Cultural and creative industry

The fast-developing cartoon, animation and game industries are a major highlight in Hangzhou's cultural and creativity sector. In 2008, 31 cartoons, 20,300 minutes in length, were produced by Hangzhou's cultural and creativity industry, a year-on-year increase of 35 percent. Since then Hangzhou has become the second-most productive city in the country in terms of cartoon output.

Hangzhou was awarded the “Annual Culturally Influential City” at the China Cultural Industry Academy Awards in 2017. According to the Tsinghua University and Taiwan Asia-Pacific Cultural and Creative Industry Association, the industry in Hangzhou has always ranked first in the country.

There are about 500 film and television enterprises in Hangzhou, including eight listed companies. About 220 animation companies are also settled in the city. The number of excellent domestic animations made in Hangzhou and recommended by the National Radio and Television Administration or listed in the Children's Excellence has ranked first among major cities in the country for three years in a row.

As early as 2012, Hangzhou had successfully joined the UNESCO Global Creative Cities Network, becoming the country's first charity and folk art capital. The China International Cartoon and Animation Festival, held in Hangzhou for the past 14 years, has become the most popular and acclaimed animation event in China.