Analysts say China's $15 billion science fiction industry, which gained global attention with the success of the Netflix show “3 Body Problems,'' is undermining the economy while aligning with Beijing's ambitions to become a technology superpower. He emphasized the need for this, saying that it has the potential to boost the economy. Strong government support to strengthen this sector.
According to the 2024 China Science Fiction Industry Report released last week during the 8th China Science Fiction Convention in Beijing, the industry achieved a total revenue of 113.29 billion yuan (US$15.6 billion) last year, an increase of 29% year-on-year. % increase.
Wu Yang, a co-author of the report, said science fiction could also help companies envision and generate new ideas, such as establishing human settlements on Mars or establishing brain-computer interfaces.
“The most important benefit of the science fiction industry is that it stimulates the public's imagination about future technological advances as technology evolves rapidly and includes increasingly uncertain disruptive technologies.” said Mr. Wu.
“With its rich content, science fiction products offer vast imaginative space for future technologies.”
This upward trajectory is expected to continue in the coming yearsWu Yan
China's science fiction industry has experienced steady growth, with revenue increasing from 10 billion yuan to more than 100 billion yuan in the past eight years, Wu said.
“This upward trajectory is expected to continue in the coming years,” added Wu, who is also a professor at Shenzhen's Southern University of Science and Technology.
“Future industry assessments will quantify the impact of SF on technology research and development.”
The Chinese government has already explicitly cited the science fiction industry as a catalyst for promoting China's scientific and technological progress.
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In 2021, the State Council released the “National Action Plan for Scientific Literacy 2021-35”, emphasizing that this genre is an important tool for promoting scientific innovation, literacy and cultural development.
The plan aimed to establish a high-level platform for science fiction creation and exchange, and to integrate science and technology communication with the film and television industry.
According to Wu's report, the revenue of China's science fiction film and television industry increased by 38.8% last year, and in parallel, the revenue of the science fiction game sector increased by 15.4%.
The report said that science fiction literature recorded a 4.3% year-on-year growth, and science fiction-themed tourism revenue such as scenic spots, amusement parks, and stage performances soared to 31.06 billion yuan, an increase of 106.7% year-on-year. There is. Found by the authors.
SF will seamlessly integrate with emerging industries, fostering new paths to productivity 2024 China SF Industry Report
The report, jointly published by the China Science Fiction Research Center and the Science and Human Imagination Research Center, states, “In the future, AI-generated content is poised to revolutionize the creation of science fiction literature, movies, and more.'' ” is stated. at Southern University of Science and Technology.
“SF will seamlessly integrate with emerging industries and foster new paths to productivity.”
However, Wu said that although the “three-body problem” is widely recognized, public understanding across the industry is still limited.
According to the “China Science Fiction Industry 10 Year Report'', nearly 70% of China's science fiction sales in 2022 will be due to the three-body problem.
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China and Chinese viewers criticize Netflix's 'Three-Body Problem' based on Lu Zixin's science fiction novel
China and Chinese viewers criticize Netflix's 'Three-Body Problem' based on Lu Zixin's science fiction novel
The show depicts human contact with a more technologically advanced alien civilization, and was created in 2006 by Chinese engineer and science fiction writer Liu Cixin, a famous magazine with a history of over 40 years. It was first serialized in Science Fiction World. This novel is considered a breakthrough success in Chinese science fiction.
“The government should strengthen the promotion of science fiction literature and incorporate it into education, such as introducing science fiction into schools and providing educational programs for young people,” Wu said.
“Therefore, we can ensure the long-term survival of the industry.”
Chen Ruiqi, a 36-year-old lawyer in Shanghai, is an avid science fiction fan, but due to the limited availability of merchandise, he only spent a few hundred yuan on the hobby last year.
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“Science fiction literature has tremendous potential for film adaptation, but China's efforts to incorporate science fiction literature into movies are not as active as in the United States, and China is still in the early stages of market development,” Chen said. . I've been reading science fiction for over 20 years.
In 2019, China released The Wandering Earth, an adaptation of Liu's novel of the same name, which state news agency Xinhua reported as the beginning of the country's foray into science fiction films.
The sequel was released in 2023 and grossed 8.7 billion yuan (US$1.2 billion), making both films among the top 10 highest-grossing films in Chinese history.
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