Roundtable Dialogue: Cultural Expansion Overseas: How Can Chinese Products Become Popular Globally? | 2025 Overseas Expansion Conference
On July 25th, guided by the Department of Commerce of Zhejiang Province, the Secretariat of the China Cooperation Center for Special Economic Zones of BRICS countries, the Hangzhou Bureau of Commerce, and the Qiantang District Bureau of Commerce, and jointly hosted by 36Kr and Qiantang Construction Group, the 2025 "From 'Ingenuity' to the 'World'" Going Global Conference grandly kicked off at the Hangzhou Qiantang Junlan Hotel. As a new IP event of 36Kr focusing on the fields of globalization and going global, the conference set up a main venue and a sub - venue, the "Investing in BRICS" - Country Cooperation and Matching Meeting. The main venue of the conference will be divided into two chapters: "Certainty in Uncertainty" and "Doing Business Globally", focusing on popular going - global fields such as consumption, technology, e - commerce, finance, and new energy. It covers more than 10 keynote speeches, 5 round - table discussions, and the release of the East Forward 2025 Going Global Globalization Innovation List, decoding the certain logic of the coordinated growth of "product - technology - ecosystem" and providing a referable global development path for enterprises to break through the fog of globalization and build sustainable going - global capabilities.
36Kr specially planned a round - table discussion on cultural integration and local operation at the going - global conference, with the theme of "From Cultural Going Global: How Can Chinese Products Become Popular Worldwide?" Guo Fu, a senior editor of 36Kr's game section [host], Xing Ruiqi, the vice - president of commercialization of Quwan Qianyin, Lin Qiwen, the vice - president of DataEye (Drama Checker), and Wu Siyong, the general manager of the value - added business department of DHgate, several industry experts jointly explored the "certainty" of going global.
The following is the content of the round - table discussion, sorted and edited by 36Kr:
Guo Fu: Thank you three guests for coming. Before we start, please introduce yourselves briefly.
Xing Ruiqi: Thank you for the invitation from 36Kr. My name is Xing Ruiqi, and I'm from Quwan Qianyin. Quwan Qianyin belongs to Quwan Technology. Equipped with self - developed AI voice technology, it is a one - stop AI tool for video translation. Quwan Technology was first known in the industry for its interest - based social product "TT Voice". In recent years, we have vigorously transformed into the AI field, and now we have three self - developed models, namely AI voice, AI music generation, and digital human technology.
Lin Qiwen: Hello, everyone. I'm Lin Qiwen from DataEye. DataEye was established in 2013 and mainly provides big - data services for industries such as games, short dramas, novels, and online literature apps. Our main service product is ADXray, which is widely used in marketing data analysis in the pan - entertainment industry. In addition, the "Drama Checker" platform under our company provides one - stop services specifically for the short - drama industry.
Wu Siyong: I'm Wu Siyong from DHgate. DHgate was established in 2004 and is one of the earliest small - scale B2B cross - border e - commerce export platforms in China, providing one - stop cross - border e - commerce services such as trading, marketing, and fulfillment for small, medium, and micro - enterprises. I'm very glad to have this opportunity to communicate with partners in the going - global industry.
Guo Fu: As the saying goes, "One place nurtures one kind of people." The Chinese culture and technology passed down for thousands of years are our nourishment and also the image we present to the outside world. In the wave of going global, we hope to share excellent content with the world.
I. Cultural Going Global in 2025: New Opportunities from Quantitative to Qualitative Change
Guo Fu: How do you view the cultural going - global market in 2025? In which fields have you made layouts?
Xing Ruiqi: Chinese cultural going global is moving from "quantity" to "quality" - from 3A works like "Black Myth: Wukong" to short dramas and dynamic comics, digital content has become the core carrier. Quwan Qianyin provides efficient translation tools for structured content such as short dramas through AI voice technology, such as one - click multi - language dubbing and subtitle generation, helping content quickly reach global users.
