Contracts totaling 105.5 billion yuan ($17.2 billion) were agreed on during the 9th China Beijing International Cultural and Creative Industry Expo, which ended in Beijing on Dec 14.

The contracts covered the trading of cultural creative products, construction of industrial parks, project investment and funding plans of financial institutions. They also showed some new trends, according the organizing committee.

The number of joint investment projects by enterprises in Beijing and various other provinces have increased, a sign that the capital’s cultural resource advantages are boosting cross-regional economic ventures. In addition, projects featuring the integration of culture, technology and the financial industries have increased notably.

At a collective signing ceremony on Dec 12, 12 cultural creative projects, worth of 7 billion yuan were agreed upon. Many of the projects were related to platforms for industrial services, involving high technology and a wide range of industries, and showed signs of industrial convergence and active regional cooperation.

The expo, starting from Dec 10 and jointly hosted by the Ministry of Culture; the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television; and the Beijing Municipal Government embraced the theme “Promote Cultural Innovation and Boost Industrial Integration” and showcased the latest developments and trends in China’s cultural and creative industries.

It staged more than 100 events, including demonstrations and exhibitions, promotions, forums, creative activities and sub-venue events.

It attracted exhibitors from 26 provinces and 51 government or special delegations from 33 countries and regions. About 1,800 cultural creative enterprises attended the main venue.

About 1.23 million people from home and abroad participated in the expo activities, and the expo’s website received 1.10 million visits from 50 countries and regions, according to the organizing committee.

Liu Yang, deputy director of the committee, said the expo has now become a national-level platform for the international promotion of China’s cultural and creative industries and for international exchanges and cooperation.

Enterprises and industrial parks featuring the integration of culture with communications, technology, finance, sports, agriculture and other industries formed the backbone of the expo.

“China’s cultural and creative industries’ innovative ability is being continually enhanced. Its integration with other industries is constantly deepening, and its region-based development is becoming ever stronger,” said Liu.

The expo also featured the rich resources of traditional Chinese culture. The strong market vitality of some of its intangible cultural heritage was also showcased.

Forty-four practitioners of crafts designated national-level intangible cultural heritage items and 65 practitioners of provincial-level ones based in Yihuijia Manual Village in Beijing were invited to demonstrate their work.

“This year’s expo showed that people are increasingly becoming engaged in the inheritance and innovation of traditional Chinese culture,” said Liu.

Regional creative industries and cultural traditions were also on show. Fourteen provinces and autonomous regions demonstrated local crafts along with the animation industry, cultural tourism and cultural technologies.

The international cultural creative achievement section of the expo attracted enterprises from Australia, Italy, Nepal, the United Kingdom, the United States and Russia, among others.

At the China-Europe Cultural Trade Forum representatives of cultural organizations from Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Romania and the UK discussed issues related to cultural and creative industries and agreed to boost exchanges and cooperation.

A carved lacquer dragon is displayed in the Molon Creative Park of Cultural Industries in Beijing.[Photo by Wang Zhuangfei/China Daily]

Two members of the Peking Opera perform at the expo in Beijing.[Photo by Zhu Xingxin/China Daily]

The Mountain Stream, an incense stand designed by LKK, attracts interest. The company’s items are often chosen as gifts for foreigners.[Photo by Zhu Xingxin/China Daily]

Tableware designed for the welcoming banquet in the Water Cube during the recent APEC meeting is displayed during the expo.[Photo by Zhu Xingxin/China Daily]