Content drives online culture boom

Wang Hongyan, head of the secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China Central Committee, says the internet has been providing a broad stage for young people to participate in cultural-heritage preservation, creating quality work and promoting cultural exchanges.

Earlier this year, the online TV series, Story of Yanxi Palace, not only gripped audiences in China but also was popular in 80 other countries and regions.

Its record-breaking ratings, in the view of Wang Xiaohui, chief content officer of iQiyi, proved that the internet has not only provided its users with quality content and more convenient access, but also the potential for people to create highlighted works of popular culture and present traditional Chinese culture to a wider audience.

Ma says that Tencent has been working with key traditional cultural icons, including the Great Wall and the Palace Museum in Beijing, on product development.

Such cooperation has been extended to similar sites and organizations in Europe, too.

"Compared with developed countries, China has competitive resources and market potential in terms of its cultural industry. However, a big gap in the production model has led to poor output," Ma says, adding that the power of technology should be harnessed.