Conference organiser Dr. Michael Keane said China was pushing to make its film, television, advertising, and new industries more internationally competitive. "As the 2008 Beijing Olympics close in, the media in China are witnessing a new phase of commercial activity," Dr. Keane said. "China is mounting a claim for a leading role in the global and regional cultural economy, drawing on its long tradition as the centre of East Asian culture. He added: "The conference will look at media, both old and new, from print to blogging."


"There will also be speakers from Taiwan, Korea, and Japan who are all interested in the growth of China's creative industries," Dr. Keane said.


Seven key themes will be up for discussion throughout the two-day conference:

• content and innovation
• education
• new media and emerging regional cultures
• services, advertising, and creative media
• political economy
• cultural geography
• legal and regulatory issues.

As international keynote speakers are expected: Michael Curtin, from the Global Studies Centre, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA and author of "Playing to the World's Biggest Audience" and Jing Wang, Professor of Chinese Cultural Studies and Head of Foreign Languages and Literatures, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA.