Costumed fans delight in animation, gaming at 17th China International Comics Festival

The 17th China International Comic Festival, showcasing over 100 animation, comic and gaming franchises, was held in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province from Wednesday to Saturday.

Over 100,000 fans were drawn to the event both online and offline, and more than 1,000 dressed in creative cosplay for the occasion. The festival showcased and sold more than 1,500 types of animation and game-related merchandise, driving consumption to exceed 220 million yuan (about 31.4 million U.S. dollars).

For nostalgic visitors, a highlight of the event was a captivating "sheep village" inspired by the long-running Chinese animated series "Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf." The area showcased debut exhibits and interactive games, drawing in fans eager to take photos.

"Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf" revolves around a group of goats living on the Green Grassland and a bumbling wolf who always wants to eat them.

"This year marks the 20th anniversary of the release of the 'Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf' series. Here, visitors can rediscover many classic elements and even uncover some spoilers," said Cai Ruiqiong, a producer for the series.

The exhibition was also a chance for many up-and-coming animators to expand their fan bases, taking advantage of growing enthusiasm for the medium in China.

China's first 3A game, "Black Myth: Wukong", featured its inaugural themed exhibition -- the "Black Myth: Wukong photo exhibition" -- at the festival. This exhibition showcased over 200 game pages created by players worldwide, with stunning visuals of historic sites and scenic landscapes.

With over 10 million copies sold across all platforms in just three days after its release on Aug. 20 this year, the Chinese action role-playing game inspired by Wu Cheng'en's iconic 16th-century novel, "Journey to the West", stands as the most successful Chinese video game to date.

The festival also displayed a diverse array of original comics and animations rich in Chinese cultural elements, alongside mobile games that reflect traditional Chinese culture, which are gaining popularity among youth.

"Our domestic animation market is gradually experiencing explosive growth, with around 80 percent of our offerings here consisting of local content. We can also see that many young animation artists are now producing works that are rich in literary depth and traditional cultural elements," said Chen Xi, an exhibitor.

Costumed fans delight in animation, gaming at 17th China International Comics Festival

The first phase of the 139th China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, closed on Sunday with a record number of overseas buyers, the organizer said.

As of 5 p.m. on Sunday, about 167,000 overseas buyers from 216 countries and regions had attended the offline exhibition, up 5.9 percent from the same period of the previous edition, according to the China Foreign Trade Center.

The turnout, the highest for any first phase of the fair, underscored the resilience and vitality of China's foreign trade, it said.

The first phase of the fair, themed "advancing manufacturing," featured more than 25,000 booths, 740,000 products and over 12,000 exhibitors.

AI smart appliances, drones, new energy vehicles, and precision CNC machine tools were all on display. Spanning intelligent manufacturing, new energy, and high-end equipment, the showcase highlights the innovation capacity and vitality of China's advanced industrial system.

A total of 324 new product launch events were held, providing companies with an effective platform for networking and collaboration.

"We want to expand our relationship, and also bring innovation from here to Germany much faster, or to do European market much faster," said Kevin Klingler, a German purchaser.

This year's fair is being held in three offline phases in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, and will run through May 5. The second phase, scheduled from April 23 to 27, will focus on "quality home life," including building materials, furniture, household products, gifts and decorations.

Established in 1957, the Canton Fair takes place twice a year in Guangzhou. It is the longest-running of several comprehensive international trade events in China, and it has been hailed as the barometer of China's foreign trade.

Int'l buyers hit record for 1st phase of China's Canton Fair