Design industry to take a step further in China

China Merchants Group (CMG) and Britain's Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) signed a collaboration agreement Tuesday at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in London in order to establish the first major museum of design in China. The ceremony was opened by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and British Prime Minister David Cameron. This is Li's first visit to the UK since he took office in March, 2013.

Signed between V&A Director Martin Roth, V&A COO Tim Reeve, and CMG Vice-President Sun Chengming, the collaboration will see the planned design museum built in Shenzhen, a southern Chinese city neighboring Hong Kong and recognized by the UNESCO as the City of Design in 2008.

Scheduled to open by the end of 2016, the museum carries the ambitious aim to introduce Chinese design to the world and bring the world's best designs to China at the same time.

The collaboration was not something that happened overnight, but rather developed from a Memorandum of Understanding the two parties signed in Beijing in December 2013, when Cameron was visiting China. Calling the project "A fine example of British expertise fostering fruitful bi-lateral partnerships which contribute to the growth of the creative economy," the British prime minister said he applauds CMG and V&A for taking the lead to strengthen China-UK cultural relationships.

Founded in 1852, V&A is one of the world's leading museums of decorative arts and design, housing over 4.5 million collections, including a comprehensive collection of objects from China.

According to a press release on the official website of CMG, with the motivation to share knowledge, promote mutual understanding and encourage idea exchanges, the V&A has a long history cooperating with major museums in China, with exhibitions in London presenting Chinese paintings as well as showing its own collections in China.

For China's part, awareness towards the art and creative industries has been fast increasing over recent years. In Beijing alone, besides the various art festivals held there every year, Beijing Design Week has become an influential and permanent annual activity that continues to excite the entire capital city.

As one of the forefront figures of the design industry, Beijing-based Chinese designer Jiang Peng told the Global Times that there has been a clear change among common people in Chinese when it comes to their attitude toward art and design.

"While people previously had no means to get to know art and design, and showed little concern about either, more and more people today enjoy these fields," Jiang noted.

However, he added that although the government is actively promoting these industries, it is still slow in taking practical and detailed action. Additionally, the limited knowledge officials have when it comes to creative design makes them reluctant to support endeavors in this field.