Lin Qiwen: In 2025, cultural going global shows a trend of "high - quality and IP - based". Now Chinese symbols (such as Pop Mart's Labubu) and cultural IPs have formed a preliminary influence, and the growth rate of the scale of short - drama going global is particularly significant. Our ADXray (overseas version) data tool can greatly help partners analyze overseas users' preferences (for example, the female - oriented content accounts for 77%, and they prefer "strong - female - lead" plots) and how to produce localized marketing and advertising materials (such as emotion + urban + reversal). We also use our AI tools to improve the translation efficiency of short dramas and promote the precise implementation of content.
Wu Siyong: Cultural going global ultimately requires a "physical carrier". DHgate mainly enables overseas users to understand the cultural value behind the products through "story packaging + local dissemination" - for example, using videos to explain the inheritance of the needlework techniques of Suzhou embroidery and then promoting it offline through local influencers, forming a closed - loop of "cognition - recognition - purchase". We are promoting cooperation with intangible cultural heritage resources such as Suzhou embroidery and cultural and creative products of the Forbidden City according to this logic.
II. Breaking through Cultural Barriers: Localization Practices in Translation, Content, and Supply Chain
Guo Fu: How can AI translation balance "faithfulness, expressiveness, and elegance"? How can short dramas and physical products adapt to the overseas market?
Xing Ruiqi: AI translation can achieve "faithfulness" (accurate content) and "expressiveness" (smooth logic), but "elegance" (cultural adaptation) still requires human - machine collaboration. For example, when translating ancient poems or internet memes, the machine first outputs a basic version, and then humans optimize it according to the local context. Our tool disassembles the editing interface, allowing translators to adjust the translation, language, and voice in real - time to ensure it is "down - to - earth". For instance, translating "New Year's Eve dinner" into "family feast" that European and American users can understand not only retains the core meaning but also fits the local expression.
Lin Qiwen: The key to short - drama going global lies in "micro - innovation". We estimate that the overseas market scale will reach $4.5 billion in 2025, but users' preferences are different from those in the domestic market: the female - oriented content accounts for 77%, and they prefer "strong - female - lead" plots rather than the popular "dominant male" plots in China; the in - app purchase payment model accounts for 60%, and the free model only accounts for 20%. We suggest adjusting the details based on the plot framework verified in China - for example, changing "a son - in - law getting revenge" to "a vampire's counter - attack" and replacing Chinese elements with local scenarios to retain the sense of excitement while avoiding cultural barriers.
Wu Siyong: For physical cultural products going global, "stories first" is necessary. One way is to tell our stories. Through videos and other means, let overseas consumers know what kind of stories are behind the products. Whether it's Wukong or Nezha, only after they are immersed in the story can they possibly be interested in the products. Another way, which DHgate is doing, is to use overseas local IPs and combine them with domestic supply - chain products, which will also produce some synergy. In addition, only locals understand locals best. DHgate is using the community approach to bring domestic supply - chain parties, overseas consumers, and general influencers together, organizing various online and offline activities for direct communication on what kind of stories they can understand, what kind of products they need, and what adjustments the existing products need to make, so as to carry out suitable localization transformation for cultural products. For cultural products, the premium comes from brand and cultural value, which requires stronger user interaction to cultivate loyal fans. The local community is the key to connecting users and merchants, helping products penetrate the market and achieve continuous commercial realization. I believe it will be the core force for cultural going global in the future.
III. Localization Difficulties: Deep Adaptation from Language to Culture
Guo Fu: What are the most difficult problems in local operation of cultural going global? How to solve them?
Xing Ruiqi: The biggest difficulty is the "cultural codes behind the language". For example, a literal translation of "dragon" may cause negative associations in the West, so it needs to be adjusted to "mythical beast" according to the context. Our solution is "technology + local talents": after the AI completes the basic translation, we invite native speakers from the target market to optimize the expression. At the same time, we reserve a "flexible editing" entry in the product, allowing users to make real - time modifications based on feedback.
