Zhejiang introduced a game going global support policy to help enterprises expand the international market and build a strong province in digital cultural trade. The measures cover industrial agglomeration, original development, etc.
Source: Service Trade Division, Zhejiang Provincial Department of Commerce
To implement the "Implementation Plan for Promoting High-Level Opening Up and Building a High-Energy Open Province" by the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government, and to advance the quality upgrade of cultural trade with the requirements of "optimal service, lowest cost, and highest efficiency," empowering the construction of a strong digital trade province, the following work measures are proposed to support game globalization.
I. Promoting the Upgrade of the Game Industry
(1) Promoting the Agglomeration and Layout Optimization of the Game Industry. Focusing on the upstream and downstream ecological chain of the game industry and the agglomeration of talent resources, vigorously cultivate and introduce headquarters and benchmark enterprises for game globalization, forming an industrial layout led by Hangzhou, supported by the Zhijiang Cultural Industry Belt, Liangzhu, and the Grand Canal, with participation from cities like Ningbo and Shaoxing. Actively cultivate national cultural export bases, national foreign cultural trade bases, and provincial digital trade demonstration zones (digital culture category) to build industrial platforms for cultural "going global," creating clusters for game globalization. (Responsible: Provincial Party Committee Propaganda Department, Provincial Department of Commerce, Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism; cities to implement according to their duties)
(2) Actively Cultivating Market Entities for Game Globalization. Implement a gradient cultivation plan for digital cultural enterprises, reserving, cultivating, and upgrading a batch of game enterprises, supporting game enterprises to grow stronger and internationalize. Support game globalization enterprises to participate in national and provincial-level cultural export key enterprises and projects, actively cultivating a group of internationally competitive outward-oriented cultural enterprises, promoting the globalization of cultural enterprises, products, and services. (Responsible: Provincial Party Committee Propaganda Department, Provincial Department of Economy and Information Technology, Provincial Department of Commerce, Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism)
(3) Supporting the Development and Cooperation of Original High-Quality Games. Encourage the R&D and creation of high-quality games, building independent cultural IPs, and advancing the production of key game works with high quality. Vigorously discover and cultivate high-value 3A game projects with positive orientation, strong cultural attributes, and high growth potential. Support enterprises to incubate a batch of excellent mini-game products, opening up lightweight game globalization tracks. Encourage game enterprises to use historical classic industrial culture, scenes, and products in product creation, supporting cooperation between game enterprises and historical classic industries for IP authorization, brand collaborations, and joint development. Encourage game enterprises to strengthen cooperation with smart terminal manufacturers, promoting the joint globalization of game content with AR/VR glasses, smart motion-sensing game consoles, and other smart terminals. (Responsible: Provincial Party Committee Propaganda Department, Provincial Department of Economy and Information Technology, Provincial Department of Commerce, Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism)
(4) Strengthening the Expression of Excellent Traditional Culture in Games. Strengthen the protection of digital assets in game products, promoting the transformation of cultural digital assets for consumer and industrial use. Refine and amplify the Chinese cultural connotations in games, expanding the cultural effects derived from game products, making game products an important carrier for the creative transformation and innovative development of Chinese excellent traditional culture. (Responsible: Provincial Party Committee Propaganda Department, Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, Provincial Cultural Investment Group)
(5) Promoting the Integration and Innovation of Culture and Technology in the Game Field. Strengthen the construction of national cultural and technology integration demonstration bases and Zhejiang Cultural Digitalization Collaborative Laboratory, promoting related universities and research institutions to enhance the development of key common and "bottleneck" technologies in games such as game engines, graphics rendering, motion capture, and AI translation, fostering the integrated and innovative development of digital technologies like AI large models and virtual reality with game technology. (Responsible: Provincial Party Committee Propaganda Department, Provincial Department of Economy and Information Technology, Provincial Department of Science and Technology, Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism)
