Ip Sio Kai wants to protect local culture from ‘Westernization’ and ‘polarization’

Lawmaker Ip Sio Kai wants the government to do more regarding “cultural security” to prevent local “Chinese culture” from being infiltrated by “Western values.”

In a spoken inquiry delivered yesterday afternoon at the Legislative Assembly during a Q&A session with government officials, Ip said that “Cultural security is an important element of the overall national security framework, ensuring that a country’s or nation’s ideology, core values, written and spoken language, historical traditions, and ways of life remain free from external threats or harm.”

He said cultural security involves “maintaining the stability of the dominant ideology, guarding against Westernization and polarization, protecting cultural sovereignty, preserving traditional culture and national identity, and safeguarding the cultural ecosystem and cybersecurity in the digital age.”

For the lawmaker, who is also the deputy general manager of Bank of China Macau Branch and the chairman of the Macau Association of Banks, “The key to preventing cultural infiltration lies in strengthening cultural confidence, resisting harmful ideas, preventing erosion caused by foreign ideologies, and safeguarding the sovereignty and independence of the national culture,” he continued.

He remarked that Macau, in its main role as a “hub for exchange and cooperation,” must have Chinese culture as its foundation while promoting the coexistence of diverse cultures. He also noted that while “We welcome exchanges among diverse cultures, it is essential to make clear that, while cultures can mutually enrich one another, they must never be confused or infiltrated.”

More a speech than an inquiry, Ip questioned the government on what it is doing at different levels to preserve Macau’s cultural security.

In response, the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, O Lam, said that Cultural Security is considered essential to the Macau government’s efforts to establish Macau as a hub for multicultural exchange and cooperation, with Chinese culture at its core.

“Protecting cultural security allows Macau to capitalize on its role as a meeting point between Chinese and Western cultures while supporting the preservation and renewal of Chinese culture,” O Lam added, explaining that the government’s efforts in this field have focused on three main areas.

The first is promoting dialogue among civilizations. The Secretary noted that Macau hosts international forums, exhibitions, workshops, and cultural exchanges intended to strengthen mutual understanding between Chinese and Western civilizations.

“These initiatives support the Global Civilization Initiative and the broader goal of building a ‘community with a shared future for humanity’,” she said, adding that recent programs have included international conferences and exhibitions in Macau and Lisbon highlighting centuries of Chinese-Portuguese cultural exchange.

The second area concerns what she titled “Building cultural confidence and promoting Chinese culture,” in which she highlighted the role of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, which “organizes activities centered on traditional Chinese holidays, including Lunar New Year, the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the Dragon Boat Festival.”

O Lam also noted in this area that schools “teach the history and meaning of these traditions through formal curricula, instructional materials, extracurricular programs, and cultural workshops,” and that “educational tours of historical sites – including the Xian Xinghai Memorial Museum, General Ye Ting’s Former Residence, and the Mandarin’s House – are designed to deepen young people’s understanding of Chinese and Macau history and strengthen patriotism.”

Local public libraries are promoting patriotism and national unity, the Secretary noted, through exhibitions that highlight Chinese cultural identity, national unity, and patriotic values.

Lastly, O Lam noted that the government has been developing cultural intellectual property around prominent local figures and historic sites, and that there are plans to expand the educational and commercial use of Macau’s cultural heritage.

Initiatives related to composer Xian Xinghai are also in the works, including design competitions, cultural and tourism products, collaborative programs, and music classes that highlight his life and patriotism.

Continuing to promote traditional Chinese culture, O Lam concluded by noting that the Mandarin’s House, part of the UNESCO-listed Historic Centre, will continue to offer interactive exhibitions, workshops, school tours, and intangible cultural heritage activities to educate children and young people about Macau’s World Heritage.