Minister of Culture Luo Shugang speaks at the conference.[Photo/Culturalink.gov.cn]

The national cultural bureau conference on work related to foreign affairs and Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan affairs was held in Beijing on June 2-3. Luo Shugang, Minister of Culture, attended the meeting along with Ding Wei, deputy of the ministry.

This is the first national conference after the central meeting on work related to foreign affairs, which was held in November 29, 2014, and an important event to comprehensively promote the construction of soft power as well as great-power politics in the field of culture.

Luo delivered an address at the conference. He affirmed the achievements in foreign affairs and Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan affairs from cultural departments at all levels. According to him, the ministry has set up 101 cultural sections in Chinese embassies or consulates in 84 countries. By 2020, there will be 50 Chinese culture centers in the world.

The ministry will keep on expanding the influence of brand activity and cultural exchange projects at national level, such as Happy Chinese New Year, as well as cultural cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative.

Meanwhile, local cultural departments participated in indigenous cultural promotion work in recent years, and played an active role in collaboration with overseas departments in various fields.