Visitors experience green screen digital products during the 14th China International Digital Publishing Expo in Haikou, Hainan province, on Sept 21, 2024. SUN SHIJIE/FOR CHINA DAILY
Hainan province is doubling down on its digital economy, leveraging free trade port policies and its strategic geographic position to help Chinese digital enterprises go global. From artificial intelligence-powered short dramas to online games and digital literature, the tropical island is rapidly transforming into a launchpad for Chinese content reaching overseas markets.
In a landmark move, the Hainan AI Short Drama Going Global Industrial Base was recently established at the Hainan Free Trade Port Resort Software Community in Chengmai county. As the province's first industrial hub dedicated to using AI for producing and exporting Chinese short dramas, the base is set to become a key platform for Hainan to cultivate the digital culture sector and accelerate the high-quality development of cultural exports.
The timing is critical. The global micro-drama market saw explosive growth in 2025, reaching nearly $18 billion. China alone accounted for over $14 billion, or 77.8 percent of the global total, making it the new growth leader in digital content, according to a report jointly issued by the development research center of the National Radio and Television Administration, Future TV and DataEye.
