The development of culture was one of the key points in the provincial government report released at the fifth session of the 13th Zhejiang Provincial People's Congress on Jan 26.

Deputies to the congress and members of the CPPCC Zhejiang committee who work in the culture industry voiced their opinions about cultural issues while being interviewed at the two sessions.

Deputy Hu Hairong, vice-director of Zhejiang Library, said that the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period should have a higher level of public culture service in Zhejiang. Hu suggested service infrastructure be enhanced, with more emphasis on humanistic care, local authorities coming up with innovative culture projects, such as establishing adolescent reading festivals, as well as promoting digitized services in order to bridge the regional gap in cultural services.

Hu said that the new site for Zhejiang Library is under construction and expected to open to the public by 2022. A highlight of the new library will be its smart stack room, which employs robots to facilitate the leasing, collection, and return of books.

Chen Qingyang, a senior art critic from Zhejiang Painting Academy, is a member of the CPPCC Zhejiang committee. Chen said that cultural halls in rural villages across the province should raise their frequency in holding cultural events in the coming years.

"I was particularly inspired by the government work report as it proposes to bolster the construction of the industrial cluster of film and television in Hengdian, as well as  the film and television center in Xiangshan to expand their global influence," said Xu Tianfu, a member of the CPPCC Zhejiang committee and vice-president of Hengdian Group.

Hengdian World Studios, located in Hengdian town, Dongyang, is the world's largest film and TV drama shooting base. Hengdian Group is the founder and operator of the studios.

"Hengdian will aim to become the world's best studio. We shall build a more complete industrial chain and attract more talents," Xu said. He also suggested that Zhejiang continue to lead the way in internationalization efforts, as well as the innovation of technologies and institutions for China's film and television sector.

Visitors interact with actors in Hengdian World Studios, known as the "Chinese Hollywood" in East China's Zhejiang Province. [Photo/CHINA DAILY]