Importance of design recognized in government plan

The Report on the Work of the Government for 2011 delivered at the Fourth Session of the Eleventh National People’s Congress and the Twelfth Five-Year Plan both put great emphasis on the importance of the development of the country’s design industry, including industrial design.

The fourth point in the Report on the Work of the Government for 2011 said focus should be placed on becoming better able to develop new products; while the Twelfth Five-Year Plan set out the goal of accelerating the development of the innovative design industry and promoting the transformation of the industrial design sector from appearance design to high-end and comprehensive design services.

The plan also said that the national economy to promote cultural industries has become a pillar industry, and enhanced the overall strength and competitiveness of the cultural and creative industries. On the global side, United Nations is also taking eyes on design industry. This year’s topic of the UN Intellectual Property Day is “Designing the Future”.

Cathy Huang, founder of CBi, said the news marked a watershed moment inChina’s design industry, and said that CBi would play a leading role in achieving the goals set out.

“We have often said that the spring time of the creative design industries in China is coming, and these statements enshrined in the government’s plans signal that it has truly arrived,” said Ms. Huang.

“This is recognition at the highest level of the wide-reaching important effect that innovative design has on the economy and people’s lives as a whole. We look forward to advancing the aims and ideals set out, as they dovetail with the mission CBi has been pursuing since its inception.”