With the beginning of the new century, we face new situations, shoulder new tasks and need a new style of work. Only based on a strategy in light of the situation can China sustain its cultural development.

I. Economic Globalization and Cultural Pluralism

On the topic how culture shapes, and is shaped by, the increasing worldwide economic integration, some people think that globalization is leading to cultural homogeneity but others challenge the view, arguing that societies largely maintain their individual characteristics despite economic pressures. Economic globalization and political pluralism will gradually lead to cultural diversification and cultural pluralism, and cultural values in many respects define how business is conducted within a nation.

Cultural Pluralism Has Emerged as a New Trend.

1. In the 21st Century, the world is going through globalization but is also facing the threat of Americanization. American cultures, represented by movies, TV programs, pop music, fast food and Internet, are penetrating the world by taking advantage of commercial mechanism and high-tech. The cultural penetration by the United States on a large scale has aroused roaring resistance from many countries including some western countries such as France and Canada. Cultural pluralism is the reflection of, and will also serve as a forceful impetus to, multi-polarization of the world political structure.

2. After the UNESCO put forward the proposition of cultural pluralism in a report on cultural diversification in 1996, the international community has gradually accepted the concept of cultural pluralism . The contemporary world cultural structure is facing a new reshuffle, in which many new issues for discussion are emerged - significance of cultural diversification and cultural development to sustainable social development, dominant position of high-tech and the development of culture including its diversification, among a good many of issues.

3. The spread of post-modernism thought has gone beyond the theory of cultural centralization and made westerners, especially men of insight in western academia and literature circle, no longer take their own course to promote ideological unification and cultural centralization. The world stage of culture does not solely belong to western cultures, oriental countries and other developing countries are not just recipients of widespread western cultures, but also creators of diversified cultures and participants of mutual dialogue.

Sticking to the theory of cultural pluralism is the tactic for China's Sino-foreign cultural policies. Working staff in the country's cultural domain should melt cultures into the world guided by the reform and opening-up policies while maintaining Chinese culture's national characteristics and diversification.

At the same time, we should keep clear-headed in Sino-foreign cultural exchanges in face of challenges and opportunities brought about economic globalization. We should not unilaterally regard globalization as great scourges and try to run around it, or embrace it entirely and go with the stream. On the contrary, we should seek a way based on the socialist ideology and adaptable to the world situation to develop China's culture industry.

II. Culture Industry and Sino-Foreign Cultural Work

In face of new tasks in the 21st Century, we should attach more attention to China's culture industry and more closely combine Sino-foreign cultural work with the culture industry. The culture industry has become a pillar industry in some developed countries. Among the 500 strong enterprises in the world, big companies such as Sony, Disney, Time Warner and Bertelsmann have listed culture and media as their core business. The 50 media and entertainment giants in the world take up 95% of the world's entraining and publishing market. Under the conditions of economic globalization and China's WTO entry, the culture industry in the country should get fully prepared for the new challenges. The culture industry is internationally recognized as a "sunrise industry" and the industry in China has a huge potential. Working staffs in the cultural domain should learn from foreign advanced experience, develop export-oriented culture industry and effectively foster world-known brands.

III. Cultural Dialogue and Multilateral Cultural Diplomacy

In recent years, the mechanism of multilateral cultural relations is becoming more and more important in intercultural dialogues among different countries. International cultural cooperation mechanism represented by the world cultural summit UNESCO and Canada advocated has played a significant role on the stage of international cultures, exerted great influence on the promulgation and implementation of different countries' cultural policies, and greatly impacted international cultural cooperation.

Based on the principle of cultural diversification in the world, we propose coexistence, dialogue, exchanges, compatibility and development of different cultures. Cultural dialogue and political dialogue supplement each other and the former plays an important part of cultural diplomacy. Cultural dialogue, with its unique form and distinct features, can sometimes help resolve troublesome political and economic issues; therefore, a lot of countries begin to attach much importance to cultural diplomacy. Due to different language, ways of thinking and cultural background, China still lacks experience of participation in large-scale international dialogues and it should take initiatives to melt into the international community and actively explore the possibility of holding important international cultural conferences.