A view of Sony's booth at the 7th China International Import Expo in Shanghai. [ZHANG WEI/CHINA DAILY]
Japanese consumer electronics company Sony Group Corp is betting big on the creative entertainment industry in China and is supporting Chinese content creators to give full play to their expertise through technological innovation, to satisfy consumers' rising demand for high-quality entertainment experiences.
Moreover, Chinese video game Black Myth: Wukong has also become popular on Sony's PlayStation gaming platform, pushing up sales of its PS5 consoles, said a senior company executive.
"Sony has been deeply cultivating the Chinese market for many years, and has always maintained a strategic vision for long-term development and deepened its business layout in China," said Takeshi Yoshida, president of Sony China.
Yoshida emphasized the importance of the Chinese market in the world economy and the high priority the Chinese government attaches to innovation-driven and high-quality development.
He added that the company will leverage its advantages in technology, content and services to fully support creators in China.
Takehito Soeda, vice-president of Sony China, said the company's businesses, which mainly include content creation, electronic products and semiconductors, have all witnessed steady growth in China over the past few years.
Although the consumer electronics business still takes up a large share, there is immense growth potential in content creation and cooperation, Soeda said.
According to him, apart from introducing popular overseas games to the Chinese market, Sony has launched a program aimed at supporting the creation of native games from Chinese developers, and bringing original Chinese content to the global market through the PlayStation platform. It provides assistance to the creators in terms of technology, creativity and publication.
The move not only shows the innovative capability of China's gaming industry, but also provides a more diversified gaming experience for global players, he said.
The company, he said, will expand cooperation with domestic game developers to promote the development of high-quality console games.
Soeda said he sees immense development opportunities from the integration of technology with entertainment, and emerging industries in the future.
Takeshi Yoshida, president of Sony China. [Photo provided to China Daily]
Sony has deepened its collaboration with local partners and established a studio for virtual cinematography in Shanghai, providing crystal light-emitting diode display systems, professional cameras and monitors.
At the ongoing China International Import Expo in Shanghai, the Japanese company is displaying a series of innovative technologies, such as virtual avatars, immersive experiences in location-based entertainment, image sensing and artificial intelligence, as well as technical achievements in environmental protection.
"The CIIE provides an important platform for Sony to showcase the latest technologies, deepen cooperation and stimulate innovation. Sony's continuous participation in the CIIE not only reflects our long-standing commitment to the Chinese market, but also demonstrates our strong belief in creating a better future with China," Yoshida said.
It also responds positively to the Chinese government's sustainable development strategy, and bolsters the upgrading of green industries and green consumption in China.
The structure of foreign investment continues to be optimized, as China's high-tech manufacturing sector attracted 77.12 billion yuan ($10.9 billion) in the first nine months of the year, or 12 percent of its total foreign direct investment inflow, up 1.5 percentage points from the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
Zhang Jianping, deputy director of the academic committee at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said foreign companies have accelerated their localization steps in China in recent years, while high-tech industries and advanced manufacturing have become important sectors for foreign investment in the country.
He added that the implementation of a new round of opening-up measures, such as a shortened negative list for market entry and establishing more pilot free trade zones, has created favorable conditions for foreign businesses to invest in China.
