Published by ChinaMNC · Shanwei
Shanwei Forum Signals Local Push to Turn Cultural Resources into Development Advantages
A meeting between Shanwei's leadership and cultural research delegates highlights how local governments in Guangdong are linking cultural heritage, tourism and investment promotion — a signal worth watching for foreign founders choosing where to register or expand in China.
What Happened in Shanwei
On the afternoon of October 28, Shanwei Party Secretary and Municipal People's Congress Standing Committee Director Lu Feng met with Yang Wenjun and his delegation, who were in Shanwei to attend the 2026 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Guangdong) Culture and History Forum. Yang serves as director of the Research Center of the Central Research Institute of Culture and History (Chinese Poetry Research Institute) under the Counsellor's Office of the State Council. Zeng Xiaohui, chairman of the Municipal CPPCC, also attended the meeting.
The two sides discussed deepening cooperation on culture and history research, carrying forward revolutionary heritage, and promoting the protection, inheritance and revitalization of cultural resources. The talks were framed around studying the important expositions on cultural heritage protection and inheritance.
Why the Forum Matters Locally
Lu welcomed the delegation and thanked the Counsellor's Office of the State Council, the Central Research Institute of Culture and History and the provincial institute for their long-standing support of Shanwei. He noted that the Hailufeng area has a deep revolutionary history and rich "red" cultural resources.
He said the forum, held in Shanwei under the theme "Inheriting Red Genes and Creating New Advantages for Greater Bay Area Development," provides an important platform for the city to strengthen cultural and historical exchange and research. Lu expressed the hope that participating experts and scholars will use their professional strengths to help Shanwei tap and utilize Hailufeng red culture, intangible cultural heritage and historical and humanistic resources, to develop influential cultural brands, and to accelerate creative transformation and innovative development.
He also called for stronger coordination between culture and history research, cultural inheritance and the integration of culture and tourism, and for exploring effective paths to convert cultural resource advantages into development advantages — better empowering Shanwei's high-quality development and modernization.
What the Delegation Said
Guest representatives thanked the Shanwei municipal party committee and government for their attention and careful preparation. Experts and scholars said Shanwei is rich in red resources and has distinctive cultural characteristics. The forum was to include keynote speeches and interviews on inheriting red genes and building Greater Bay Area cultural life, along with field research.
The Research Center of the Central Research Institute of Culture and History and the provincial government's culture and history institute will leverage their strengths in historical research and artistic creation, link up with Shanwei through forum activities and arrangements such as the provincial institute's sketching exhibition of historical and cultural villages, dig deeper into Hailufeng red cultural resources, promote Shanwei's cultural brands, support the city's drive to become a culturally strong city, and contribute to cultural prosperity in the Greater Bay Area.
Site Visits and Follow-Up Activities
During the forum, participating experts and scholars were scheduled to visit the Red Palace and Red Square Former Site Memorial Hall in Haifeng County and the Ketang jewelry trading market for research, and to take part in an expert interview event titled "Telling Shanwei's Mountain and Sea Stories in the New Era."
Also attending the meeting were relevant officials from the Counsellor's Office of the State Council and the Research Center of the Central Research Institute of Culture and History, members and experts from the provincial institute, and municipal leader Zhou Yi.
Practical Takeaways for Foreign Founders
For foreign founders evaluating where to register or expand a company in China, meetings like this are worth reading as signals of local government priorities rather than as direct business announcements.
- Culture-linked tourism is a stated local priority. Shanwei's leadership explicitly links cultural heritage protection with tourism integration and with converting cultural resources into development advantages. Founders in tourism, hospitality, cultural products, events or related services may find a receptive policy environment.
- Red tourism and heritage sites attract official attention. The planned visits to the Red Palace and Red Square memorial and to the Ketang jewelry market show where local officials see assets worth promoting — heritage sites and specialized trade markets.
- Specialized markets signal existing clusters. The inclusion of the Ketang jewelry trading market in the itinerary points to an established jewelry trade cluster in Haifeng County, relevant to founders in sourcing, trading or light manufacturing.
- Brand-building support is on the agenda. Local officials said they want help developing influential cultural brands and promoting Shanwei's cultural identity — language that often precedes support programs for creative and cultural enterprises.
- Engage through official channels. The meeting involved municipal leaders and national and provincial research bodies. Foreign founders considering Shanwei should plan to work through local government service centers and established industrial parks rather than relying on informal introductions.
What This Does Not Tell You
The source contains no information on tax incentives, land policies, foreign investment rules, company registration procedures or timelines in Shanwei. It also provides no statistics on investment, company numbers or market size. Founders should treat this as context on local development direction and verify all regulatory and fiscal details with qualified professionals and the relevant authorities.
This summary is based on information published by the relevant Chinese government website and is general information, not legal or tax advice.
Foreign founders who want to explore registering or operating a company in China can contact ChinaMNC on WhatsApp or WeChat at +86 153 1898 8535 for practical support.