Diplomacy

Foreign-related cultural exchange is both an important sector of Chinese culture and arts cause and a critical component of Chinese diplomacy work. Premier Zhou Enlai once compared foreign economics and trade cooperation and foreign-related cultural exchange vividly as the two wings of diplomacy work. In June 1956, he said at the Third Session of the First National People's Congress, Cultural exchanges of peoples of each country, just as economic cooperation, are also a critical factor to consolidate peace, friendship and cooperation among countries. For over 40 years, with culture as the carrier, Chinese foreign-related cultural exchange work has built a friendship bridge in the hearts of Chinese people and the people of the world in a unique manner and with original content. It has increased the friendly, cooperative relationship and mutual understanding between China and the rest of the world, making positive contributions to Chinese diplomacy work and creating far-reaching and broad influences.

1. Cultural exchange promoted the development of a friendly cooperation between China and the rest of the world. Culture and arts, as spiritual civilization achievements created by human beings in the course of historical development, go beyond the territorial border of a country. Culture and arts are bound to be accepted by different peoples of the world due their great charm and vivid expressions and lack of language obstacles. Chinese traditional ethnical culture is especially appreciated for its long history and diverse styles. Therefore, cultural exchange has an original role in developing friendly relationships among countries. In March 1961, Vice Premier Chen Yi spoke highly of foreign-related cultural exchange work in his speech at the national drama editing and directing symposium. He noted: We shall master arts, a tool for cultural exchange and friendship communication, for it may reach a special result beyond diplomacy and trade.

It is notable that cultural exchange once played a special pioneering role in establishing diplomatic relationships with some countries. In February 1956, Chu Tunan, president of the China People's Association of Foreign-Related Culture, said at the Second Session of the First National People's Congress that Chinese arts groups' visit to western European countries, has opened a way for China to contact many western European countries without diplomatic relationships, increased the friendship of China with other peoples, played a pioneering role in international activities and created great and far-reaching influences. Before the diplomacy normalization between China and Japan in September 1972, folk cultural exchanges were made between the two countries. In November 1955, both countries signed the first Sino-Japan folk cultural exchange pact. Subsequently, both countries sent renowned art troupes for reciprocal visits. Chinese art troupes included the May 1956 Chinese Peking Opera Delegation, with Mei Lanfang and Ouyang Yuqian as team leaders, including many stars; the January 1958 Chinese Dunhuang Art Exhibition; and the January 1963 Chinese Beijing Acrobatics Delegation. Japanese art troupes sent to China included the Japan Songshan Ballet Troupe (1958 and 1964); the Japan Progressive Drama Delegation (1960), and many more. Just as it was pointed out in the Common Statement Concerning Folk Cultural Exchanges Between Chinese and Japanese Peoples, signed by Chu Tunan, president of China People's Association of Foreign-Related Culture, and head of the Japan Association for Chinese Cultural Exchanges: Cultural exchanges between Chinese and Japanese peoples have made much contributions to further consolidate friendship and unity between the two peoples, fight against pilots for establishing Two Chinas, advance Sino-Japan diplomatic normalization, strengthen unity among Asian and African peoples, and develop ethical culture and safeguard world peace. Cultural exchanges also played an important progressive role in the establishment of the Sino-US diplomatic relationship. In April 1971, China invited the US Table Tennis Delegation that was in Japan for the 31st World Table Tennis Championship to China. This was a significant step made by China to recover Sino-US contact and was commended as Ping-Pong Diplomacy in international opinion. When greeting the US Table Tennis Delegation, Premier Zhou Enlai said, Your visit to China on our invitation opens the door of friendly visits between peoples of the two countries. Between November 1972 and January 1973, the China Shenyang Acrobatic Delegation paid a performance visit to the US on invitation. When greeting the delegation President Nixon said: This is the first time in the quarter of this century that you (China) bring artistic talents of your artists. What's more, the greater present is the Sino-US Friendship shown on the banner lifted at the end of your performance. From then on, cultural exchange programs between China and the US also included the US Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra, which visited China; the China Exhibition of Frescos in Han-Tang Dynasties; the China Art Troupe and the China Exhibition of Unearthed Cultural Relics, which visited the US. All of these played a positive role in promoting the Sino-US relationship and establishing a normal diplomatic relationship.

2. Cultural exchange increases friendship and mutual understanding between the Chinese and other people of the world. The ethical culture can best show the habitude, characteristics and tradition of the nationality. The abundant civilization of Chinese nationality for 5,000 years greatly enriches the world culture treasure and wins a good reputation among men of all nationalities. They learn about intelligence and diligence of Chinese nationality, feel its spirit of loving peace and fearing no violence, enhance their cognition of Chinese cultural policy of both preserving and upholding traditional culture and developing socialist cultural arts and actively introducing foreign excellent cultural achievement. Through cultural exchanges, the peoples of the rest of the world also see China's current political and economic status and the peoples' spiritual profile. Vice versa, Chinese people also enhance their knowledge about the world, and further recognize all countries and peoples, whether big or small, who contribute to human civilization. Two-way cultural exchange further deepens the mutual understanding between the Chinese and other people, enhances friendships and has a significant meaning for China to set the socialist Chinese image and obtain a favorable international environment for China's reform and opening-up and socialist modernization.

