Recently, during the 21st Shanghai International Film Festival, 2018, the 1st Zhijiang International Communication Forum jointly sponsored by Shanghai Academy, Chongyang Institute of Financial Studies of Renmin University of China, Zhijiang Investment, Eastwave Film Group, and the Belt and Road Green Fund, and supported by the China Council for the BRICS Think Tank Cooperation (CCBTC), was successfully held. The Inauguration Ceremony for Zhijiang International Communication Think Tank was also held during the forum.
High level leaders and experts from such fields as finance, think tank and film including CCBTC, China Development Bank, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, China Film Co-Production Corporation, Shanghai Industrial Group, Shanghai Film Group, Eastwave Film Group, Tibet Humanities Investment Group, and Jisu Capital conducted in-depth cross-sector exchange centering around the forum's subject “New Type of South-South Cooperation and International Culture Communication".
As one of the speaking guests at the event, Yang Huijun, Director of the Secretariat of Shanghai Academy, introduced the basic situation of Shanghai Academy, stating that the new type of South-South cooperation serves as a beneficial supplement for Belt and Road related projects and construction of a human community with a common destiny. From the aspects of global perspective and the human community with a common destiny, we must combine the current situation and the needs of economic and social development to better serve the overall development of international film cooperation, serving national strategies, and serving a new era.
Gathering ideas for an international communication strategy in the new era
To improve its development level, the Chinese film and TV industry needs to plan its development from the perspective of global governance. Luo La, General Manager of Eastwave Film Group Film Industry Company, said the large-scale TV series Overseas Security Officer which was jointly produced by Eastwave Film Industry Company, Tibet Humanities Investment Group, and the Summer Star Company involves a total investment of about 300 million yuan. With Leon Lai and Zhang Fengyi as the leading actors, it is the first film and TV work produced in China to employ the theme of the common destiny between China and the Central African community as its background and subject matter, and embodies the thought and idea of South-South cooperation. The film is a successful product of the "think tank + finance + film and TV works" model. As a provincial state-owned cultural enterprise of Zhejiang Province, Eastwave Film Industry Company shoulders a responsibility for the times and consciously integrates the national strategic objectives of cultural publicity into the company's project development, and strives to tell the world Chinese stories with Film and TV as the carrier.
Xu Chunping, Vice President of Shanghai Film Group said, one of the signs for good development of the Chinese film industry is to tell Chinese stories well. Film and TV works should tell Chinese stories to the world well, and what's most important is to provide high quality content that is suitable for international audiences. In order to let China change from a large movie power into a great movie power, openness and cooperation is the key. ”The idea about human beings as a community with a common destiny is the best guideline for the development direction of China's film and TV industry."
Huang Ziheng, Deputy Director of the Research Institute of China Development Bank, said, international cultural communication under the framework of South-South cooperation involves a clear theme, a high vision, and accurate positioning. Culture is very important during the process of South-South cooperation and the development process of the "One Belt and One Road" initiative. Film and TV carriers are important in shaping the values of the world. “By using Chinese stories to introduce China’s cultural values to the world, film and TV is an important communication medium, using, the languages of the world and the technology systems available”.
Yu Lihui, member of the All-China Youth Federation, and the founding partner of Zhijiang Investment, said: Zhijiang Investment has established Zhijiang Culture and Tourism Industry Fund, and will integrate advantageous culture and tourism production elements across the globe, and promote the Chinese culture industry chain to move toward the high end of the global value chain through the World Tourism Alliance, jointly initiated with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. In the "think tank + finance + film and TV works" model, think tanks provide intellectual capital for fund development, and provide thoughts and ideas for film and TV products; funds provide financial capital for think tank building and film and TV products; film and TV works provide think tanks with a communication carrier, and help realize investment return for the funds. This is a very innovative way of cross-border integration, since it provides a path that perfectly integrates theory and practice for the development of the Chinese culture industry. As the main provider in the thought and idea market, think tanks help inject a soul into capital, and infuse a spirit into culture, which promotes building of the thought and idea market in the process of achieving wide and influential communication.
Professor Hu Haibin from Chongyang Institute of Financial Studies of Renmin University of China explained about how to promote the communication of Chinese culture and expand its influence. Firstly, we need to occupy the commanding heights in planning of the human community with a common destiny; secondly, we need to produce high quality products; thirdly, we need to widely and fully utilize the various resources at our disposal to actively create and build a platform for international cooperation.
Regarding how the Chinese film industry can improve its influence, reach, and competitiveness in international communication, Xu Shujun, Vice President of China Film Co-Production Corporation, said, the co-production corporation was established with the aim of "conducting external cooperation on film production, and serving national diplomacy". Currently, the company has signed film co-production agreements with 21 countries across the globe, and co-production agreements with another 14 countries are in progress. Just as in the case of Overseas Security Officer, with China becoming the biggest film market in the world, cooperation between the Chinese film industry and the international film industry will witness in-depth development, integration and cooperation;
Regarding the model of "film and TV works + finance + think tanks", Zhou Xiong, Vice-president of Shanghai Industrial Group, gave his own understanding: “think tanks are like the brain; film and TV works are like the body, serving as a carrier; and finance is like the blood. With these three aspects in mind, I believe that the sponsors of this workshop can find a linking point between culture diffusion and business model."
At the Inauguration Ceremony for Zhijiang International Communication Think Tank, relevant responsible persons of the think tank said: Zhijiang International Communication Think Tank was established to communicate the strategic visions and pursuits of contemporary China’s values to the world. Thus, to establish an ideological and spiritual dimension that matches the great power status of China, which is leading the new order of global governance, to provide a high level film and TV industry that matches the status of Shanghai, which is building itself into a global city, and to lead the Chinese culture industry to move toward the high end of the value chain, so as to better integrate and connect with the world, and to support the establishment of a community of common destiny of human civilizations.
