Chinese President on Development of Arts, Culture

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, December 19, 2001

Chinese President on Development of Arts, Culture

President Jiang called on the country's writers and artists to contribute more to the revival of the Chinese nation, noting that they have made a significant contribution to literature and art in China and enriching the life of the general public, addressing the 7th National Congress of China Federation of Literary and Art Circles (CFLAC) and the 6th National Congress of the Chinese Writers' Association Tuesday in Beijing.

President Jiang Meets Artists and Writers

Corgresses for artists and writers

Chinese President Jiang Zemin Tuesday called on the country's writers and artists to contribute more to the revival of the Chinese nation.

The president made the call while addressing the 7th National Congress of China Federation of Literary and Art Circles (CFLAC) and the 6th National Congress of the Chinese Writers' Association.

Jiang said that Chinese writers and artists have created a great number of excellent works during the past few decades, making a significant contribution to literature and art in China and enriching the life of the general public.

A more civilized China by mid century

By the middle of this century, China will have reached its goal of modernization, and the Chinese nation will then be revived, said the president.

Beijing Writer Representatives Discuss Jiang's Speech

By that time, a rich, powerful, democratic and more civilized China will have emerged and the Chinese nation will make a far bigger contribution to mankind. That has been what the Chinese people have been striving for in modern times, Jiang said.

Balanced progress stressed

He went on to say the revival of the Chinese nation requires not only material advancement but also cultural advancement.

The coordinated development of both material civilization and culture is the only way for Chinese society to make balanced progress, and China's writers and artists shoulder great responsibility in this area, says the president.

Advanced culture essential

Jiang said that the essential tasks for China's modernization are to work hard to establish an advanced culture, to make this culture more attractive and inspiring to people everywhere, and to quickly become a developed country by expanding its advanced productive force.

Shanghai Writer Representatives Discuss Jiang's Speech

Only by establishing an advanced culture fitting in with modernization, the world and the future, with national characteristics and suitable for the all people, he said, can the growing cultural needs of the general public be met, and people's ideological and moral standards improved.

This will provide strong intelligent support for economic development and will help boost an advanced productive force, he added.

Representatives urged to carry on national spirit

The president called on the thousands of representatives at the congresses to carry on the spirit of the Chinese nation, the outstanding part of which is to keep united, independent, peace-loving and making unremitting efforts to overcome difficulties, through which the amazing Chinese civilization was created.

Jiang told the representatives that it was worth thinking, learning and using for reference the spirit of cultural and art creativity in the history of both China and other countries.

Literary and art workers should adhere to the truth, oppose falsehood, glorify beauty and goodness, fight evil, advocate science and combat foolishness, he added.

Governments' support to literary and artistic work

Governments at all levels, Jiang said, should attach great importance to literary and art work through enthusiastically promoting the development of literary and art causes.

Jiang said the Chinese Communist Party and government officials should continue to respect knowledge and talent, sincerely unite and trust writers and artists, and create better working conditions for them.

Governments at all levels should provide support and rewards for fine works and outstanding professionals, Jiang said.

The governments should encourage the spirit of creativity of literary and art workers so as to enable them give full play to their skills and knowledge, while helping them grasp the spirit of the era and the demands of the general public and give serious thought to the influence of the works on society, Jiang said.

Reform to be deepened in cultural fields

As non-governmental organizations of writers and artists, the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles (CFLAC) and the Chinese Writers' Association should improve their contact with writers and artists and safeguard their legitimate rights and interests, he said.

International exchange and cooperation in literary and art fields should be expanded, the president said.

To promote the development and prosperity of literature and art in China, more efforts are needed to deepen reform and form organizational, managerial and operational mechanisms adaptable to the socialist market economy and the law of literature and art, Jiang said.

Backgrounder-- CWA and CFLAC

The Chinese Writers' Association (CWA), founded on July 23, 1947 in Beijing, is an independent central-level organization which claims 39 group members and 6128 individual members.

As an important force in promoting China's cultural and ideological progress, it has done a lot of work in organizing writers to study the Party's policies, granting literary awards, conducting researches on literary theories and promoting the literature of ethnic groups as well as international literary exchanges.

China Federation of Literary and Art Circles (CFLAC) is a non-governmental organization with 49 branches with more than two million registered members and more than 40 publications.

CFLAC has been dedicated, together with overseas Chinese artists, to promoting Chinese culture and has helped in promoting international cultural exchanges and its international reputation is increasing.

CFLAC has achieved a lot since it was set up in July of 1949, the year when the new China was founded, and more masterpieces have emerged especially after the reform and opening up of China to the outside world.

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