Cultural Input and Support Policy

The main contents of China's cultural input and support policy include:

Increasing Input in Cultural Undertakings

Governments at all Levels should take into consideration cultural undertakings when making overall local economic and social development plan, and increase input in this field year by year, with the increase rate no lower than the growth rate of their financial revenue. Meanwhile,cultural fund cannot be reduced because of reduction of institutions and personnel in system reform. And business income of cultural institutions cannot be used as substitute of cultural input funds.

The state follows a principle of supporting all in general and giving priority to key projects in cultural input. Effective measures have been taken to increase input while priorities have been given to the cultural undertakings in underdeveloped central and western part of China and areas of minority ethnic groups. Subsidies have been increased for the activity of "Cultural Corridor Along the Border". In nationality affairs andconstruction of border areas, certain amount of money is arranged to support the cultural undertakings. Local governments are also required to increase cultural input in these areas. Funds should be guaranteed forlibraries, museums, scientific and technological centers, cultural centers and revolutionary and historical memorial halls, which are sponsored by the state. And more Support should be given to spiritual products reflecting the artistic and academic levels, artistic colleges, performance organizations and key state relics protection institutions representing the level of the nation, and cultural and artistic organizations representing local and national characteristics.

The government has established and perfected system for special funds, which come mainly from financial budget and fees collected according to state regulations. Financial departments must make budget arrangement for the special funds. And related departments must collect fees in strict accordance with state regulations. At present, emphasis should be laid in the system of "special funds for publicizing cultural development," "special funds for creation and performance of excellent programs," "special funds for national film development" and "special funds for publishing development."

Basic Construction of Cultural Undertakings Should Be Strengthened

The basic construction of cultural undertakings should be strengthened on the basis of rational distribution, optimizing structureand stressing key points. Emphasis should be laid on the building of key cultural institutions and cultural facilities which directly serve the people.Funds should be concentrated in building such key state cultural projects as national museums and theaters, which are expected to be influential.In urban construction, public cultural facilities should be well built in convenient places. Cuttural facilities cannot be destroyed in the reform of old cities and development of land. If cultural facilities have to be demolished, new ones must be built nearby Big-and medium-sized citiesshould lay emphasis on the construction of libraries, museums and even scientific and technological centers. Counties and towns should build cultural centers and stations. Fund budget should be made according to the scale, size and storage of public libraries, and funds for book purchase,which should be increased every year because of such factors as pricerise, should be set specially. The construction of broadcast and TV networks should be accelerated while focus be laid on improving the coverage of the central and provincial networks. A certain sum of maintenance funds should also be arranged every year to repair and renovate old, shabby cultural facilities. A standard and effective fund-raising mechanism should be established to form a multi-channel input system beginning from January 1997, a cultural construction fare wascollected nationwide. Entertainment businesses, such as singing and dancing halls, Karaoke halls, music tea houses, golf ground and bowlinghalls, must hand in 3 percent of their business volume as cultural construction fare while advertisement media and institutions dealing with outdoor advertisement businesses must also hand in 3 percent of their business volume as cultural construction fare. The fare is put under the administration of financial budget, and is used as special funds by the central and provincial governments in cultural undertakings development .The government encourages cultural institutions to rely on both state investment and self-development, reform their management and makeup their lack of  funds by means of paid services and diversified businesses.

It supports cultural institutions to unite with enterprises to get long-term and stable investment. It accepts social donations, allows relics and museum institutions to conduct archaeological excavation and relics research and protection by means of cooperating with foreign investors,and encourages overseas institutions and individuals to invest in the development of state-sponsored cultural undertakings and the construction of public cultural facilities.