May 25 2011 | Travel: Yunnan cultural market eyes overseas expansionPosted by: My China B2B on May 25, 2011   |  |
Yunnan, a province of Southwest China noted for its high level of ethnic diversity, is eager to introduce its unique culture to the world by planning several cultural logistics centers and exhibition bases in the 12th Five-Year Plan period (2011-2015), a Kunming official said on Monday.
These projects will be designed to enhance cultural cooperation with neighboring countries, said Liao Kaihe, head of the Industrial Development Division of the province's Cultural Industry Bureau during a news briefing.
Liao added that the local government is determined to hatch a batch of export-oriented cultural enterprises and brands with international competitiveness over the next five years.
Yunnan has the highest number of ethnic groups among all provinces and autonomous regions in China. Among the country's 56 recognized ethnic groups, 25 inhabit Yunnan. Some 38 percent of the province's population belongs to minorities, including the Yi, Bai, Hani, Tai, Dai, Miao, and other peoples.
Although it is still one of the less-developed provinces in China, Yunnan has been successful in seeking a unique way to develop its "cultural industry," said Liao.
Yunnan has come to celebrate its ethnic diversity and subsequently many local customs and festivals have flourished, of which the most famous is the water-splashing festival of the Dai people.
Yunnan's gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in 2010 was reportedly 15,000 yuan ($2,280), slightly above half the national average, but its cultural industrial output was over 44 billion yuan ($6.77 billion), comprising 6.1% of the total GDP, ranking 6th among all Chinese provinces.
