C-dramas make waves with overseas viewers

Statistics from the National Radio and Television Administration, the country's top sector regulator, show that TV dramas are the most imported category, accounting for 80 percent of all Chinese visual and audio content distributed overseas in 2023, reaching a global audience in more than 200 countries and regions.

"China has risen as a significant provider and producer in the global television drama market," says Zhu Xinmei, director of the International Communication Research Institute of the Development Research Center at the National Radio and Television Administration.

In recent years, a new trend has surfaced. Certain meticulously crafted dramas designed to highlight China's accomplishments or commemorate specific historical moments have garnered popularity in foreign markets, despite the conventional challenge of such genres in making an impact overseas.

As one of the most prominent examples, Minning Town, a 23-episode TV series depicting the efforts of locals in Xihaigu, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, to overcome poverty, has garnered attention through streaming on YouTube and broadcasts in over 50 countries and regions across Asia, Europe, Oceania and Africa. The series has been translated into multiple languages, including English, Russian, Indonesian and Arabic.

Zhu says that the series has gained popularity in African and Middle Eastern countries where audiences have shown a keen interest in China's advanced agricultural technologies and effective methods for combating poverty.