China's sci-fi conference opens in tech hub Shenzhen

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The third China Science Fiction Conference opened on Friday in Shenzhen, a southern Chinese city known for its many tech companies.

The three-day event gathers writers, scientists, filmmakers and fans nationwide to discuss the country's rising enthusiasm for sci-fi and its links with China's ongoing tech boom.

"Science laid the groundwork for sci-fi, while sci-fi gives wings to science," said Chen Gang, executive secretary of the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST).

Liu Cixin (2nd R) and other guests attend the establishment ceremony of an alliance dedicated to promoting China's sci-fi industry in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, south China, November 23, 2018. /Xinhua Photo

"China's pursuit of technological strength hinges on the creativity of the general public," he said at the opening ceremony of the conference.

China's sci-fi sector was fast growing and prospering in various categories from novels, movies, micro-videos to games. A number of locally made sci-fi movies will soon hit the screens and the pace of going abroad is accelerating, he said.

China's science fiction has attracted much attention in recent years, especially after Liu Cixin's sci-fi epic, "The Three-Body Problem," scooped up the 2015 Hugo Award, sci-fi's top prize. Another of his work, "The Wandering Earth," has been adapted into a movie that is scheduled to hit Chinese screens early next year.

People visit an exhibition of the third China Science Fiction Conference at Shenzhen University, Guangdong, south China. /Xinhua Photo

The conference is organized by CAST, with co-organizers including China's tech giant Tencent. The event features a number of forums, including on female sci-fi writers, cyberpunk in China and movie adaptations of Chinese sci-fi novels.

Its opening also witnessed the establishment of an alliance dedicated to promoting China's sci-fi industry, and another organization to boost college sci-fi activities.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency