AI-Powered Translation Fuels Global Expansion of Chinese Micro-Dramas
In Changsha, Hunan province, China, artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the global distribution of Chinese micro-dramas. The Malanshan Video Cultural and Creative Industrial Park is at the forefront of this shift, leveraging AI to overcome language barriers and accelerate international reach.
The Rise of Intelligent Translation and Production
In April 2025, China’s first large-scale intelligent translation and production center for short dramas launched at the Malanshan Audio and Video Laboratory, a key research platform within the park. This system integrates large language models, speech recognition, voice cloning, and synthesis to automate translation, dubbing, and subtitle generation into multiple languages.
Tu Yongfeng, director of the lab, noted that manual translation of a two-hour micro-drama previously took one to two weeks, but can now be completed in just a few hours. This efficiency has already led to the rollout of over 3,000 works, attracting tens of millions of overseas viewers even as significantly reducing production costs.
National Support for Cultural-Technological Integration
These developments align with a broader national strategy to integrate culture and technology, a priority emphasized by President Xi Jinping. During a visit to Changsha in September 2020, President Xi highlighted the distinctive character of Hunan’s cultural and creative sector, describing culture as a “sunrise industry.” He stressed the importance of integrating culture and technology for rapid growth and sustained support of the sector.
Since that visit, the ideas he outlined have been steadily implemented at Malanshan, which is often dubbed “China’s V Valley.”
Malanshan Park: A Hub for Innovation
The Malanshan Video Cultural and Creative Industrial Park is now home to over 4,000 culture and technology enterprises and more than 64,000 professionals in the audio-video sector. More than 20 research and innovation platforms have been established, including the Malanshan Audio and Video Laboratory.
From 2020 to 2024, companies within the park generated a combined revenue of 277.1 billion yuan ($38.5 billion), with annual growth averaging over 11 percent. Tax contributions grew at an average annual rate of 17 percent during the same period.
Technological Advancements at the Malanshan Audio and Video Laboratory
The Malanshan Audio and Video Laboratory focuses on core technologies across the entire audio-video chain, from production and editing to transmission and display. Research areas include AI-empowered content creation, home and in-car audio-video equipment, and professional audio-video testing systems.
Demonstrations at the lab include a set-top box delivering 4K ultra-high-definition images and immersive audio, and an AI dual-lens livestreaming camera that responds to hand gestures, simulates cinematic depth of field, and automatically removes backgrounds. The lab aims to build a comprehensive technological ecosystem for the entire audio-video pipeline, aligning with both international standards and domestic industrial needs. The research team has filed over 200 patent applications and plans to turn into a leading national center for audio-video technology within five years.
Broader National Policy and Digital Transformation
The developments at Malanshan reflect a broader national policy direction. The third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China in 2024 called for exploring mechanisms to integrate culture with science and technology and accelerate the development of new cultural business forms. President Xi Jinping stressed the need to integrate culture and technology, promote digital empowerment, and transform China’s cultural resources into development advantages during a group study session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee in October 2024.
Xu Guobao, vice-president of the China Culture Administration Association, emphasized that deeper integration requires not only new technologies but also effective institutional mechanisms to improve resource allocation and stimulate creativity.
Digitalization of Cultural Heritage
Across the country, cultural institutions are embracing digital transformation. The Palace Museum in Beijing has seen millions of users explore the former imperial palace through digital tours, livestreaming, and interactive exhibitions via its mini-program launched in 2020. The Mogao Caves in Gansu province recreated the famed Library Cave in digital form in 2023, enabling virtual exploration of its manuscript treasures. The Digital Library Cave project received a UNESCO award in 2023 and launched an international version in 2024. In Shanxi province, the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda has been digitally reconstructed through collaboration between Lenovo and Tsinghua University.
Cultural Products in the Digital Age
Digital cultural resources are increasingly being transformed into consumer products, appearing on food packaging, clothing, and household goods. China’s “guochao” (China-chic) economy surpassed 2.2 trillion yuan in 2024.
Balancing Innovation and Preservation
Zhou Dan, a senior researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences’ Institute of Philosophy, stated that integrating culture and technology is central to building a strong socialist culture. He emphasized that while new technologies offer creative space, they also require improved governance, ethical oversight, and content regulation. Digital innovation should enhance, not distort, history and tradition.