3. Forward and spread Chinese traditional culture to the world through cultural exchange. In cultural exchanges, we introduce Chinese culture and arts, such as literature, drama, music, dance, acrobatics, drawing, cultural relics and industrial arts to the world, and also introduce art forms such as the symphony, lyric drama, the ballet, movies, painting and drama, that are introduced from abroad and are being rooted and blooming in China. The Peking Opera that integrates literature, music, dance, performance, martial arts and fine arts and other traditional operas demonstrates a fresh and colorful state-of-the-art world to foreign audiences. The stunts of Chinese acrobats surprise foreign audiences who say Chinese people can break the laws of physics. Chinese smart and bewitching industrial arts stun foreign spectators. What's more, Chinese unearthed cultural relics shock the world. Discovery of the Qin Emperor's Terracotta Soldiers and Horses, and overseas exhibitions stir the world. Together with the Chinese Great Wall and the Egyptian pyramids, it was called one of Wonders of the World. In addition, China's excellent symphony orchestra visits many countries and wins a good reputation. Chinese music, dance, acrobatics and movies and fine arts masterpieces often qualify for significant international art championships and win prizes frequently. These major cultural exchange activities carry forward and spread China's brilliant, traditional, national culture and colorful socialist culture and arts, and make contributions to enable people from the rest of the world to share in excellent achievements of Chinese nationality, improve China's international reputation, enhance friendship among people, develop a friendly diplomatic relationship and maintain world peace and advance the cause for human progress.

  Socialist Ideological and Ethical Progress

Central leaders have stressed many times that foreign-related cultural exchange should be politics-sensitive; it should follow overall situations. On the one hand, it should follow the overall situation of our diplomatic work, serve our general diplomatic work, develop our friendships with other countries and enhance the friendship and understanding between the Chinese and other people. On the other hand, it should serve our socialist ideological and ethical progress. In October 1979, Deng Xiaoping noted in his congratulatory address at the Fourth Congress of Chinese Literary Workers: When we develop high-level material progress, we shall improve the national scientific and cultural level, develop a high-minded and colorful cultural life and promote a high-level socialist ideological and ethical progress. In September 1986, the Decision on the Guideline for Socialist Ideological and Ethical Progress of the Central Committee of the CPC pointed out that the basic task of socialist ideological and ethical progress is to meet the demand of socialist modernization, foster socialist people with lofty ideals, integrity, knowledge and a strong sense of discipline, and improve the ideological and ethical quality and scientific and cultural quality of the Chinese nation as a whole. In October 1996, the Sixth Session of the 14th Central Committee of the CPC adopted the Decisions on Many Critical Problems in the Socialist Ideological and Ethical Progress of the Central Committee of the CPC, which stressed that China's development cannot go without the world, and opening to the outside is a basic state policy for constructing socialism with Chinese characteristics. Under the circumstance of opening-up and meeting the worldwide new scientific and technological revolution, historically it has been our task in socialist modernization to absorb excellent foreign cultural achievements, carry forward our traditional cultural path, prevent and exterminate cultural dreg of dissemination and withstand the conspiracy of hostile elements to westernize and divide China. As a part of our socialist culture and arts cause, foreign-related cultural exchange plays an important role in the socialist ideological and ethical progress.

The basic task of our foreign-related cultural exchange work is to follow the basic guideline and general policy of the CPC, namely, with economic construction as the center; sticking to four basic principles and reform and opening-up; fully taking advantage of cultural carriers and actively disseminating China's reform and opening-up policy; socialist construction achievements; our colorful traditional nation culture with a long history to enhance friendship and understanding; and develop friendly cooperative relationships. This basic task of the foreign-related cultural exchange conforms to requirements of our socialist ideological and ethical progress. Cultural exchange is the bridge to improving understanding and enhancing friendship. Multi-channeled and all-direction foreign-related cultural exchange and publicity are conducted to introduce the Chinese present situation and developing socialist culture and arts to the world; enhance the understanding of other people of the world to China and the friendship between China and the rest of the world; increase China's international influences; and help promote the deepening development of China's further development and socialist modernization. In cultural exchange, we also pay attention to introduce and learn from excellent foreign cultural achievements, and prevent the erosion of the western corruptive culture. Just as Deng Xiaoping pointed out, We shall learn advanced science, technology, business management methods and other beneficial knowledge and culture from developed capitalist countries… however, we must analyze, distinguish and criticize those in the cultural category with Marxism. It will be helpful to construct socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Since the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the CPC, China has sent hundreds of thousands of literary workers, art performance groups and arts exhibition to the rest of the world for friendly visits, academic visits and performances and exhibitions each year. They shouldered the mission entrusted by the Party and the country, and bring deep friendship of the Chinese people to the other people of the world upon visiting the five continents. They appeared all over the world. In frequent cultural exchanges with other countries, Chinese arts workers, experts and scholars enhance their sense of national pride and political mission, promote their work enthusiasm and encourage others to strive for the development and flourishing socialist culture and arts with their own intelligence and wisdom. Meanwhile, through various visits and professional exchanges, our literary circles have learned about the development history, features and styles of other peoples' culture and the trends, achievements and experiences of modern culture and arts, thus broadening their horizons. This has played a positive role of reference for us in developing socialist culture and arts and advancing a socialist ideological and ethical progress.

