On March 31st, the opening ceremony of Shaoxing Activity Year of 2021 “Cultural City of East Asia” was held in the Shaoxing City of Zhejiang Province. Attendees are Zhang Xu, vice cultural and tourism minister, Zhu Guoxian, minister of Propaganda Department and Member of standing committee of Zhejiang provincial party committee, Guo Yan, minister of the Department of Asian Affairs, Ma Weiguang, secretary of Municipal Party Committee of Shaoxing City, Sheng Yuechun, mayor and deputy secretary of Municipal Party Committee of Shaoxing City, consul-general of Japan in Shanghai, Kim Jin Gon, minister-counsellor of South Korea and director of Korean Cultural Center. The mayor of Kitakyushu and the mayor of Suncheon sent their congratulation via video. Both cities have been elected for 2021 “Cultural City of East Asia”. 150 guests form home and abroad attended the opening ceremony, including representatives of cities being elected as “Cultural City of East Asia”, representatives of relating provincial culture and tourism departments (bureau), experts, scholars and representatives of tourism and cultural industries.
Zhang Xu said in his speech that “Cultural City of East Asia” is an important achievement in humanitarian field of Leaders Conference between China, Japan and South Korea as well as a leading brand and a significant platform of cultural communication between these three countries. It promotes and deepens communication between cities and countries in terms of politics, economy, trade, society, people-to-people relationship and other areas. During the hard time when the pandemic spreaded in the international society, cities elected as “Cultural Cities of East Asia” worked hand in hand to overcome difficulties, making an example of fighting against Covid-19. He hoped that Shaoxing’s being elected as a “Cultural City of East Asia” would be an opportunity to show the diversity and inclusiveness of the culture of this ancient city and would open a distinctive and colorful chapter for the culture in east Asia in a new era.
Zhu Guoxian said that he hoped Shaoxing City and others that had been elected as “Cultural Cities of East Asia” would cooperate to make brands indicative of local cultures; have more friendly cities overseas; promote trade and economic corporation with cultural communication and develop regions with inter-city communication so as to contribute to the creative transformation and development of Chinese culture.
Representatives said that China, Japan and South Korea are near in geography and connected in culture. They hoped that elected cities can adhere to the ideoloy of “cultural integration and mutual admiration” and can make full use of the opportunity provided by “Cultural City of East Asia” to make new contribution to the communication between countries in East Asia and other regions.
During the opening ceremony also held Mayors Forum and the establishment ceremony of the working mechanism of “Cultural City of East Asia”. Representatives were from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Department of Asian Affairs.
The Shaoxing Activity year of “Cultural City of East Asia” uses theme of “Thousands of Years of Culture and Chasing Dreams in Shaoxing”. Five classifications are introduced, including Da Yu, Wang Yangming, Lu Xun, Shaoxing wine and calligraphy. Specific brands are Da Yu culture, GuYue culture, Yangming culture, Luxun culture, Mingren culture, Tang Poem culture, Northen Song culture, Chinese opera culture, calligraphy culture and Shaoxing wine culture.
“Cultural City of East Asia” is an important achevement of humanitarian field of Leaders Conference between China, Japan and South Korea and a significant brand of cultural cooperation between these three countries. Since the election started in 2012, 23 cities have won this title, including Quanzhou, Qingdao, Ningbo, Changsha, Harbin, Xi’an, Yangzhou, Shaoxing and Dunhuang of China; Yokohama, Niigata, Nara, Kyoto, Kanazawa, Toshima City of Tokyo Prefecture and Kitakyushu of Japan and Kwangju, Cheongju, Cheju, Daegu, Busan, Inchon and Suncheon of South Korea.