The planet is fraught with challenges as it enters the 21st century. Dozens of aspects about the world situation are urgent and need attention. Foremost among these are the challenges of elite economic globalization, the decline of nation states, and the "clash of civilizations", deteriorating ecological environment, shortage of resources and energy, and a widening gap between the rich and poor. What lies behind all these is the issue of culture. People have already realized that unique cultural traditions and historical characteristics in different nations might cause potential conditionality on their economy, politics and technology, and play a significant role in their social development. The international community is paying more attention to the relation between culture and development. What's more, the measurement of national strength has extended to cultural strength following economic and military strength, and the factor of culture is gaining a more prominent position in international ties. Making use of culture to lift a nation's international profile has become a strategic choice for major countries in the world.

I. Culture and Development: A New Strategic Issue

From the economic point of view, the two really great issues confronting the world today, issues of global strategic significance, are: first, peace, and second, economic development. The first involves East-West relations, while the second involves North-South relations. In short, countries in the East, West, North and South are all involved, but the North-South relations are the key issue. The first article of UNESCO Declaration on Cultural Diversity, issued in 1987, reads: Culture takes diverse forms across time and space. This diversity is embodied in the uniqueness and plurality of the identities of the groups and societies making up humankind. As a source of exchange, innovation and creativity, cultural diversity is as necessary for humankind as biodiversity is for nature. In this sense, it is the common heritage of humanity and should be recognized and affirmed for the benefit of present and future generations.

After the declaration was released, the issue of culture and development, together with that of environment and development, becomes two new strategic issues. Generally speaking, political peace and economic development are the two major themes in today's world, while the two new strategic issues are subaltern themes. However, it is too narrow to equate peace and development to political peace and economic development, and we should include economy, politics, environment and culture in the theory of comprehensive development and seek harmonious development of the four. Therefore, the concepts of political development, environmental development (not just environmental protection) and cultural development are brought forward. It is just in this sense that the UNESCO put forward the proposition of cultural pluralism, and pointed out "Policies for the inclusion and participation of all citizens are guarantees of social cohesion, the vitality of civil society and peace. Thus defined, cultural pluralism gives policy expression to the reality of cultural diversity. Indissociable from a democratic framework, cultural pluralism is conducive to cultural exchange and to the flourishing of creative capacities that sustain public life." "Cultural diversity widens the range of options open to everyone; it is one of the roots of development, understood not simply in terms of economic growth, but also as a means to achieve a more satisfactory intellectual, emotional, moral and spiritual existence."

II. Culture Today is Politics Tomorrow.

Whenever people talk about the western capitalist revolution, they'll start with the European Renaissance; when they talk about China's socialist revolution, they'll start with the New Culture Movement. One special role of culture is to communicate with the counterparts through providing what they love to see and hear and conquer them through exerting subtle influences and in their acceptable way. Conquering in terms of culture wins people's heart and is a real victory.

Though the Cold War is long gone, the Cold-War mentality still lingers. Culture is gradually becoming an important poise in tussle of paramountcy among different nations. Cultural penetration from western countries pose big threats to the culture industry and cultivate western life style, thinking and value judgment of many people especially the young generation. This will finally lead to transformation of ideology and social system. Many countries take various measures to beef up publicity and protection of their own national cultures and resist invasion of western negative influences. More and more people are calling for protection and development of national cultures, and cultural pluralism is gradually becoming a phenomenon internationally recognized.

At the same time, we also see that in today's world there are Gordian knots awaiting solutions, and foremost are East-West relations, North-South relations, ecological deterioration and the clash of civilizations, which all have profound cultural background. The three hot topics in today's world -- terrorism, splittism and extremism - are also originated from clash of civilization in the final analysis.

III. Culture Today is Economy Tomorrow.

In the past, we emphasized the ideological nature of culture too much, and focused on culture's political function but neglected its economic one. From Weber's thorough analysis of economy's cultural background in his book The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism to hot debates on enterprises' cultural image later, and in-depth researches on products' cultural contents thereafter, people have elevated culture's economic function to a new height. The new economy in the future should be a rational integration of high-tech and culture. In fact, many material goods carry rich cultural connotations and convey much cultural information. For instance, when having our meal at the McDonald's, we are enjoying not only the food itself but also the cultural flavor it carries. McDonald's represents a fashion of consumption culture, and it has almost become a symbol of the US culture in the domain of catering service.

Culture and economy are neither natural enemies nor two rails that never meet. With maturing of industrial economy, swift development of knowledge economy and increasing cultural economic globalization, the longstanding separated development of the two domains gradually came to an end and many countries are devoting efforts to promote their benign interaction. At the same time, culture's economic value draws more attention, leading to the emerging huge culture industry. Paintings by Gogh, Vincent van (1853-1890) are not just art treasures; they carry great economic values, repeatedly hitting record high in auction prices. The Washington Post (1998) reported that the largest export value was no longer created by farm goods or industrial products but popular cultural products in batch production such as films, TV programs, music, books, computer software, etc. In modern China, the culture market and culture industry that were born after the amalgamation of culture and economy not only created a new world for cultural development but also became a new main stem in economic construction. Some people even predict that culture and IT will become the two mainstay industries in the 21st Century.

III. International Cultural Competition - A New Topic under Discussion

The United States tries to sell its value judgment and life style to other countries, making use of its advantage of being a press power, powerful mass media and appealing mass cultural products such as Hollywood movies. France firmly resists the US cultural invasion, and regards foreign cultural propaganda as an important part of its diplomatic policies and attaches great importance to spread of French culture in the world, aiming to push forward cultural pluralism and break the monopoly of American culture. After the Soviet Union collapsed, Russian culture suffered great attacks. Aware of the critical situation of Russian national culture, Vladimir Putin, the president, approved the strategy of "cultural expansion" in early 2000, which established the country's proactive foreign cultural policies. Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhire Nakasone brought forth the strategic concept of "building culturally developed countries" as early as in the 1980s.

From the perspective of cultural development state, the notion of isolated development of culture already becomes obsolete, and an international system of cultural globalization and cultural pluralism is emerging. In face of attacks from western cultures, other civilizations should consolidate their distinct features, and protect and bring into play their advantages of national cultures.

IV. Old Civilized Nation of the World Aims High

In today's world, international competition among different countries is not just confined to competition among different social systems and ideologies; it extends to competition of survival capacity, development superiority and international position, which are all fundamentally competition of overall national strength that includes natural (area, population, resources, environment, etc.), social (political & military strength, social mobility, etc.) and spiritual (represented by culture) strengths. Culture is the heart of a country and the soul of a nation. Challenges arising from the culture domain should be tackled by the means of culture. Therefore, China should come up with feasible strategies on cultural development after in-depth researches, and at the same time boost economy to provide a strong backup force and a sound external environment for the culture industry.

(Author: Liu Shifa)