A senior cyberspace administration official has called on Chinese internet media to uphold the principle of content is king, leverage technologies such as artificial intelligence to enhance personalized, contextual and interactive communication, and continuously bolster their influence.

Zhuang Rongwen, head of the Cyberspace Administration of China, made the remarks at the 2025 China Internet Media Forum, held on Saturday and Sunday in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, while highlighting the rapid evolution of information technology, and AI in particular, which is reshaping the media industry.

Referring to the measures outlined at the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Zhuang underscored the importance of developing content production and communication mechanisms, implementing assessment systems for all media forms and initiating a systemic transformation of mainstream media.

These guidelines serve as a road map for the reform and growth of online media, he said.

The forum, themed "Systemic Transformation, Intelligent Communication: Opportunities and Challenges for Internet Media", urged online media organizations to swiftly adapt to digitalization trends.

Zhuang emphasized that internet media must play a vital role in preserving culture, influencing public opinion and serving the people. Systemic media transformation requires comprehensive and profound reforms, the establishment of internet thinking and the fostering of innovation in theory, content and technology, he said.

Online media play a pivotal role in harnessing the collective strength of the people and advocating the creation of culturally rich content that reflects real-life experiences with a global perspective, he added.

Feng Ji, producer of the hugely popular video game Black Myth: Wukong, shared his insights into the game's success, highlighting the importance of combining advanced technology with engaging content to tell compelling Chinese stories.

Feng's team plans to continue exploring traditional cultural themes and integrating modern technological tools to unearth the cultural treasures left by Chinese ancestors.

Wang Xiaozhen, a member of the leading Party members group and deputy director of China Media Group, emphasized the significance of enhancing media competitiveness to establish a Chinese benchmark in the global media landscape.

China Media Group has actively pursued various media initiatives, collaborations and international partnerships to enhance its global influence and dissemination capabilities, Wang said.

This year's forum, which acted as a large window to the development trends of Chinese online media, featured diverse themed activities including the AI Empowering Positive Content Creation Conference held on Saturday.

The conference brought together representatives from online media, internet enterprises and research institutions to enable the exchange of ideas.

Through immersive exhibitions and interactive displays, the conference showcased achievements, launched new products and fostered collaborations to drive industrial innovation and development.