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China's Economic Miracle Maker Strives to Be Culturally Progressive
Shenzhen, which used to be a small town with a population of 20,000, has grown into a boomtown featuring economic prosperity and cultural progress through two decades of construction efforts.
Along with the average annual economic growth rate of 30 percent, the city government of Shenzhen, also one of China's earliest four special economic zones (SEZs), has also increased financial allocations for further expansion and improvement of cultural places annually. On August 26, it celebrated its 20th anniversary of being a special economic zone.
According to a local cultural official, the city lavished 700 million yuan (about 84.34 million U.S. dollars) for construction of cultural undertakings in the early years of its establishment.
Until now, the city is blessed with seven public libraries, 43 newspaper publishing houses, a dozen organizations engaged in making radio, TV programs and films, three professional literary and art troupes, and more than 1,000 schools.
One out of every 10 residents in Shenzhen have been educated above the college level, which has placed Shenzhen higher among Chinese cities.
Scenic sites, such as "Splendid China," a theme park based on miniatures of the most famous scenery and landscapes across the country; "A window of the World," a theme park based on miniatures of well-known foreign scenery and landscapes; and the newly opened military theme park with Minsk aircraft carrier as the central piece, along with over 300 sculptures that are used to decorate the urban streets, have all added new power of attraction to this south Chinese city.
Ma Yunchi, a teacher of Shenzhen University's Sociology Department, said, "The strong cultural awareness, especially the innovative spirit, of the residents in Shenzhen, most of whom are people migrating from other interior areas of the country, are embedded in the roads, architecture and gardening. The city's economic progress has boosted the development of the cultural cause."
Shenzhen is now a popular venue for national meetings, cultural exhibitions, symposium of literature and arts, and an important stop on China show by overseas art troupes.
When ballet and symphony troupes from Russia and Israel, and from Hong Kong and interior areas of China come to Shenzhen to give performances, artistic troupes of Shenzhen also go abroad to present themselves. From 1997 to 1999, cultural and artistic workers from Shenzhen had won 33 international prizes and more than 200 national prizes.
"Cultural accumulation is quite different from economic development, though economic takeoff does provide necessary conditions and foundation for cultural prosperity," said Ma, adding that she expects Shenzhen will surely provide China with a successful model to develop culture.
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