Belt and Road Initiative helps promote Chinese animation industry

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By CGTN’s Wang Siwen

A fun-loving jet plane delivers packages to children around the world, fascinating young audiences in the animated series, Super Wings.

Sold to overseas markets since 2014, the series has been well received in over 70 countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia, Turkey and Israel.

In Vietnam, six mainstream TV stations are broadcasting this series, and its total broadcast time exceeds 5,000 minutes, putting it at first place on the list of foreign animated series aired in the country.

Super Wings /CGTN Photo

In Super Wings, each episode introduces a country along the Belt and Road Initiative, exposing children to the culture, customs, and religions of other countries.

Wang Chaohuang, general manager of the overseas business department of Alpha Entertainment, said "I showed one episode set in Vietnam. You can see it in the clothes of the characters and the landmarks in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city."

The creator of the series, China's Alpha Entertainment company looks beyond content cooperation. The company also engages in the development of marketing collateral with local companies. Products hit the market, and popular characters are ready to sell out.

Products of the Super Wings series /CGTN Photo

Wang Jing, the vice president of Alpha Entertainment, said "Chinese culture is going abroad. The development of the Belt and Road initiative will help bring Chinese products, innovation and culture to more families around the globe."

The company has cooperated with over 20 countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, with deals spanning broadcast, toy sales, IP copyrights and international programs. Their overseas revenue was over one billion yuan (nearly 145 million US dollars) in 2016, up about 140 percent from a year ago.

Alpha Entertainment is among the many in south China's Guangdong province, which have seen a total revenue of 17.6 billion yuan (nearly 2.55 billion US dollars), based on animations and games exported to more than 160 countries and regions.