The China City Culture Industry Development Alliance was inaugurated this month in Beijing.

The alliance, composed of 34 government authorities, cities and companies devoted to culture, will offer a financing platform, research capability and an index evaluating the availability of culture in cities.

According to Chen Zhe, vice-chairman and secretary-general of the alliance, China's cultural sector has seen massive growth in recent years, but it urgently needs an umbrella group to coordinate activities and resources.

Statistics indicated that in 2012 China's cultural sector generated a combined revenue of 4 trillion yuan ($646.8 billion), accounting for 8.5 percent of the nation's overall GDP.