Academic publishing and specialist book publishing have always been the strengths of the traditional publishing industry in Shanghai, the birthplace of the modern Chinese publishing industry. After years of glorious development, the Shanghai publishing industry is reaching astonishing new heights thanks to the launch of beneficial policies.
In 2012, Shanghai launched beneficial policies for both the press and the publishing industry to accelerate the reform and development of publishing media groups, enhance the innovation of cultural products and culture and technology in general, and initiate the cross-border development of cultural products. In 2017, Shanghai released its policy document “Several Opinions on Accelerating the Innovative Development of the Cultural and Creative Industry in Shanghai” (“50 Opinions”), which played a crucial role in the development and transformation of the traditional publishing industry and focused on constructing a new landscape for the publishing industry. “50 Opinions” supports the presence of well-known private publishing agencies in Shanghai, and encourages them to co-operate with state-owned publishers in the city. It also put forward the Internet Plus strategy and set standards for printing, production, etc.
As regards the television and film industry, Shanghai has combined the existing relevant supporting policies and funds to allocate no less than RMB 200 million annually to support the development of the industry, providing a good guarantee for the creation and production of quality products and supporting market surveys and the shooting and production of films and TV programs.
“50 Opinions” reiterated that it will spare no effort to support the film industry within Shanghai in line with its objective: to build the modern film industry system, establish Shanghai as a global center for film production, and attract more film crews and filmmakers to shoot and produce films in Shanghai, thereby promoting the film industry of Shanghai more effectively and rapidly.
In 2016, the central government issued a document for the artistic performance industry in Shanghai, with the aim of promoting its prosperous development and helping Shanghai realize the strategic objective of establishing itself as an international cultural metropolis by 2020.
According to “50 Opinions,” Shanghai needs to become an Asian Performance Capital. To do so it must: encourage troupes and artists well-known in China and abroad to debut their original works in Shanghai; support and encourage social capital to be invested in optimizing the layout of performance facilities by constructing and renovating theaters and performance space; ensure artistic creations and productions cover major themes; and support the development of private artistic performance troupes.
To promote the prosperity and development of the animation, comics, and games industry in Shanghai, the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government founded the Shanghai Supporting Fund for the Animation, Comics, and Games Industry, actively encouraging and supporting excellent original comics, TV animations, animated films, online games, and the like.
In 2017, “50 Opinions” proposed: establishing Shanghai as a global center for original animations, comics, and games; providing rewards and preferential tax policies to games companies; expanding the public services for games to effectively cut the costs of games companies; and supporting the hosting of world-leading e-sports competitions to create a favorable ecosphere for animation, comics, and games companies.
To boost the development of new high-end service industries such as the cultural creative and design service industry, and facilitate their in-depth integration with the rest of the economy, the State Council of China launched beneficial policies for the creative and design industries, providing great support for professionals in the industry, establishing a favorable industrial environment, and offering preferential tax policies.
The publication of the government’s “50 Opinions” accelerated the development of the creative and design industries and the establishment of Shanghai as a capital of design, fashion, and brands. According to “50 Opinions,” Shanghai needs to strengthen its industrial design sector and adhere to the concept of “Big Industrial Design;” enhance the overall benefit and international competitiveness of the creative and design industries and promote the development of the fashion design industry and the relevant service industries; and foster product (company) brands and encourage cultural and creative companies to engage with a pilot project to cultivate brands, thus strengthening their capability to build brands.