Beijing Culture Forum Opens With Focus on Global Heritage Cooperation

The 2026 Beijing Culture Forum convened on September 22 under the theme "Cultural Heritage and Mutual Learning Among Civilizations," drawing more than 600 delegates from 44 countries and regions. Senior Chinese officials, including Central Publicity Department head Li Shulei and Beijing Party chief Yin Li, highlighted efforts to expand cross-border archaeological digs, historical monument restoration, and multilateral heritage governance. Forum participants stressed adherence to preservation principles such as "minimal intervention" and advocated closer technical and institutional support for cultural heritage across the Global South.

The forum reflects how Beijing is translating its high-level Global Civilization Initiative into concrete technical partnerships. Rather than limiting cultural diplomacy to rhetoric, Chinese authorities are positioning joint archaeological research, conservation standards, and museum exchanges as international public goods. The explicit focus on the Global South indicates an intent to build durable multilateral cultural networks with developing nations, providing technical assistance and conservation methodologies as part of China's broader international engagement strategy.

The 2026 Beijing Culture Forum opened in the Chinese capital on September 22, focusing international cultural discussions on heritage protection, joint archaeological research, and cross-border institutional cooperation, according to official state media reports. Co-hosted by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, and the Beijing Municipal People's Government, the event was organized around the theme "Cultural Heritage and Mutual Learning Among Civilizations." The gathering brought together more than 600 delegates representing 44 countries and regions, Xinhua News Agency reported. Two members of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau addressed the opening session. Li Shulei, head of the Central Publicity Department, delivered a keynote speech outlining China's priorities in cultural governance and cross-border exchange. Yin Li, secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, delivered welcoming remarks highlighting the capital's role in facilitating international dialogue. According to official dispatches, forum attendees affirmed the importance of the Global Civilization Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping, noting its role in fostering cultural heritage cooperation and building a community with a shared future for mankind. Delegates stressed that cultural heritage constitutes a shared human asset, framing its preservation, inheritance, and utilization as an essential collective responsibility for sustaining global civilization. Discussions placed strong emphasis on core conservation principles, with participants urging adherence to "protection first, reasonable utilization, and minimal intervention." Delegates endorsed closer exchanges on preservation methodologies, specifically recommending the systematic sharing of experience in national heritage censuses, regulatory and legal frameworks, public engagement, and technological applications in conservation. International operational cooperation formed a central pillar of the agenda. Attendees called for widening the scope of joint ancient civilization research, bilateral and multilateral archaeological excavations, historic monument restoration projects, and institutional exchanges between museums. Participants also addressed global cultural governance, calling for expanded cooperation within multilateral frameworks. Official reports emphasized the need to promote cultural heritage protection across the Global South and contribute Chinese solutions and technical practices to international preservation efforts.