Lin Qiwen: The core is to have consistent values, and the differences in local taboos and cultural preferences are the most likely pitfalls. For example, in the Middle East market, "drinking alcohol" cannot be mentioned, and the West is more open to "multiple genders". We suggest "avoiding red lines and making minor adjustments in details": first, use data tools to check local taboos, and then verify the content through "small - scale testing + rapid iteration" - for example, when promoting short dramas in Latin America, changing "Spring Festival reunion" to "Carnival family gathering" not only retains the emotional core but also fits the local culture.
Wu Siyong: It is the most difficult to accurately grasp the needs of local users. Therefore, Chinese enterprises often select "best - selling products" based on domestic experience, but cultural and creative products that are popular in China may be unpopular overseas. For example, silk scarves with complex patterns are less popular in Europe and America than simple ones. Therefore, DHgate adheres to the "local - to - local" approach, relying on local influencers, general influencer communities, and offline small - business meetings in overseas markets that have been cultivated for many years, allowing all relevant parties in the entire chain to participate in co - creation and communication, forming a positive cycle of "user feedback - product upgrade - commercial realization". For cultural products, the premium comes from brand and cultural value, which requires stronger user interaction to cultivate loyal fans. The local community is the key to connecting users and merchants, helping products penetrate the market and achieve continuous commercial realization. I believe it will be the core force for cultural going global in the future.
IV. The Art of Balance: Dynamic Adaptation between Cultural Integration and Localization
Guo Fu: How can we resonate with overseas users while retaining the core of Chinese culture?
Xing Ruiqi: The core is the "value anchor". For example, in a short drama we served, when telling the story of "filial piety", instead of directly presenting the story of "Twenty - four Filial Exemplars", we transformed it into a universal plot of "a granddaughter helping her grandmother fulfill her wish" and then translated it into multiple languages with AI. Technology ensures that the "story can be understood", and the cultural core ensures that the "emotion can be communicated". This is the key to balance.
Lin Qiwen: The logic of short - drama going global is "keep the core unchanged and localize the form". Core plots such as "counter - attack" and "emotional redemption" verified in China can still touch overseas users. We just need to replace the scenarios: for example, changing "feuds in a quadrangle courtyard" to "struggle for manor inheritance" and replacing "dominant male" with "vampire" to retain the sense of excitement and fit the local imagination.
Wu Siyong: We still need to find cultural commonalities and package our core values in the other party's language. In addition, strong interaction is a must, not just one - way output from us.
V. Future Outlook: New Globalization Possibilities under Cultural Confidence
Guo Fu: What new trends will there be in cultural going global in 2025? What preparations do we need to make?
Xing Ruiqi: Two - way flow will become the mainstream - not only Chinese content goes global, but also overseas bloggers (such as YouTubers with tens of millions of followers) are entering the Chinese market through our tools. This requires our AI technology to be more "culturally savvy": it should be able to translate "Dream of the Red Chamber" well and also explain Shakespeare thoroughly, making cross - cultural communication smoother.
Lin Qiwen: Short - drama going global will enter the stage of "global collaboration". For example, on the day a drama is launched in China, it can be translated into multiple languages and sent to the world on the same day. For many domestic hit dramas, the plots will be adjusted in real - time according to regional characteristics and advertising data (such as adding "witchcraft elements" in Southeast Asia and strengthening "workplace counter - attack" in Europe and America). The key is to "make quick trials and errors, make micro - innovations, and iterate rapidly based on data".
Wu Siyong: The "cultural premium" of physical products will be further released. As overseas users' curiosity about Chinese culture deepens, "products with stories" such as intangible cultural heritage and handicrafts will be more competitive. DHgate will continue to promote community practices, allowing overseas consumers and content creators to participate in it and truly achieve "cultural co - creation".
Guo Fu: Cultural going global is not a one - way output, but "letting each beauty shine and all beauties coexist". The practices of the three guests show us that whether it is the accuracy of AI translation, the flexibility of short dramas, or the warmth of physical products, the core is to tell Chinese stories in a way that the other party can understand. Thank you all!