Cross-Straits forum presents proposal to promote cultural exchanges
- Source: Xinhua
- [19:19 July 12 2009]
- Comments
Wang Yi, director of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Taiwan Work Office, speaks at the fifth Cross-Straits Economic, Trade and Culture forum held in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province, July 12, 2009. The forum closed here Sunday. (Xinhua/Li Ga)
The fifth Cross-Straits Economic, Trade and Culture Forum closed Sunday in Changsha with Chinese mainland and Taiwan participants agreeing to promote cultural exchanges and educational cooperation across the Taiwan Straits.
Authorities of both sides should "discuss and sign agreements on cultural and educational exchanges" to set up a mechanism for collaboration, a joint proposal read.
Relevant institutions and scholars across the Straits should conduct research and make plans for the negotiation on the agreement, it said.
Mainland and Taiwan media institutions should be allowed to set up resident bureaus on each other's side at an early date to deepen information exchange, it said.
The written language used on both sides of the Straits belongs to the same system, the proposal said. The two sides should acknowledge the commonality of their language.
Scholars should cooperate in developing software to help bridge language gaps between simplified and traditional Chinese characters, it said.
The proposal called on cultural institutions on both sides to enhance conservation of cultural relics.
The two sides could also use cultural resources to jointly create top brand names, foster cultural market and promote culture industries, as well as set up criteria to step up intellectual property rights protection, it said.
Interaction in the broadcast, film and television sector should also be deepened and more joint projects in film and TV should be encouraged, it suggested.
The proposal also encouraged and supported intercollegiate communications and cooperation between mainland and Taiwan universities, such as student exchange programs and mutual acknowledgement of credits.
Authorities should also support Taiwan companies in exploring the mainland market to seek better development.
Both sides could jointly develop technologies and products in the fields of energy conservation and new energy, it proposed.
Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, made a speech at the closing ceremony.
He said "The forum not only pointed out why the two sides should push forward cultural and educational exchanges and cooperation, but answered how to achieve the goal."
The joint proposal was an important decision-making reference for authorities on both sides.
The two sides should continue to hold this forum and make it even better in the future, Jia said.
Kuomintang (KMT)'s chairman Wu Poh-hsiung said the forum offered a platform of direct dialogue for representatives in the culture and education sectors across the Straits.
According to Wu, less than 25 percent of the participants from Taiwan at this forum had a KMT a background.
"We'd like more people from a wider range of sectors to attend this forum," he said. "It'll attract more people from other parties, people with no official background and scholars and experts."
Wang Yi, director of the Communist Party of China Central Committee Taiwan Work Office, said the forum received more attention and support from both sides and exerted great influence on cross-Strait relations.
Wang said at the closing ceremony that "In the future, we will keep welcoming more people from Taiwan to discuss with us various issues on the improving cross-Straits exchange."
In the past two days, about 530 participants, 270 from Taiwan, discussed how to inherit and innovate the Chinese culture, promote cross-Straits cultural cooperation, and extend cross-Straits educational exchanges and cooperation.
Scholars and experts from both sides hailed the proposal and hoped that both the mainland and Taiwan would positively further cultural and educational exchange.
Lee Hsien, an expert of Chinese characters from Taiwan and retired professor from the "National Taiwan Normal University", said, "the culture of the mainland and Taiwan are integrative and cannot be split."
Lee participated in the compiling work of " Basic Chinese Culture Teachings" which was published in the mainland. He said many scholars from both sides already began to cooperate in Chinese character researches and such academic discussion should be strengthened in the future.
"Tens of years of separation have indeed resulted in some differences, but culture exchange can fill such gaps and draw us closer and improve the emotional ties between the two sides," Chang Ling-Chen, professor from the "National Taiwan University", told Xinhua Sunday.
Chang said, the mainland and Taiwan each has its own advantages in the cultural industry and both can learn a lot from each other. She cited mainland's veteran filmmaker Zhang Yimou and Taiwan's internationally-acclaimed Ang Lee.
"The mainland and Taiwan should appreciate each other's cultural achievements and cooperate to promote the influence of Chinese culture in the world stage," Chang said.