(6) Strengthening the Integration of Games with Cultural Tourism. Enhance the international competitiveness of travel services, actively developing inbound tourism combined with game scenes. Implement the ecological cultivation project for autonomous large models in cultural tourism, develop and launch the "Visit Zhejiang" large model, creating a Zhejiang sample of "AI + cultural tourism." Encourage game developers to develop game-related products, support game-related products to participate in the "Zhejiang Style Good Gifts" cultural and creative products and tourism goods competition, driving the export of related cultural products and services. Encourage game enterprises to participate in launching "Travel with Games" themed routes, creating immersive game scenes. (Responsible: Provincial Party Committee Propaganda Department, Provincial Department of Commerce, Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism)
(7) Supporting Game Globalization in Promotion and Marketing. Support game enterprises to deepen cooperation with international top game distribution platforms, opening up overseas game live-streaming markets, actively cultivating game live-streaming talents and media influencers, creating a favorable international public opinion atmosphere for game globalization. Deepen the Asia-Pacific market, expand in Europe and America, consolidate in Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, strengthen cooperation with BRICS countries, open up potential markets for game products along the "Belt and Road," building an integrated and symbiotic development ecosystem of "digital + culture + tourism + trade," accelerating the globalization of original game content. (Responsible: Provincial Party Committee Propaganda Department, Provincial Department of Commerce, Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism)
II. Strengthening Platform Support for Game Globalization
(8) Better Utilizing the Global Digital Trade Expo. Promote innovation in competitions, activities, and displays, accelerating game globalization. Using the digital entertainment sector's exhibitions, industry matchmaking, supporting activities, and the digital cultural trade committee as carriers, conduct industry matchmaking, achievement releases, project signings, and promotional activities in the game field. (Responsible: Provincial Department of Commerce, Hangzhou City)
(9) Supporting Enterprises to Participate in Overseas Key Game Exhibitions. Provincial and city levels jointly support enterprises to actively participate in international exhibitions in the cultural trade field, providing support according to self-organized and key business exhibition standards, continuously improving the international operation and communication capabilities of game enterprises. Strengthen exhibition organization management and service guarantees, focus on exhibition effectiveness, and dynamically adjust the exhibition catalog as needed. (Responsible: Provincial Department of Commerce, cities)
(10) Enhancing the Influence of Enterprises in Domestic Game Exhibitions. Encourage game enterprises to participate in exhibitions such as China International Digital Publishing Expo, ChinaJoy, China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industry Fair, China International Copyright Expo, Yangtze River Delta International Cultural Industry Expo, and Hangzhou Cultural and Creative Industry Expo, carefully organizing China (Hangzhou) International Animation Festival and China-CEEC Expo, increasing the promotion of animation and game works. (Responsible: Provincial Party Committee Propaganda Department, Provincial Department of Commerce, Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, Hangzhou City)
(11) Strengthening the Introduction and Improvement of the E-Sports Competition System. Support enterprises and institutions to host e-sports competitions in places like Hangzhou where conditions permit, actively introducing domestic and international top competitions to Zhejiang. Promote the globalization of the e-sports industry, encourage e-sports brands to host competitions overseas, enhancing the influence and reputation of domestic e-sports competitions. (Responsible: Provincial Sports Bureau, Hangzhou City)
III. Improving Ecological Services for Game Globalization
(12) Optimizing the Approval Process for Game Products. Leverage the advantages of Zhejiang as a pilot province for local management of domestic online games, continuously optimizing the online and mobile service system for game applications with "unified declaration, online review, open process, and convenient efficiency" based on content supervision and service management of online games, improving the efficiency of online game content review and declaration. (Responsible: Provincial Party Committee Propaganda Department)
(13) Exploring Innovation in Export Management Systems for the Game Field According to Laws and Regulations. Support key regions to pilot first, relying on Zhejiang Free Trade Zone and Hangzhou’s comprehensive pilot for expanding openness in services, actively exploring facilitation of cross-border settlement and data flow for cultural trade enterprises. (Responsible: Provincial Party Committee Propaganda Department, Provincial Cyberspace Administration, Provincial Department of Commerce, People's Bank of China Zhejiang Branch [Provincial Foreign Exchange Bureau], Provincial Communications Administration, Hangzhou City)
