Nation makes moves in digital culture market

Chinese mini-dramas, online lit, video games, animation surging overseas

A visitor tries an intelligent medical imaging system under the guidance of a staff member at the Light of Internet Expo in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province, on Thursday. (WANG JING/CHINA DAILY)

With a focus on emerging digital opportunities around the world, the latest internet development reports highlight China's global leadership in the digital industry, with the country showing rapid growth and expanding international influence in the digital culture sector.

According to the World Internet Development Report released on Thursday at the ongoing 2024 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province, China ranks second among the 52 involved economies worldwide in internet development, with a score of 69 — just behind the United States.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of China's fully functional access to the global internet, during which time the country has witnessed a steadily improved cyber ecosystem, rapidly advanced core technologies, comprehensively enhanced cybersecurity capabilities, deepened legal governance and expanded international cooperation, said Wang Jiang, head of the Chinese Academy of Cyberspace Studies, the reports' publisher.

Based on six indicators — information infrastructure, digital technology and innovation capability, digital economy, digital government, cybersecurity and international governance in cyberspace, it said the global digital economy is experiencing a new wave of growth, with more development potential rapidly unfolding.

With a specific focus on China's performance in terms of digital development, another report by the academy highlighted the impressive performance of the country's digital culture industry in recent years.

According to the China Internet Development Report 2024, the country's online audiovisual market — including long videos, short videos, livestreaming and audio sectors — had reached a market size of 1.15 trillion yuan ($159 billion) by end-2023. Meanwhile, the domestic gaming industry's actual sales revenue stood at about 303 billion yuan during the same period.

"In recent years, China's digital culture has flourished, producing high-quality works across fields such as mini-dramas, online literature, video games and digital animation," Wang said.

The country's digital culture vitality is not merely limited to its domestic market. According to the report, China's online literature sector has also seen remarkable success overseas, with export sales of over 4 billion yuan, attracting 230 million overseas readers last year. Additionally, domestically developed games generated overseas sales of $16.37 billion in 2023, marking the fourth consecutive year of surpassing the 100 billion-yuan threshold, it said.

"Our digital cultural products are now more diverse and globally accessible. A large number of high-quality creations have transcended cultural boundaries and gained recognition from audiences worldwide," said Qian Xianliang, deputy director of the Chinese Academy of Cyberspace Studies.

For instance, the Chinese mythology-inspired video game Black Myth: Wukong has captivated domestic and international audiences, driving widespread discussions and sales of over $1 billion on online gaming platform Steam by October, Qian added.

In addition, Chinese science fiction television series Three-Body has spearheaded Chinese cultural productions' globalization, reaching audiences in over 190 countries and regions, he said, adding that many Chinese online literature works have also been translated into English, French, Spanish, Arabic and many other languages, further extending their global reach.

"The digital culture industry, represented by video games, short videos and livestreaming, has now become a cornerstone of China's cultural sector. It plays a pioneering role in driving the deep integration of culture and technology, embedding China's rich traditional culture into the fabric of modern civilization through digitalization," said Sun Jiashan, associate researcher at the Central Academy of Culture and Tourism Administration.

Sun also emphasized the key role of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and large language models in driving digital culture growth.

"Cutting-edge technologies are reshaping the international dissemination of Chinese culture. For example, AI-powered translation has significantly reduced the cost of translating Chinese online literature into multiple languages, enabling broader global accessibility in a way more efficient than ever," Sun said.

"The achievements in digital technology and infrastructure are not only fueling localized production and dissemination of cultural works, but also promoting the values of cultural diversity and fostering dialogue and mutual respect among different cultures on a global scale," he added.