Kathmandu— China’s premier digital publishing expo will be held from August 27-29 in Jinan, the capital of Shandong Province, and for the first time will include an exhibition area focused on the intersection of traditional Chinese culture and online gaming. The 16th China International Digital Publishing Expo is expected to draw over 500 exhibitors from more than 30 countries and regions, as well as delegations from 20 provincial-level areas within China. Organizers highlighted recent successes in the domestic gaming market, like 'Black Myth: Wukong,' as examples of how technology can revitalize cultural heritage through innovative game development.

Growing Domestic Gaming Market

China’s domestic gaming market generated over 350 billion yuan (approximately 52 billion U.S. dollars) in actual sales revenue in 2025, marking a 7.68 percent year-on-year increase. The number of gamers also rose to 683 million, representing a 1.35 percent increase from the previous year. This growth has been fueled by popular domestically produced games that creatively integrate traditional Chinese culture.

Expo Focus and Activities

This year’s expo will feature one main forum, six thematic forums, and over 80 supporting activities centered around digital publishing advancements. Discussions will cover topics such as human-machine collaboration, interdisciplinary construction, and global academic communication. The Chinese Academy of Press and Publication, a co-host of the event, plans to reveal preliminary results in establishing industry standards for artificial intelligence applications during the expo.

International Participation

More than 500 exhibitors are anticipated at the event, representing over 30 countries and regions alongside delegations from 20 Chinese provincial areas. The China International Digital Publishing Expo was first held in 2005 and serves as a key platform for promoting growth within the digital publishing industry.

The expo aims to further promote the development of the digital publishing industry, with a particular emphasis on integrating cultural elements into modern gaming.

(With inputs from Xinhua)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.