On August 17, Chen Gang, the Party Secretary of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, conducted a research trip in Nanning focused on the high-quality development of the AI-plus-culture industry. As part of this visit, he toured Guangxi Shanhai Xingchen Culture Media Group.
Notably, just ten days earlier, on August 7, Wei Tao, the Chairman of the Guangxi regional government, also visited the same company during his own survey of the service sector in Nanning. Wei Tao's visit included learning about the company's business operations, its micro-drama production processes, and its application of AI technology. While the two leaders' inspection themes differed, their goal was aligned: to leverage AI to better serve the building of a China-ASEAN community with a shared future.
Shanhai Xingchen is considered a "dark horse" within the industry. This comprehensive film and television group, which operates across the entire micro-drama supply chain, has, after three years of development, amassed a domestic copyright library of over 1,000 titles and achieved an average monthly box office revenue of 350 million yuan. The company has produced hit titles such as Flying Tiger Riding the Wind and has repeatedly won national-level awards. Its business now covers more than 200 countries and regions globally, anchored by two core products: the domestic brand "Shanhai Short Drama" and the overseas brand "Stardust TV." In May, the company was named to the "2026 National Top 30 Culturally Growth-Oriented Enterprises" list at the 22nd Shenzhen ICIF.
The company's Chairman, Zhou Peijin, born in 1995, started his entrepreneurial journey in the online literature sector. In 2023, he made a bold pivot, establishing Shanhai Xingchen and venturing into short dramas, with an overseas expansion strategy launched a year later. Zhou has stated that the internationalization of short dramas is a systematic project. He noted that while different companies possess unique strengths in content creation, technology development, and distribution channels, only by "going global" collectively and pooling resources can high-quality "Made in Guangxi" content polish China's cultural brand on the world stage.
During his August 7 visit, Wei Tao encouraged the company to adhere to integrity and innovation, define its market position, pursue appropriately diversified growth, and delve into Guangxi's ethnic cultural elements. He urged them to leverage AI technology to create high-quality micro-dramas and facilitate cultural and technological exports, thereby boosting their core competitiveness. Ten days later, Chen Gang echoed these sentiments, encouraging the company to vigorously develop AI-powered micro-dramas and promote works rich in historical and cultural heritage, reflecting contemporary Chinese life, and possessing an international cultural perspective to go global, contributing to the international dissemination of Chinese culture.
Both Chen Gang and Wei Tao emphasized that relevant government departments must enhance their service awareness, fully support cultural enterprises in becoming stronger and larger, and continuously enrich new forms of cultural business. As China's "bridgehead" for opening up and cooperation with ASEAN, Guangxi has proactively embraced artificial intelligence in recent years. It is exploring a development path characterized by "R&D in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, integration in Guangxi, and application in ASEAN," promoting the export of cultural products in the "new three categories" of online literature, online dramas, and online games.
Guangxi's unique geographical and cultural endowments are broadening its path for going global. As the permanent host of the China-ASEAN Expo, Nanning shares geographical proximity, cultural connections, and similar customs with Southeast Asian countries, giving it a natural affinity for "local storytelling." Wang Shiyong, Dean of the School of Journalism and Communication at Guangxi University, has noted that this communication strategy, rooted in shared cultural genes, can inspire companies to create micro-dramas that embody "Guangxi charm, ASEAN elements, and international expression," making them more easily understood, accepted, and appreciated by Southeast Asian audiences.
In May, Cao Shumin, Deputy Head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the National Radio and Television Administration, also visited Guangxi to inspect the high-quality development of radio, television, and audiovisual services. She praised the positive results of Guangxi's new micro-drama formats targeted at ASEAN, highlighting their exemplary role in content innovation, industrial development, and the export of Chinese culture. Cao also toured companies like Guangxi Shanhai Xingchen Media Group, emphasizing that the micro-drama industry must always aim for premium content creation, balancing live-action productions with AI-simulated ones. She hoped Guangxi would continue to leverage its locational, policy, channel, and industrial advantages to promote the creation, dissemination, and industry growth of micro-dramas, facilitating both "content and technology" exports.
Guangxi's involvement in the micro-drama sector is not new. The China-ASEAN Short Video Contest on Friendship and Cooperation was established in 2020 and has been held for five consecutive years, becoming a signature event showcasing China-ASEAN cooperation achievements and fostering people-to-people bonds. In 2025, the National Radio and Television Administration launched a "Micro-Drama+" action plan to guide the industry's deep integration with tourism, legal education, intangible cultural heritage, and other fields. Guangxi responded by issuing its own action plan for the integrated development of "Micro-Drama + Cultural Tourism," aiming to launch a series of phenomenal micro-drama works through four major actions, create trendsetting tourist attractions, and comprehensively upgrade the industry ecosystem.
The adage "a single drama can make a city famous" holds true here, and Nanning has backed it with substantial investment. The city issued "Several Measures to Support the High-Quality Development of the Micro-Drama Industry," offering support across six categories, including company registration, creative shooting, talent introduction, and overseas communication. The maximum individual reward is up to 4 million yuan, with the policy valid until December 31, 2027, putting it at the forefront of similar city-level policies nationwide. Since October 2025, Guangxi has publicly solicited "Micro-Drama + Cultural Tourism" project proposals, receiving 320 valid applications covering themes such as landscape culture, intangible heritage, border culture, red culture, culinary culture, AI animation, and sports. Some projects have even incorporated AIGC technology. Following review, 10 key works and 25 excellent works were selected for support, including Perfect Match (March 3rd), produced by Shanhai Xingchen and others.
"The policies have significantly reduced production costs, allowing us to focus more energy on content creation," said a representative from Shanhai Xingchen. The company has received subsidies for multiple short dramas, and the continued release of policy dividends is driving industrial agglomeration.
During his time in Nanning, Chen Gang also visited Guangxi Guangchen Zhongyue (Guangxi) Culture and Technology Co., Ltd., which is focused on creating an AIGC animation and brand visual content innovation center for ASEAN, as well as the China-ASEAN Online Audiovisual Industry Base. At Guangxi Yunhan Feidu Culture and Technology Co., Ltd., he watched a video of the digital human "Liu Sanjie" and called on all state-owned cultural enterprises in the region to remember their mission, actively embrace the AI era, and promote the takeoff of Guangxi's cultural undertakings and industries.
"We must strengthen our cultural confidence, promote AI empowerment, and form a viable commercial loop. We should actively carry out AI-plus-culture exchange and cooperation with ASEAN, steadily advance the prosperity and development of our cultural programs and industries, and enhance the people-to-people bonds between China and ASEAN, all in service of building the China-ASEAN community with a shared future," Chen Gang stated.