Since China's reform and opening to the outside, foreign-related cultural exchange has undergone a quiet, but great development. Introducing ourselves abroad, we also import colorful ethical culture and arts from other countries. Their exotic arts have abundant contents, different styles and respective characteristics, representing traditional ethical styles and new achievements of modern cultural development. In recent years, China has also held many high-level international arts activities, such as the Wuqiao International Acrobatics Festival, the Wuhan International Acrobatics Festival, the China International Piano Championship, the Shanghai International Magic Festival, the Shanghai International Ballet Championship, and so on. Artists from all over the world got together, watching and learning, exchanging experiences and learning from other strong points to offset one's weaknesses. This has played a positive and progressive role in developing the socialist culture and arts cause.

Experience has proven that to adhere to the principle of exporting more and importing the good in our foreign-related cultural exchanges has a positive role in advancing the socialist ideological and ethical progress, improving the mental and moral quality and scientific and cultural quality of the whole nation and fostering citizens with lofty ideal, integrity, knowledge and a strong sense of discipline.

  Socialist Culture and Arts

The practice and deepening of the reform and opening-up policy bring unprecedented opportunities for developing and allowing the cause of socialist culture and arts to flourish. Foreign-related cultural exchange in rapid development plays a more powerful and progressive role. Reform and opening-up open the door for cultural workers, broaden their horizons, and help them learn about practices and experiences of other countries in developing their own national culture. Meanwhile, it enhances the confidence in developing national culture and arts in exchange and comparison. In recent years, with the growing development of modern science and technology and progress of culture, many new ideas, styles and new achievements on culture have emerged. As the Chinese proverb goes: A rock of another mountain may appear more precious than a jade. These new cultural achievements provide references for us to develop the cause of socialist culture and arts and to carry forward the traditional ethical culture. Since the reform and opening-up, our country has invited excellent artists and arts groups from many countries for performances and professional exchanges. This has enriched the cultural life of the Chinese people, closely connected Chinese literary circles with the rest of the world, and also enhanced knowledge in professional exchange. What's more, our country has invited worldwide famous artists and art groups to China, such as Luciano Pavarotti, P. Domingo, Herbert von Karajan, Seiji Ozawa, the Bolshoi Theatre Ballet of the USSR, the Deutsch Bavarian National Opera Troupe, the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra of the US and National Circus of the USSR. China has also organized performances and exhibitions of the world's top artworks -- from the French Rodin arts exhibition, to the Boston Museum Collected Artworks Exhibition of the US, to the Austrian Vienna Museum Collected Artworks Exhibition. Recently, China held front-page activities, such as the International Symphony Year and the Opera and Pantomime Year, which enabled Chinese literary workers to appreciate ancient and modern masterpieces from abroad, while benefiting the development of the Chinese culture and art cause.

Flourishing, foreign-related cultural exchange has also provided Chinese literary workers with the opportunity to study abroad using foreign literary experiences as references. When excellent overseas artists, art troupes or art masterpieces visited China, many professionals from literary circles treasured these hard-won opportunities for study and reference deeply, despite the long journeys. On the other hand, with the development of foreign-related cultural exchanges, many artists and professionals got more chances to go abroad for performances, visits, further education, and lectures. They also traveled abroad for international activities and academic meetings, where they made professional exchanges, exchanged their skills with their overseas counterparts, discussed national cultural development, obtained enlightenment, saw the cause of the art and culture of other countries and learned foreign management and operation. In August 1956, Mao Zedong said: When we learn the strong points of other countries, we will get a leap forward on our own work. Premier Zhou Enlai also stressed that Historically, each people in the world enriches and develops its own culture just through mutual study and absorption.

Since the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the CPC, our culture and art cause witnessed a rapid development. Achievements in culture and art cause also demonstrate that active expansion of foreign-related cultural exchange is of significance for study and to benefit from the experience of other countries on ethical cultural development and especially on operation and management, and to promote development of Chinese socialist literary cause. Its expansion has not only received welcome and support from many literary workers but the party's and the government's regard and concern, as well.