China's internet and video sector gaining intl fame

China's internet audio and video industry is growing in global influence, with Chinese applications accounting for more than a quarter of downloads in the top 100 audio and video apps worldwide and 30 percent of their total revenue last year, according to a new report.

The report, released on Wednesday in Chengdu, Sichuan province, showed China's short video user base reached 1.04 billion by December, covering 93.8 percent of all internet users in the country.

China's mini-drama user base surged to 662 million by the end of 2024, with a penetration rate of 59.7 percent among internet users. Users spent an average of 101 minutes daily on mini-dramas, rivaling instant messaging platforms, it said.

Zhou Jie, deputy secretary-general of the China Netcasting Services Association, said China's internet audio and video industry, driven by short videos and mini-dramas, is becoming a major global player.

"Chinese mini-dramas have particularly excelled in overseas markets, serving as cultural vessels that carry Chinese stories to the world," Zhou said.

Chinese apps secured 20 spots in the global top 100 audio and video apps in terms of revenue last year, with 11 new entrants — eight of them mini-drama platforms, the report said.

China's mini-drama industry generated 50.5 billion yuan ($6.95 billion) in revenue last year, surpassing domestic box office earnings for the first time, according to a separate report jointly released by the China Television Drama Production Industry Association and other institutions.

Wang Xiaopei, an associate professor at Beijing Jiaotong University's School of Languages and Communication Studies, said some Hollywood directors and screenwriters who previously worked on full-length dramas or films have shifted to mini-dramas.

"With further development, mini-dramas could become one of China's signature cultural exports to the world," Wang said.

She also noted mini-dramas' role in addressing loneliness among seniors. "While we previously focused more on younger users' needs, the demand among middle-aged and elderly users proves equally strong," she said.

A recent survey conducted by her team found that more than 80 percent of elderly respondents watch mini-dramas at least once a week, and 30 percent reported feeling less lonely from watching them.

Zhang Lei, a professor at the Communication University of China, said mini-dramas and full-length dramas are not mutually exclusive but instead complement each other.

"The robust development of full-length dramas over the years has provided fertile ground for mini-drama's rapid growth," he said. "Meanwhile, mini-dramas can serve as derivative content that brings audience flow to its full-length counterparts."

Li Xuelin, founder and CEO of Enlightent and Two Bit (Beijing) Technology Co, said the success of mini-dramas offers insights for the production and business models of long-form content.

"Mini-dramas have set a model for efficient content production. Now it's time for traditional long-form video to catch up," she said.

China's internet audio and video user base reached a record 1.091 billion by the end of last year, covering 98.4 percent of all internet users, the report said. The industry's market size grew to 1.22 trillion yuan, up 6.1 percent year-on-year.