BEIJING -- A flourishing culture is a hallmark of Chinese modernization.

With China set to embark on its new five-year plan, inspiring the cultural creativity of the entire nation and fostering a thriving socialist culture has been underscored in the draft outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), which is under examination and discussion during the ongoing two sessions in Beijing.

Feng Xiaoting, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), speaks during a panel discussion at the fourth session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee in Beijing, capital of China, March 6, 2026. [Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai]

"New Popular Literature and Art," a wave of amateur creativity where people from all walks of life turn lived experience into art, has become a quintessential example of how the Chinese people inspire their cultural creativity, sparking lively discussions during this year's two sessions.

On March 6, Feng Xiaoting, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivered a speech during a panel discussion. She stated that everyone is a participant and beneficiary of the "New Popular Literature and Art," which not only allows heartwarming moments of ordinary people to spread widely, enabling kindness to be seen by more people, but also fosters the creation of thoughtful and profound works that lead the values of the times with high-quality content.

Su Haizhen, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), attends the opening meeting of the fourth session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2026. [Xinhua/Chen Yichen]

The prosperity of culture is also inseparable from generations of inheritors of fine traditional Chinese culture.

Su Haizhen, a woman of the Jing ethnic group, and also an inheritor of the ethnic instrument Duxianqin, has been dedicated to the protection, inheritance, and innovative development of Duxianqin for decades. As a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), she frequently visits merchants, fishermen, and tourists to fully understand their hopes and expectations on the preservation and promotion of fine traditional Chinese culture.

Su Haizhen plays the Duxianqin on Jintan Beach in Dongxing City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Feb. 7, 2026. [Xinhua/Lu Boan]

Su Haizhen asks for local residents' advice on tourism and cultural development with cellphone near the Dongxing Port in Dongxing City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Feb. 7, 2026. [Xinhua/Lu Boan]

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), culture and tourism have shown a strong momentum of development, effectively promoting high-quality economic and social growth and making positive contributions to meeting the people's needs for a better life.

Tourists visit the 32nd Zigong International Dinosaur Lantern Show in Zigong, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Jan. 23, 2026. [Xinhua/Wang Xi]

With innovative masterpieces and cultural projects continuously rolling out, China has also made breakthroughs in improving its public cultural services. Village galas, public libraries, registered museums, and mass cultural centers have enriched the daily life of the common people. Meanwhile, the preservation of cultural relics has been comprehensively upgraded, and the level of systematic protection of intangible cultural heritage continues to rise.

An aerial drone photo shows people watching a "village gala" in Taipan Village of Taijiang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Feb. 3, 2026. [Xinhua/Yang Wenbin]

The cultural and tourism industries are thriving and flourishing. For the full year of 2025, domestic trips by Chinese residents exceeded 6.5 billion, up more than 16 percent year on year, with tourism expenditure reaching 6.3 trillion yuan, an increase of 9.5 percent -- setting new records in both volume and spending.

Audience watch the animated film "Ne Zha 2" at a cinema in Guiyang, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Feb. 25, 2025. [Xinhua/Ou Dongqu]

China has also carried out extensive intergovernmental cooperation and dialogue with countries around the world. Events such as "Happy Spring Festival" and the "Liangzhu Forum" have been continuously enhanced. The overseas promotion of the national tourism image under the theme "Nihao! China" has been conducted. The growing popularity of "China Travel" and "China Shopping" is fueled by sustained efforts to expand visa-free policies and facilitate inbound travel.

Visitors walk past posters during the eighth China International Import Expo (CIIE) in east China's Shanghai, Nov. 8, 2025. [Xinhua/Liu Ying]

As is pointed out in the draft outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), China will continue to promote and practice the core socialist values, boost cultural programs, accelerate the development of cultural industries and extend the reach and appeal of Chinese civilization.

Tourists are pictured at an ancient city wall in Nanhu District of Jiaxing City, east China's Zhejiang Province, on Oct. 1, 2025. [Xinhua/Xu Yu]