Chinese comics artists create comic strips with colorful topics, from Taoism, to fox-demon fantasy.  [Photo provided to China Daily]

He lauds the contribution made by the internet to grow the Chinese comics industry. By leading more creators into the market as well as spreading more works among readers, the internet breaks down the borders between readers and artists caused by the limited resources of traditional print, he says.

However, Song adds that since the barrier to entry for online comics is low and the regulations are still imperfect, there is the danger of undesirable content spreading among readers.

Better supervision and management of the market might help the sector develop in a more stable way, he says.

Xing Yi contributed to the story.