From Pandas to AI: Chengdu Hosts the China Internet Audio & Video Convention for the 13th Consecutive Year, Building an Eastern Hub for Global Audio & Video Collaboration

CHENGDU, China, April 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On April 15, the 13th China Internet Audio & Video Convention, hosted by the Chengdu Municipal Government, opened in Chengdu. Having been held in the same city for 13 years in a row, this flagship industry event has offered glimpses into the internationalization of China's audio & video sector, while also charting Chengdu's transformation from a cultural tourism destination into a global pivot for digital creative industries.

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According to the China Internet Audio & Video Development Research Report (2026) released by the China Netcasting Services Association, Chinese streaming applications are steadily expanding their presence in leading global markets. In 2025, a total of 26 Chinese apps (including those from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan) ranked among the world's top 100 by revenue - an increase of six year on year - while 31 Chinese apps entered the top 100 by downloads, up by 12 from the previous year. Behind these figures lies a profound remodeling of content-producing paradigms driven by technological change. In 2025, major video platforms churned out more than 2 billion pieces of AI-produced audio-visual content - an average of over 60 new uploads per second, representing a more than fourteenfold increase year on year. More than half of users have encountered AI-generated content, with over 40% describing it as “novel and engaging”. AI-generated short videos and micro-dramas ranked as the two most popular categories.

“AI is fundamentally reshaping the structure of content supply.” Sun Zhonghuai, Vice President of Tencent and Chairman of Tencent Online Video, introduced at the event the concept of “creative squads” - small teams of five to twenty people that, empowered by AI tools, can now produce content volumes that previously required hundreds of people. From a global perspective, the agility of these “creative squads” aligns with the push for global expansion. Chinese creators can now, at minimal cost, adapt the core narratives of Chinese stories into expressions that suit the tastes of diverse global audiences. This emerging model is poised to redefine both the cost structure and the creative logic of the global content industry.

The cross-border flow of capital and talent is injecting real momentum into this transformation. For the first time, the convention introduced an on-the-spot campus recruitment fair, where more than 70 enterprises offered over 5,000 positions, with AI-related roles emerging as a top choice among graduating students. Moreover, global industry leaders are stepping up their investment in the Chinese market. Tony Zameczkowski, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Streaming for Asia Pacific at The Walt Disney Company, reaffirmed that “China has always been one of our most important markets,” and revealed plans to expand investment in local Chinese stories to bring more original content onto the global stage. This stance resonates strongly with the ongoing wave of Chinese micro-dramas expanding overseas. As international players actively “bring in” Chinese stories, Chinese creators - leveraging the “creative squad” model - are simultaneously “going global”. The convergence of these two forces is reshaping the landscape of the global audio & video industry.

Since its inaugural edition in 2013, the convention has continuously energized Chengdu's digital cultural and creative industries, while the city's development trajectory mirrors how Chinese cities compete on the global cultural stage. The emergence of breakout hits such as Ne Zha 2 and My Sweet Home, along with the establishment of studios and production companies led by renowned directors and performers, signals that Chengdu has built a sound industrial chain spanning creative development, filming and production, and post-production visual effects.

Backed by national platforms - including the China (Chengdu) Network Audio-Visual Industry Base, the National UHD Video Innovation Center, and the National Radio and Television Administration Laboratory for Innovation and Application of Virtual Reality Audio-Visual Technology - Chengdu has maintained a leading position nationwide in areas such as ultra-high-definition production and virtual filming. In 2025, the city's core digital cultural and creative industries racked up RMB 413.97 billion in total revenue, up 8.3% year on year, placing its overall industrial strength among the top echelon nationwide.

“Chengdu is a city brimming with creativity. Beyond pandas, Ne Zha has become a new cultural symbol - both are truly inspiring,” observed Vikram Channa, Vice President of Warner Bros. Discovery. His remarks capture the city's distinctive cultural narrative that ranges from traditional intellectual property to digitally native content, from geographic symbols to a tech-empowered creative ecosystem. As the global audio & video industry undergoes a profound, AI-driven transformation, Chengdu, anchored by the 13 consecutive editions of this flagship event, has built a two-way channel that can attract international capital and enable local content to reach global audiences, assuming a pivotal role in the reshaping of the global audio & video landscape.

Source: The Chengdu Municipal Government

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