China to further promote culture development

Beijing - China will further promote the reform and development in its cultural system to provide a large quantity of high-quality cultural products to meet people's demand, Premier Wen Jiabao said at the parliament's annual session Monday morning.

The government will vigorously promote nonprofit cultural services and strengthen cultural infrastructure in communities, particularly in rural areas and the central and western regions, Wen said in a government work report delivered at the opening meeting of the Fifth Session of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC), the top legislature.

The country will also deepen the reform of the cultural system and continue to transform for-profit cultural institutions into enterprises, said Wen, adding that cultural industry will be turned into a pillar of the economy.

"We will promote the flourishing of philosophy and the social sciences, and actively develop the press, publishing, radio, film, television, literature, art, and archives," Wen added.

The government will intensively promote the development of the system of core socialist values, and educate children and young people about values and strive to create a social atmosphere that promotes morality, integrity, dedication, and harmony, the premier said.

Wen also noted the government will better protect its cultural heritage and foster the flourishing of ethnic minority cultures, and intensify cultural and people-to-people exchanges with other countries in a bid to learn from each other's strengths.