Anhui's "New Three" Sets Sail for the Global Market: Digital Empowerment Unleashes New Momentum for Cultural Exports

On December 10, the Anhui Cultural "New Three Pillars" Industry Exchange and Cooperation Event kicked off in Baohe District, Hefei. Co-hosted by the Anhui Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, the Publicity Department of the Anhui Provincial Party Committee, the Anhui Provincial Department of Commerce, and the Hefei Municipal People's Government, and organized by the Administrative Committee of Ziyunshan (Baohe) Cultural and Creative Industry Park, the event gathered representatives from leading domestic and foreign enterprises, as well as representatives of the Anhui provincial government, to explore the global development pathways of online literature, online dramas, and online games—the cultural "New Three Pillars." Guided by top-level design and empowered by policies, culture and technology, Anhui is striving to make the cultural "New Three Pillars" a new force in China's cultural exports.

All parties involved in the industry matchmaking session engaged in in-depth discussions Photo provided by Anhui Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism

Industries and culture lay a solid foundation for going global. As of the end of 2024, Anhui is home to 2,600 relevant enterprises, with the operating revenue of above-scale enterprises reaching 13.21 billion yuan. The average profit per online game enterprise stands at 56.96 million yuan, 9.5 times the industry average, and the global downloads of its games have exceeded 4 billion.

Policies and services provide strong support for companies going global. Anhui has established a special cultural fund of 500 million yuan and an industrial fund totaling more than 5 billion yuan, and is set to release a provincial-level special policy document on the "New Three" industries, with a particular focus on supporting overseas expansion projects. Companies participating in international trade fairs can receive subsidies, while the pilot free trade zone offers facilitation for copyright trading and overseas operations. At the same time, an overseas expansion service platform has been established, a pool of legal and tax experts has been formed, and a compliance framework for digital publishing—consisting of two databases and one center—has been put in place. Additionally, the province has introduced housing subsidies for talent and launched targeted training programs at universities. As a national-level platform, Ziyunshan Cultural and Creative Park has brought together more than 350 enterprises, forming a closed-loop industrial chain covering the entire value chain, and encourages leading enterprises to upgrade into global creation and distribution hubs.

The corporate representative is speaking 

Photo provided by Anhui Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism

The corporate representative is speaking 

Photo provided by Anhui Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism

With an open posture, Anhui warmly embraces global cooperation. The province extends an invitation to the world, offering optimal support in areas such as IP development and technological innovation. In the future, Anhui will continue to deepen the "culture + technology" dual-driver model, enabling iconic Anhui elements such as Huizhou culture and the charm of Huangmei Opera to reach the global stage through digital channels and become the "Anhui calling card" for cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries. (By Jin Muyu)