Photo taken on Aug. 16, 2023 shows foreign youth gaining hands-on experience in Chinese intangible cultural heritage during a sustainable development summer camp in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province. [Photo by Yang Bo/China News Service]

Chinese culture encompasses a profound ideological system, rich achievements in science, technology, culture, and the arts, as well as distinctive institutional innovations. It has profoundly influenced the progress of world civilization and offers valuable insights for addressing human challenges. In an era marked by rapid technological advancement and the dynamic interplay of diverse cultures, building national cultural soft power — especially through the global reach of Chinese culture — holds strategic significance for shaping the country's image, strengthening its voice in international discourse, and enhancing its international influence.

Recently, China News Release interviewed Zhou Shuchun, former publisher and editor-in-chief of China Daily, who has long been deeply engaged in news reporting, international communication and public diplomacy. He noted that, drawing on its profound civilizational heritage and innovative narratives that resonate with contemporary audiences, Chinese culture is reaching global audiences with unprecedented vitality, serving as a key driver in advancing exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, and building a community with a shared future for humanity.

China News Release: Recently, China has achieved new progress and entered a new phase in strengthening the global influence of Chinese culture. What is your perspective on this new development?

Zhou Shuchun: On October 28, 2024, General Secretary Xi Jinping, while presiding over the 17th group study session of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, delivered a speech emphasizing the goal of building China into a country with a strong culture by 2035. The speech has now been included in the newly released fifth volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China. It outlines measures across five key areas to accelerate the building of a strong cultural nation, two of which directly address the question you have raised.