Creation of a tentative index system for the national cultural industry

China has been on its course of advancing development of the cultural industry since 2000. During a 3-year pilot period for cultural system reform from 2003, institutions including the National Bureau of Statistics established a tentative index system for the national cultural industry. This divides the different cultural industry sectors into a concentric arrangement involving a core segment, peripheral segment and ancillary segment. Radio, film and television, press and publishing, and artistic performances are classed as the “core segment of the cultural industry”; the internet, travel agency services, cultural services in sightseeing areas, leisure parks, recreation, fitness and entertainment, and internet cafés form the “peripheral segment”, while the “ancillary segment” comprises production and sales of stationery, musical instruments, toys, household audiovisual devices and handicrafts. Following this classification, the National Bureau of Statistics has twice issued figures on the added value of the national cultural industry. In 2004, the added value made up 2.15% of GDP, while by 2010, the added value of the national cultural industry came up to 1.1 trillion RMB, 2.75% of GDP. The Chinese government hopes that the cultural industry will grow into a pillar industry of the economy by 2020.