reform and development of culture and tourism. These accomplishments are manifested in the following aspects: improved governance capacity and public services in the flourishing cultural and tourism industry; increased vigor and vitality in artistic creation; better protection and inheritance of cultural heritage; continuously deepened international exchanges and cooperation in the sector of culture and tourism.

It is essential for the culture and tourism sector to thoroughly study Xi Jinping thought on culture and Xi’s new ideas, viewpoints, and conclusions on comprehensively deepening reform and translate strategic plans in the Resolution into action. During the process, we should observe the laws underlying cultural development, adapt to the requirements of the times, and follow the guiding principles of reforms, ensuring the implementation of key reform tasks in the fields of culture and tourism. 

We should optimize mechanisms for the production of literary and artistic works, public service delivery, and protection and inheritance of cultural heritage, and mechanisms for high-quality and integrated development of the cultural and tourism industries. Other mechanisms should include those for fostering and regulating the development, and safeguarding reform, of the culture and tourism market, as well as ones for strengthening international exchanges and cooperation in these two fields. In doing so, we can ensure steady and sustained progress in reforms of culture and tourism, better fulfill the cultural mission of the new era, and make our due contributions to advancing Chinese modernization.

Editor: Yi Xiaowei