Ma pledges to enhance the int’l status of local culture

Ma described himself as a future “culture President.”

“A city can be expanded through public construction, but only the development of culture will make the city greater,” he said following his one-hour-long visit.

The president-elect then suggested exporting Taiwan culture alongside computer and electronic devices in order to enhance the country’s image and reputation abroad.

“How to develop a cultural product into not only a creative work but also one that touches people is crucial,” he said, while vowing to make the island a culture-based nation.

Also, Ma urged local artistic groups to deepen their “roots in Taiwan” while developing overseas, including China. “This is also a task that our government must make the effort to tackle,” he added.

The president-elect promised to spur cultural development during his term in office by raising the annual budget for cultural affairs to 4 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), from the current 1.3 percent.

Expressing appreciation of Ma’s determination to take action on culture-related issues, Lin urged “the minister-designate in charge of the Council for Cultural Affairs Huang Pi-tuan to gradually put Ma’s policies into action.”

He further suggested that Ma’s administration should first review the regulations governing art in Taiwan and then establish a clear blueprint for the country’s cultural development before putting the revised guidelines into practice.

“We have concern ourselves with creating a better cultural environment in which all the artists are able to survive and grow,” Lin said.

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