From June 26 to 28, at the invitation of the U.S. Department of State, Minister of Culture Cai Wu led the Chinese government's cultural delegation to Washington.

On the morning of June 27, Minister Cai Wu had a discussion with the heads of seven of the most important and representative American cultural institutions, including the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Smithsonian Institution, the Department of Libraries and Museums, the Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and the Discovery Vision Theatre.

Cai Wu introduced to the U.S. side the institutional setup, management functions of the Chinese Ministry of Culture and the efforts made by China in recent years in promoting public cultural services, cultural heritage protection, development of cultural industries, etc., emphasized the important role of cultural exchanges in enhancing mutual understanding between the people of China and the U.S., and expressed the hope that all kinds of cultural institutions in the U.S. side to strengthen the cooperation, Cai Wu also introduced to the U.S. side of the newly established “China National Art Fund” related information.

The persons in charge of the seven American cultural institutions introduced the types of American cultural and artistic institutions, their sources of funding and management and operation characteristics, the organizations they represent, and the situation of exchanges and cooperation with China from their respective perspectives, and at the same time expressed their hope to strengthen cultural exchanges and cooperation with the Chinese side.

The symposium further enhanced the understanding between China and the United States, expanded the consensus on cooperation, and laid a solid foundation for further cultural exchanges and cooperation between the two sides in the future.