China: ICH protection to be with preferential policies

Vice Minister of Culture Wang Wenzhang expressed on June 18 that, the "Law on the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH)"will be submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for discussion, meanwhile, the Ministry of Culture will cooperate with related departments to promulgate the special policies to give preference on the aspects of tax and loan.

"Retaining Manual Skills——Forum on the Protection of Traditional Arts and Crafts" was held on June 18 in Beijing. Wang expressed that, as the manual skills, traditional arts and crafts are the people-oriented ICHs, the cultural contents and art values should be exerted by manual creations, and the protection and succession will be achieved only in production practice.

The forum was sponsored by Ministry of Culture, undertaken by the ICH Division of Ministry of Culture, China ICH Protection Center, and co-sponsored by China National Arts and Crafts Museum and Gems & Jewelry Trade Association of China and the cultural departments in 23 provinces (cities and districts). A total of 145 related leaders, experts, scholars, inheritors and masters of arts and crafts attended the meeting.