Culture Beyond Borders | Zong Yuan: The ICIF fosters exchang(2)

Zong Yuan: I think it plays a vital role, indeed. Take, for instance, our ongoing project, the New Zealand Style Park. This is basically a theme park centered on the essence of New Zealand. The park offers extensive insights into New Zealand's natural and cultural environments, its products, and involves interactive, immersive cultural and travel projects. Setting up this style park allows us to comprehensively showcase New Zealand’s culture, national image, and corporate offerings to the Chinese market, so as to generate substantial economic benefits. There are similar projects in New Zealand. It's a country with only five million people, yet it attracts around thirty to forty thousand visitors annually. In Japan, the numbers might reach up to a hundred thousand. In China, I believe the number of visitors could hit three hundred thousand annually. Through such cultural and economic integration and exchanges, we not only bring business opportunities to New Zealand companies but also provide the Chinese market with unique cultural and tourism experiences, leading to strong business results and opportunities for commercial exchange and collaboration between companies from New Zealand and China.

SFC Markets and Finance: In terms of cultural exchange and cultural trade, what kind of challenges still exist? How to solve it in the future? 

Zong Yuan: Certainly, there are challenges. The first one is the difference in culture. After all, New Zealand is a Western country and quite distant from China. Secondly, it has a smaller population, and its thinking may be limited by national characteristics. However, the Chinese market is vast. The real challenge lies in how to effectively present the cultural essence of a small Western country like New Zealand in a specific location in China, which is crucial. For New Zealand, given the size of China, which has over a billion people and a vast geographical spread, my understanding is that New Zealand needs to focus on establishing its footprint in a major economic city where the culture and economy align. I believe this approach would greatly support New Zealand's promotional efforts in China. 

SFC Markets and Finance: With Chinese traditional culture going abroad, such as Chaoshan Yingge dance, do you think the New Zealand’s understanding of Chinese culture is deepening? 

Zong Yuan: There's a need for New Zealand to deepen its understanding, as cultural understanding is mutual. Consistently promoting Chinese culture in New Zealand is essential for enabling their public to better understand what Chinese culture entails. As I mentioned earlier, Eastern culture, particularly Chinese culture, is profoundly nuanced and regionally diverse. Therefore, various provincial cultural and tourism departments, as well as commerce departments in China, are actively promoting in New Zealand, which I think is the right approach. China is vast, with diverse cultural aspects across different cities and regions. If you wish to be understood, such as coming for tourism, investment, or business, you must first promote your own culture to make yourself known. From that recognition, trust, understanding, and cooperation can develop. Hence, I believe it's crucial for us to promote our culture abroad. A lot has already been accomplished, and I look forward to seeing more unique and high-quality content presented in New Zealand in the future.

SFC Markets and Finance: In recent years, the digital cultural industry in the GBA has flourished. In your opinion, what kind of cooperation will New Zealand have with the GBA in the digital cultural industry?

Zong Yuan: I believe this represents a significant business opportunity and challenge for New Zealand in the future. The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Areais one of China's most economically powerful regions, it will form the wealthiest region in China, characterized by a dense population and a large economic scale. It could play a vital role in the promotion of New Zealand products and culture in the Greater Bay Area. We also plan to take advantage of the growth of China's digital economy to showcase New Zealand's artistic brands and product services in a digital format. For example, we could establish an online New Zealand National Arts and Lifestyle Pavilion, incorporating various aspects of New Zealand into it. Additionally, we can host a virtual expoto connect New Zealand products with the Greater Bay Area. There's a similar concept of bay areas in New Zealand itself, where several cities around a bay collaborate for economic development. I see an opportunity hereto link these economic zones in New Zealand with the Greater Bay Area, enriching our exchanges in culture, art, and cuisine. As a maritime nation, New Zealand offers a wealth of seafood and ocean products, and the famous Sauvignon Blanc wines. These cultural elements could quickly resonate within the Greater Bay Area. Then the arts and culture from New Zealand could soon reach this region through ongoing exchanges between cultural businesses of both countries. We are currently planning with enterprises in the Greater Bay Area to establish the first New Zealand National Arts and Lifestyle Gallery here. It’s an exciting prospect for the people in the Greater Bay Area to look forward to.

SFC Markets and Finance: What direction shall the GBA's cultural industry develop and improve in the future?