The 2026 Beijing Culture Forum opened in the Chinese capital on Tuesday, releasing a series of major outcomes spanning ancient heritage protection to contemporary exchanges among civilizations.
The event, jointly hosted by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and the Beijing Municipal Government, brought together more than 600 guests from 44 countries and regions to the historic capital, home to a wealth of World Heritage sites.
Among the highlights was a report on China's cultural exchanges with the world, which underscored new progress and trends in deepening mutual learning among civilizations and boosting international understanding and recognition of Chinese civilization. The forum also announced the top 10 landmark events of 2025 in Beijing's push to build itself into the national cultural center.
Several key publications were also released, including a collection of over 30 cross-disciplinary research papers on cultural heritage preservation, alongside a new book chronicling China's archaeological achievements over the past century, tracing a complete chain of human origins and civilizational evolution on Chinese soil.
In addition, international and domestic partnerships were forged. Italy's Association of Walled Cities of Veneto and the Beijing Municipal Cultural Heritage Bureau signed a memorandum of understanding to deepen ties between the two ancient civilizations. Meanwhile, the Beijing Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Justice inked a strategic agreement on copyright protection to legally safeguard folk literary and artistic works.
The annual event comes as China continues to promote international cultural exchanges and cooperation through various platforms and initiatives. The Global Civilization Initiative, proposed by China in 2023, advocates respect for the diversity of civilizations, the common values of humanity, the importance of inheritance and innovation of civilizations, as well as robust international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation.
Beijing Culture Forum unveils key outcomes on heritage protection, civilizational exchanges
China marked its ninth farmers' harvest festival on Wednesday with diverse activities, highlighting the country's rich agricultural heritage and a booming rural economy driven by industrial integration.
A national-level event celebrating the festival was held in Dongjiao Village of Zaoyang City in central China's Hubei Province, a major grain-producing region.
Among the various celebrations, the demonstration of traditional agricultural craftsmanship became a highlight.
An inheritor to the Zaoyang coarse cloth weaving technique, a national-level intangible cultural heritage item, showcased the intricate process on a traditional wooden foot-pedal loom. With coordinated hand and foot movements, the weaver precisely controls the density and texture of the fabric.
"By carefully controlling the force and tempo, the cloth we weave is neat and uniform in density. We have made many China-chic creative cultural products, such as bags, pendants and sachets," said Liu Qian, an exhibitor.
Another exhibitor showcased the delicate art of doing pyrography on silk.
"What we make here is to do pyrography on silk, with the key points lying in the pressure applied to the burning pen and the speed of the strokes. This painting is called 'two steeds chasing the wind', symbolizing immediate success," said Zhao Qingyin, another exhibitor.
Known for its distinct industrial characteristics, Dongjiao Village produces over 840 tons of high-quality rice annually, while its peach industry generates an output of more than 12 million yuan (about 1.79 million U.S. dollars) each year.
"Our orchard features over 20 peach varieties that hit the market from May to October. We sell them by the piece, at 10 to 20 yuan (1.5 to 3 U.S. dollars) each, which increases our income by 2,000 to 3,000 yuan (300 to 450 U.S. dollars) per mu (about 0.067 hectare)," said Zhang Bing, a local villager.
Dongjiao Village has actively developed an integrated industrial model combining agriculture with cultural tourism. Offerings, including flower viewing, fruit picking, study tours and fish tasting, attract tourists from around the country.
This model has spurred joint development of 19 surrounding villages, benefiting over 1,600 households.
"As our industries continue to expand, the farmers' incomes have risen year by year. In 2025, the per capita income in our village reached 30,123 yuan (4,500 U.S. dollars). As a result, our quality of life and sense of happiness have greatly improved," said Hu Aiguo, a village official.
The Chinese farmers' harvest festival is the first national-level festival created specifically for the country's farmers.
Launched in 2018, the festival coincides with the Autumnal Equinox each year, which is one of the 24 solar terms of the Chinese lunisolar calendar and usually falls between Sept. 22 and 24 during the country's agricultural harvest season.
China marks 9th farmers' harvest festival with diverse activities
