Chinese online literature draws about 200 million active overseas readers

Chinese online literature currently attracts around 200 million active overseas readers from over 200 countries and regions, according to the China Online Literature International Communication Report 2025.

Major overseas reader groups are in East Asia, Southeast Asia and North America, said the report, released by the China Writers Association during the 2025 China International Online Literature Week which kicked off on Friday.

International readers from different areas show varying preferences. In Southeast Asia, for instance, female readers are the majority and they are fascinated by stories featuring powerful female protagonists. Readers from Japan and the Republic of Korea, who grow up in cultures similar to that in China, favor historical novels, stories containing immortal heroes and fantasies about adventures and wars.

In Europe and North America, the report suggests that works tailored for male readers are most popular, featuring the likes of urban tales, adventures and detective stories. In North America in particular, lots of readers are attracted by a genre which focuses on Taoist-inspired cultivation and immortality, with such readers drawn by what they consider to be the uniqueness of this theme.

The report also shows that according to data from 50 major domestic online literature platforms, China's online literature volume had totaled more than 33 million book titles by the end of 2024, up 7 percent year-on-year.

Notably, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) boosted the spread of Chinese online literature.

AI-powered translation turbocharged the reach and speed of the dissemination of Chinese online literature. On most relevant platforms, more than half of the translated works were done via AI, which reduced costs by over 90 percent.

(Cover photo by CGTN's Ban Jinting)