Redesigning China's creative image

• Source: Global Times
• [00:35 October 28 2009]
• Comments

798 Art District.

A manwalking past adisplay at the design congress. Photos: CFP

By Wu Ziru

With two major design events currently underway in the capital, China is transforming its design image to one of innovator in attempt to shed its often-used label of imitator. In recent years the government has initiated several projects to develop the nation's creative industries with the inaugural Beijing International Design Week coinciding with the Icograda World Design Congress and drawing significant support.

The week of design events is the largest-scale design fest ever to be held in China, involving all aspects of design life from industrial design to green technologies and fashion.

The comprehensive showcase of events has attracted over 100 speakers as well as more than 1,000 designers from around the world, according to Li Danyang, director of publicity. "People have been showing great interest in the festival since it opened Saturday and all the exhibitions held have been well attended up until now," Li added.

Wang Min, dean of the design department at China's Central Academy of Fine Arts, who is also the academic director of design week, expressed his confidence in the future of China's creative industries, saying that the combined events held in Beijing will "help to broaden Chinese designers' eyesight and bring fresh international design concepts and elements to China's design world."

"By holding such an event we are looking forward to helping redefi ne China's role in global design, thus building an international design center with original creativity," Wang explained.

Both events are considered by policymakers as leverage to boost China's creative industries.

"Beijing International Design Week will be the landmark activity of Beijing's design world and will be held once a year. It will surely help to boost communication between Beijing and the international design world," commented Beijing Deputy Mayor Cai Fuchao during his speech at the forum Design, Development and National Strategy.

Cai said the Beijing government has been actively promoting creative industries by all means possible, including the establishment of 21 Creative Industries Gardens across the city. "More than 500 million yuan ($73.20 million) has been spent to help develop creative industries since 2006," Cai added.