Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, presides over the 39th biweekly consultation meeting of the 14th CPPCC National Committee in Beijing on Nov 14. [Photo by Jiang Guidong/CPPCC Daily]

The 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) held its 39th biweekly consultation meeting in Beijing on Nov 14. The meeting focused on leveraging the development of the cultural relics and museum sector to consolidate the sense of community for the Chinese nation.

Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, presided over the meeting.

Wang noted that since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, the cultural relics and museum sector has been a prioritized area in consolidating the sense of community for the Chinese nation and promoting the building of the community. A series of deployments were implemented to promote the robust development of this sector, leading to historic accomplishments, he emphasized.

Wang stressed that the CPPCC should thoroughly implement the CPC Central Committee's decisions and arrangements concerning the sector. He called for recognizing the importance of the cultural relics and museum sector in consolidating the sense of community for the Chinese nation on the new journey and in the new era. More efforts should be made to strengthen research and participate in deliberation of State affairs, so as to promote the development of this sector and give full play to its role, he said.

Wang said that fostering a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation is crucial to achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. He called on all CPPCC members to focus on major issues, including laying a solid foundation for consolidating the sense of community for the Chinese nation, enhancing the capability of protecting cultural relics, conducting research on the history of the development of the community of the Chinese nation, summarizing and presenting the common spiritual identity of the Chinese nation, and telling good stories of the community of the Chinese nation. CPPCC members should strengthen research on these topics, report on real situations and propose recommendations based on their research results, he added.

Wang also said that CPPCC members in relevant participating groups should effectively communicate policies, address questions and concerns and build consensus, contributing to building an independent system of historical data, discourse and theory for the community of the Chinese nation. He also urged CPPCC members to actively participate in initiatives such as "serving the people", cultural and historical lectures, and carrying out cultural activities in grassroots communities to enhance the public's recognition of the great motherland, the Chinese nation, Chinese culture, the CPC, and socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Eleven members of the CPPCC National Committee and one expert shared their views at the meeting. They emphasized finding historical facts about exchanges and integration between ethnic groups, building China's independent knowledge system of the community of the Chinese nation, establishing a specialized resource database, and highlighting Chinese cultural signs and images of the Chinese nation that are shared by all ethnic groups, so as to provide support for consolidating the sense of community for the Chinese nation.

They called for integrated efforts from museums, departments of ethnic affairs and the academic community in interpreting the historical meaning of cultural relics, and demonstrating the historic achievements of ethnic unity and progress in the new era.

They also suggested taking the opportunities arising from the integration of culture and tourism to tell compelling stories of forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation.

CPPCC National Committee vice-chairpersons Bater, Su Hui, Mu Hong, Wang Dongfeng, Jiang Xinzhi, Jiang Zuojun, He Baoxiang and Yang Zhen attended the meeting. Senior officials from the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, the National Ethnic Affairs Commission and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism provided briefings and engaged in discussions with CPPCC members.