Shenzhen - At the ongoing Forum on Building China's Cultural Strength 2025, industry leaders emphasized the importance of content quality and digital innovation as key to sustainable cultural development and global reach.
The Forum on Building Up China's Cultural Strength 2025 is held in Shenzhen. (Photo/DENG Nan)
Actor JIN Dong drew significant media attention during the Forum on Fostering the Development of Art and Literature. Addressing the booming short-form drama industry, he cautioned, "Short-term prosperity may be accidental due to favorable timing and conditions." He stressed that lasting success requires substantial content, adding, "If the content is truly substantial, even an 80 or 100-episode series can be compelling." Jin highlighted the universal power of art, noting that "Exceptional films and stage productions can powerfully convey their essence with minimal dialogue... humanity shares common ground in pursuing truth, beauty, and moral goodness."
Chinese actor Jin Dong gives a speech at the Forum on Fostering the Development of Art and Literature. (Photo/DENG Nan)
The theme of global cultural exchange extended to the Forum on Empowering Cultural Trade with Digital and Intelligent Technologies. Companies like Pop Mart and 37 Interactive Entertainment showcased successful international strategies. YANG Jun, Vice-President of 37 Interactive Entertainment, explained their approach: "First, you need to create games that appeal to local preferences." Their simulation game Trading Legend integrates traditional Chinese elements, including the Maritime Silk Road, Yuefu poetry, Lingnan culture, Peking Opera, shadow puppetry, and dragon boat racing.
CHEN Xiaoyun, Vice-President of POP MART, shares her opinion on the Forum on Empowering Cultural Trade with Digital and Intelligent Technologies. (Photo/DENG Nan)
The company also hailed Black Myth: Wukong as an industry benchmark, noting its deep roots in Eastern culture and world-class production quality: "Chinese games today, whether in sound design, gameplay mechanics, or visual artistry, have truly reached world-class standards." The integration of AI tools across the game production chain – from art and music creation to programming and marketing – was highlighted for driving greater efficiency and refinement.
YANG Jun, Vice-President of 37 Interactive Entertainment, shares his opinion on the Forum on Empowering Cultural Trade with Digital and Intelligent Technologies. (Photo/DENG Nan)
The distinctive cultural identity of the Sichuan-Chongqing region was also noted as a valuable asset, with potential for future integration into games, building on the rising popularity of the Sichuan dialect in film and television.