Haibao News ReportersSun Jie, Xin Zhendong, Zhao Pengcheng, and Jia Guoliang from Liaocheng

　　From ambitious visions on paper to vibrant realities, from signing partnerships to flourishing operations, on the land of Qilu, the Conference of Great Business Partners acts as a golden bridge, continually converting investment achievements into a powerful growth driver for high-quality development.

　　The 4th Conference of Great Business Partners is approaching soon. Recently, Haibao News reporters visited a project signed at the 2nd Conference of Great Business Partners—the China · Gaotang Calligraphy and Painting Cultural and Creative Industrial Zone, located in Gaotang County, Liaocheng, known as the "Hometown of Chinese Calligraphy and Painting". Today, this major provincial project, spanning 1,100 mu(73.33 hectares) with a total investment of 5.2 billion yuan, has been largely completed and put into operation. It has set the benchmark for the deep integration of culture and tourism; meanwhile, its strong industrial agglomeration effect is also injecting tremendous growth drivers into regional growth.

　　The Conference of Great Business Partners Attracts Investors, Shaping a New Cultural and Tourism Landmark

　　"This project is a major achievement of the 2nd Conference of Great Business Partners, and we have eagerly seized this opportunity," said Li Qiang, Deputy General Manager of Gaotang County Caixin Investment Development Group Co., Ltd., as he explained the project's origins. The China · Gaotang Calligraphy and Painting Cultural and Creative Industrial Zone is invested in by Beijing Longxiang Yongtai Municipal Engineering (Group) Co., Ltd., leveraging Gaotang County's three renowned titles, namely "Hometown of Chinese Calligraphy and Painting", "Birthplace of Chinese Traditional Painting Master Li Kuchan", and "Cross-Strait Cultural Exchange Base". The industrial zone was designed ambitiously from the outset and constructed to the highest standards.

　　Built to meet AAAA-level scenic spot standards, the project features a total construction area of 370,000 square meters and has been recognized as a major provincial project in 2020, as well as part of the sixth batch of key cultural initiatives in Shandong Province. Li revealed, "We are currently striving to earn the distinction of provincial-level nighttime and cultural tourism consumption cluster area, as well as to become a provincial AAAA scenic spot, so the zone will be appealing during the day, vibrant at night, and busy all year round, never experiencing an off-season."

　　Distinctive Venues Gather Brilliance of Art, Fostering Talent Through Industry-Education Integration

　　Stepping into the industrial zone, you are instantly immersed in a vibrant artistic atmosphere. Eleven characteristic venues, including the Chinese Calligraphy and Painting Art Experience Center, Hanmo Starry Sky Cultural Hall, Zhang Wang Art Museum, and Yu Maoyang Art Museum, are now fully open, creating a place that offers diverse and immersive cultural and artistic experiences.

　　As one of the core drivers of the industrial zone, the China Gaotang Art Industry-Education Training Base is dedicated to building Shandong's first integrated base for entrance exams for art academies, featuring a production-education-research-learning model. Li stated, "Our aim is to help more students gain steady admission to undergraduate universities through art programs, providing them with a variety of pathways for further education."

　　These plainspoken words captured the base's fundamental social value.

　　It is learned that the educational training area of the base covers 23,000 square meters, with six teaching and training venues and a supporting apartment able to simultaneously accommodate the dining, living, and learning needs of 1,400 individuals. The base has signed cooperation agreements with five top universities and professional institutions, including the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University, the Central Academy of Fine Arts, and the Shandong University of Art & Design, to share resources and cultivate students with shared faculty staff.

　　Results are the sole standard for evaluating a project's success. Li presented a set of data to Haibao News reporters, "Last year, in our first year of operation, we trained 497 individuals, with a professional undergraduate pass rate as high as 97%." During the just-concluded 2025 summer vacation, we received more than 2,300 students for advanced training in both academic subjects and art."

　　These solid figures demonstrate that the industrial zone has firmly established itself in the field of art education and has gained widespread market recognition.

　　The Integration of Culture and Tourism Stimulates Consumption and Fuels New Regional Development

　　The significance of the China · Gaotang Calligraphy and Painting Cultural and Creative Industrial Zone goes far beyond art education. It is a comprehensive platform that uses calligraphy and painting as a bridge to deeply integrate cultural creativity, tourism, leisure, and experiential offerings, a concrete embodiment of the national cultural strategy, and a driver of local development.

　　"We need to excel in training, but more importantly, we must strengthen the industrial development. By continuously enhancing the economic value of calligraphy and painting, and integrating the entire industrial chain, we can truly boost Gaotang's regional economic growth." In the interview, Li Qiang highlighted the project's industrial focus and its development mission.

　　This mission is gradually achieved. During the recent National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holidays, the project's ripple effect was on full display. Leveraging the industrial zone's strong appeal, the adjacent Shuanghai Lake Scenic Area in Gaotang County welcomed 140,900 tourists during the holiday period, generating tourism revenue of 3.985 million yuan. The chemical reaction of culture and tourism integration is unleashing tremendous economic benefits.

　　From a mere blueprint to an emerging industrial city, the ascent of the Gaotang Calligraphy and Painting Cultural and Creative Industrial Zone is a vivid testament to the effectiveness of the Conference of Great Business Partners platform. It also reflects Shandong's ongoing commitment to optimizing the business environment and ensuring projects are effectively implemented. With culture as its soul and industry as its backbone, it is actively crafting a vibrant chapter in Shandong's high-quality development in the integration of culture and tourism in the new era.