PR99350

SHENZHEN, China, Dec. 29, 2022 /Xinhua=KYODO JBN/--

The 18th China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industries Fair (ICIF) kicked

off on December 28, 2022. This year's ICIF is held mainly offline, complemented

by synchronized online exhibitions. It is estimated that over 2,500

governmental delegations, cultural institutions and businesses will attend the

fair on site, while 800 institutes and enterprises will set up online booths.

The ICIF is the first cultural fair in China recognized by the Global

Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI). Since its inception in Shenzhen

in 2004, the fair has seen a continuous increase in exhibition scale, audience,

and level of internationalization. It has now grown into a key engine for

China's cultural industrial growth, as well as an important platform and window

to spread Chinese culture to the world, according to Shenzhen Municipal

People's Government.

According to statistics, every year, the ICIF gathers over 100,000 exhibits

from cultural and creative industries at home and abroad, and more than 4,000

cultural investment and financing projects are displayed and traded at the

fair. By participating in the event, numerous excellent overseas businesses and

institutions have successfully expanded their market and found new

opportunities for cooperation and development.

Notably, an International Exhibition Hall has been set up on this year's Cloud

ICIF. A total of 300 overseas cultural institutions and businesses from 30

countries and regions across the globe have been invited to the online fair.

Domestic and foreign cultural products and projects are being displayed on the

online platform, with a strong emphasis on promoting cultural exchange and

trade between China and other countries along the Belt and Road, and expanding

the international network for cultural trade.

Miao Song, founder and director of the Canada China Art-Tech (CCAT), brought

along its Canadian partners Telefilm Canada, Concordia University, and The 7

Fingers. She said, "This is the 4th time we have participated in the ICIF. This

year we see more participating countries and more diverse exhibits.

Particularly, the technology culture products have never failed to impress me."

In response to a question on why the CCAT takes part in the fair, Director Song

believes that the CCAT shares many core values with the ICIF in supporting the

growth of China's cultural industry and assisting Chinese cultural products in

reaching a global audience. She added: "The CCAT exhibits are diversified,

embracing science and technology, arts, academia and humanities, and other

sectors, so it fits well with the ICIF's high-quality, diverse and

comprehensive display mode."

Additionally, this fair has opened up new avenues for attracting foreign

investment and exhibitors, so as to engage more domestic and international

cultural institutions and businesses, and help exhibitors accelerate their

integration into China's "dual circulation" development pattern and develop new

markets. It will build itself into a significant cultural platform for

international procurement, investment promotion, people-to-people exchange, and

open cooperation. A total of 10,931 buyers from 108 countries and regions, like

France, Germany, and Pakistan, have registered for the online fair.

Ambassador JUDYTH NSABABERA from Consulate General of the Republic of Uganda in

Guangzhou said: "This year, we are honored to participate in the 18th ICIF

online and offline. We hope that through this exchange, we can show our African

culture, products and projects on such an excellent platform as the ICIF, and

we also hope that through this ICIF we can help the development of cultural

industries in China and Uganda reach a higher level."

As a state-level, international and comprehensive fair for cultural industries,

the ICIF has celebrated 17 sessions so far. It has promoted the development of

cultural industry across the country as well as that of Shenzhen City. The fair

has become a signature event to showcase Shenzhen's achievements in economic,

social and cultural development and an important window into this growing

metropolis. Currently, the added value of Shenzhen's cultural industries has

exceeded 25 million yuan, accounting for over 8% of the city's GDP.

Director Song Miao said, "Shenzhen is an international city with high

inclusiveness and a front-runner in opening up. Boasting a large number of

high-tech enterprises and a huge market, it has maintained a robust growth

momentum in foreign investment and continuously witnessed an increase in the

number and scale of businesses going global. The CCAT wants to further

cooperate with Shenzhen businesses and institutions in film-making,

film-related activities, technology development, and project venture capital

investment to achieve win-win results. In addition, we would like to express

our sincere thanks to and our full confidence in the ICIF's positive role in

boosting the cooperation."

Source: Shenzhen Municipal People's Government