A visitor listens to a novel at the 19th Hangzhou Cultural & Creative Industry Expo. [Photo/tidenews.com.cn]

The 19th Hangzhou Cultural & Creative Industry Expo concluded on Oct 20, highlighting the global rise of China's new cultural trio — online literature, web dramas, and video games — industries now driving the country's cultural exports.

Hangzhou, long a pioneer in digital culture, is at the forefront of this creative surge.

The city is home to 343 large-scale enterprises engaged in the new cultural trio sectors, accounting for two-thirds of Zhejiang province's total. In 2024, Hangzhou's cultural exports reached $1.8 billion, with online games and digital content leading the way.

At this year's expo, visitors saw how Hangzhou's cultural innovation has evolved from merely borrowing ships to sail abroad to building its own vessels. Platforms like RadReel and FlickReels have launched thousands of translated short dramas overseas, while major developers such as NetEase have released global hits, including mobile games Harry Potter: Magic Awakened and The Lord of the Rings: Rise to War.

AI innovation is further boosting this wave. Hangzhou studios now employ AI translation and production systems that halve localization time and cost, accelerating content globalization.

Industry experts agree that the next step is deeper cultural resonance — moving from simply selling globally to being understood globally.

As Hangzhou creators weave local stories and aesthetics into their works, the city continues to redefine how Chinese culture connects with the world.

Hangzhou companies are keen on cultural exports. [Photo/tidenews.com.cn]