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May 12, 2015

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Home » City specials » Hangzhou

Bold vision bolsters creative industry

By Xu Wenwen | May 12, 2015, Tuesday | Print Edition

HANGZHOU’S efforts to develop its cultural industry appear to be working. The city ranks No. 3 in “Actual Strength of the Cultural and Creative Industry” on the Chinese mainland, following Beijing and Shanghai, according to a recent report released by Beijing-based National Research Center of Culture Industries at Tsinghua University and the Taiwan-based Asia-Pacific Cultural Industry Association.

“Hangzhou stands out because it only follows metropolises like Beijing and Shanghai, both of which have far bigger economies and populations,” said Xiong Chengyu, director of the center in Tsinghua.

“The local government is doing very well and can take credit for its vision to stimulate this sector.”

Xiong also emphasizes that the cultural and creative industry develops along different paths in cities across the mainland.

He said in Beijing it’s all about the country’s history and culture, while it’s more about lifestyle in Hangzhou.

The city has much going for it due to its location along the shores of beautiful West Lake and its proximity to lush hills. It is a UNESCO City of Crafts and Folk Arts and hosts two major events each year for the cultural and creative industry — the China International Cartoon and Animation Festival and the Cultural and Creative Industry Expo.

In 2014, the city’s cultural and creative industry was valued at about 160 billion yuan (US$25.76 billion), accounting for more than 17 percent of the city’s GDP. In the first quarter of this year, the figure reached 43 billion yuan.

Former vice mayor Tong Guili, now a member of the standing committee of CPC Hangzhou Committee, once said developing the cultural and creative industry was necessary since the city doesn’t have any mineral or oil resources to base the economy around.

The local government started providing more support to the industry in 2008. It invests at least 10 million yuan in local enterprises every year and so far has provided subsidies to more than 3,000 programs.

It also has encouraged local banks to lend 16 billion yuan to cultural and creative ventures since 2008.

There are five listed companies and three of them rank among the country’s top 30 cultural enterprises — Simei Media Group, Hauce Film and TV Group and Songcheng Performance and Entertainment Group.

Currently the city boasts five national-level animation bases and 300 companies employing 12,000 people.

Numerous old warehouses and workshops have been turned into creative parks.

Phoenix Creative Mansion is a prime example. It covers 100,000 square meters and is scheduled to open next month in Zhijiang National Tourist Resort Area.

Zhang Genming, deputy Party secretary of Zhijiang, said the industry has been growing rapidly.

“We established the park to meet demand since the cultural and creative industry is developing so quickly,” he said, adding a bunch of animation companies have already agreed to settle in the mansion.

The government also believes the industry will benefit manufacturing, IT and tourism. It thus set a goal back in 2008 of transforming the economy from “made in Hangzhou” model to “created in Hangzhou.”

Hangzhou


 

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