China to open Singapore and Brussels cultural centres in 360 million yuan expansion plan
China now has 20 cultural centres around the world, but hopes to be running 50 by 2020
China plans to invest 360 million yuan (about HK$450 million) in its expanding overseas cultural centres this year – an increase in spending of 181 per cent compared with last year, Xinhua reports.
The Ministry of Culture said in a press briefing yesterday that China was running 20 overseas cultural centres, totalling an area of 43,000 square metres, up to the end of last year.
The centres, which range in size from 2,000 sq metres to 5,000 sq metres, are used for hosting exhibitions about Chinese culture. as well teaching Chinese music, dance, fine arts, language, martial arts and cuisine.
Two new centres would open this year – one in Brussels, and the other in Singapore, the report said.
Others centres would open soon in Nepal, Pakistan and Tanzania, it added.
The ministry had also finished surveying the locations for centres in Sweden, Romania and Hungary, which could go into use as early as this year if plans went well, said Yan Dongsheng, deputy director of the ministry’s finance department.