Han Ximin

    ximhan@126.com

    THE number of overseas exhibitors and professional buyers at the 11th China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industries Fair (ICIF), which will run from today to Monday, has increased compared with the previous event.

    At a news conference yesterday, Shenzhen Vice Mayor Wu Yihuan said more than 84 organizations from 40 countries will participate in the five-day fair at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center, 18 countries more than last year’s fair.

    The exhibition area for overseas exhibitors accounts for 20 percent of the total 105,000 square meters in nine halls at the center, an increase of 5 percent over last year’s fair.

    “More than 18,000 professional buyers from 97 countries and regions will attend the fair, 32 percent of them from Hong Kong and Macao and 31 percent from European and American countries,” Wu told reporters.

    The fair includes 728 activities, of which more than 90 percent will be held at 61 subvenues across the city.

    For the first time in the fair’s history, foreign exhibitors will display intangible cultural products at the fair.

    According to Wu, an Indian agency will show 16 Indian intangible cultural practices at the fair, including traditional Indian embroidery skills, arts and crafts products, and jewelry-making methods.

    International delegations from Russia, Chile and countries from Southeast Asia will display their authentic folk culture, artwork, products and performances.

    Also for the first time, the organizers designated Hall 5 as the Hall of Belt and Road, the Chinese Government’s name for the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road initiative, where 15 countries will display innovative and cultural products, along with 15 Chinese cities, covering an exhibition area of 2,660 square meters.

    “ICIF has been a great venue to introduce Chinese cultural products and services to overseas markets, yet its global influence still needs to be enhanced through cooperation with overseas agencies and promotion in the global market,” said Zhang Heyun, head of the city’s tourism administration.

    In 2011, when the city government unveiled a five-year plan to revitalize the cultural industry, the added value of the sector was 77.5 billion yuan (US$12 billion), accounting for 6.7 percent of the city’s GDP. In 2014, the figure topped 156 billion yuan, accounting for 9.8 percent of the city’s GDP.

    The total export volume of cultural products reached 16.1 billion yuan in last year’s fair, organizers said. (More on P2)