(14) Enhancing the International Compliance Level of Games. Incorporate game products into key content of copyright enforcement actions such as "Sword Net" and "Youth Copyright Protection Season," severely cracking down on game-related infringement and piracy. Guide enterprises to do well in international copyright risk prevention and control and handling of international copyright disputes and infringements, safeguarding their legitimate rights and interests. Establish and improve legal aid mechanisms for game globalization, deeply carry out the "Zhejiang Has Aid" foreign trade legal service activities, providing high-quality foreign-related legal services for game enterprises going global. (Responsible: Provincial Party Committee Propaganda Department, Provincial Department of Commerce)
(15) Strengthening Intellectual Property Protection for Game Globalization. Proactively guide enterprises to do well in overseas intellectual property layout and self-inspection of intellectual property compliance for export products. Support applications for overseas patents and trademarks, implement the "Enterprise Overseas Intellectual Property Compliance Management Standards." Support enterprises in overseas intellectual property rights protection, promote pre-globalization intellectual property infringement risk screening and Freedom to Operate (FTO) report mechanisms, use licensing transfers and design-around strategies to reduce post-globalization infringement risks. (Responsible: Provincial Market Supervision Bureau [Provincial Intellectual Property Office])
IV. Strengthening Element Support for Game Globalization
(16) Supporting the Introduction of International Talents in Game-Related Fields. Provide entry, exit, and residence便利 for foreign high-level talents, research assistants, and accompanying family members in game-related fields according to regulations. Actively strive for overseas professionals in game-related fields to obtain domestic professional qualifications and employment opportunities in specific open fields according to relevant requirements, expanding the catalog of overseas professional qualifications and title comparisons. (Responsible: Provincial Public Security Department, Provincial Human Resources and Social Security Department, Zhejiang Border Inspection Station)
(17) Strengthening the Cultivation of Game-Related Professionals. Optimize the layout of related majors in universities, support Zhejiang University, China Academy of Art, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou Dianzi University, and other universities to strengthen the construction of majors closely related to the online game industry, such as digital media technology, digital media art, industrial design, and computer science and technology. Support Zhejiang International Studies University and other universities to actively explore talent cultivation models such as "translation + online game communication" and "foreign language + online game communication," high-level construction of provincial key modern industrial colleges related to games, assisting online game globalization. (Responsible: Provincial Department of Education)
(18) Increasing Financial Support for Game Globalization. Fully leverage the leverage effect of central and provincial special funds such as the central foreign trade and economic cooperation special funds to support game globalization. Encourage eligible cities to increase policy support, promoting the growth and internationalization of games. (Responsible: Provincial Party Committee Propaganda Department, Provincial Department of Finance, Provincial Department of Commerce, cities)
(19) Optimizing Investment and Financing and Export Credit Insurance Services for the Digital Cultural Industry. Strengthen guidance from national service trade innovation and development guidance funds and provincial industrial funds, encourage angel investment and venture capital in the game globalization industry, cultivating patient capital. Support financial institutions to provide comprehensive, one-stop, and diversified financial services for the game globalization industry. Optimize export credit insurance and export credit services, support game enterprises to expand overseas markets, and reduce overseas risks. (Responsible: Provincial Financial Office, Provincial Department of Finance, Provincial Department of Commerce, People's Bank of China Zhejiang Branch, Export Credit Insurance Zhejiang Branch)
(20) Exploring the Establishment and Improvement of Game Globalization Statistics Mechanisms. Promote data exchange and information sharing among departments related to the game industry, improve the accuracy and timeliness of statistical information, providing decision-making references for advancing game globalization. (Responsible: Provincial Department of Commerce)
Relevant provincial departments should strengthen policy coordination and work synergy, coordinating the support work for game globalization. Cities should strengthen local management, mobilize resources, and promote the implementation of various policy measures, forming a strong合力 to promote game globalization.
This implementation plan shall come into effect on July 10, 2025.