The first in the country! The Science Fiction Industry Special Committee of the China Association of Science Popularization Writers is established in Chengdu
On July 27th, the founding conference of the Science Fiction Industry Professional Committee of the China Science Popularization Writers Association and the academic seminar on AI empowering innovation and development of the science fiction industry were held in Chengdu. The event is held during the 2026 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Digital Week, and the science fiction industry's exploration of digital technology, artificial intelligence, and future life echoes the atmosphere of China's global digital innovation exchange. Experts, scholars, and industry representatives from various fields such as science fiction academic research, publishing and distribution, film and television games, digital cultural and creative industries, cultural and tourism operations, investment and finance, legal services, and international communication from across the country gathered in Rongcheng to witness the official launch of a professional collaboration platform for the entire science fiction industry chain.
Wang Chunfa, Chairman of the China Association of Science Popularization Writers, Zhou Dejin, Member of the Party Committee and Director of the Organizational Construction Working Committee, and Li Honglin, Deputy Secretary General; Liu Guorong, Vice Chairman of Chengdu Federation of Literary and Art Circles, and relevant officials from the Propaganda Department of Chengdu Municipal Committee attended the event. He Xi, President of Chengdu Science Fiction Association, delivered a welcome speech. This event is hosted by the China Science Popularization Writers Association, organized by the Chengdu Science Fiction Association and Chengdu Baguangfen Cultural Communication Co., Ltd.
Wang Chunfa, Chairman of the China Science Popularization Writers Association, pointed out at the founding conference that science fiction has grown from a "niche culture" to an emerging industry with broad social influence, presenting three distinct characteristics: first, it has moved from "niche interests" to "social consensus", with the industry scale remaining stable at the level of billions and the entire industry chain taking shape; The second is to move from "single work production" to "full industry chain ecology", and science fiction is becoming an emerging field that connects culture and economy; The third is to move from "imagining the future" to "participating in creating the future", highlighting the trend of the integration of technology and science fiction.
Wang Chunfa put forward four expectations for the special committee: to create an industrial ecological community, to create a science fiction innovation connector, to create a future industrial think tank, and to create a future talent pool. He emphasized that science fiction has a natural international dissemination attribute and hopes that the special committee can promote Chinese science fiction to the world and contribute Chinese wisdom to the global future narrative.
It is at this critical juncture of the industry's leap that the establishment of the special committee has been given a clear mission: to break through the breakpoints and dislocations between the industrial chains, promote the formation of a normalized cooperation mechanism for resource sharing, project co creation, talent co education, and achievement co transformation.
At the meeting, Zhou Dejin read out the "Reply of the China Science Popularization Writers Association on Agreeing to Establish a Science Fiction Industry Professional Committee". Wang Chunfa issued appointment certificates to the chairman and vice chairman of the committee, and Zhou Dejin issued appointment certificates to the committee members. Yang Feng was appointed as the first chairman, while Yao Xue, Jiang Zhenyu, Chen Shi, Li Guangyi, Dong Jing, Ma Guobin, Gu Bei, and Cui Li were appointed as vice chairmen. The first special committee consisted of 24 members from various fields such as universities, science fiction enterprises, fund institutions, industry platforms, and legal service agencies.
According to the conference, the Special Committee is the first professional branch of the China Science Popularization Writers Association in China to focus on the entire science fiction industry chain. It has seven working areas: industry research and standards, industry ecology and cooperation, industry education integration and talent, IP incubation and copyright services, investment and financing and project cultivation, international communication and cooperation, and legal and compliance services. The special committee will leverage resource linkage, industry research, project incubation, and professional services to promote the formation of a normalized collaboration mechanism for resource sharing, project co creation, talent co education, and achievement co transformation.
In his report on the preparation and 2026 work arrangement, Yang Feng introduced that the special committee will be based in Chengdu, serve the whole country, and link with the world, focusing on six functions: think tank research, industry linkage, talent cultivation, IP empowerment, international communication, and compliance services. It will promote the compilation of the "Typical Case Collection of China's Science Fiction Industry", establish annual forums, quarterly salons, venture capital roadshows, and city exchange mechanisms, build a national science fiction industry talent pool and IP sharing and docking platform, construct a science fiction going global matrix, strengthen intellectual property services, and connect the industrial chain from creative production to commercial landing, from local development to international communication.
The establishment of the special committee in Chengdu is closely related to the city's long-standing science fiction genes and increasingly perfect industrial ecology. As one of the important origins of Chinese science fiction, Chengdu has nurtured nationally influential science fiction brands such as "Science Fiction World" and the Galaxy Award, gathering a group of writers, editors, researchers, creative teams, and industry institutions. Since the 2023 Chengdu World Science Fiction Conference, the integration of science fiction with artificial intelligence, gaming and animation, film and television tourism, digital consumption and other fields has accelerated, and is moving from urban cultural identity to industrial practice.
The 2025 Chengdu Science Fiction Industry Report shows that the revenue of Chengdu's science fiction industry will reach 25.577 billion yuan in 2024, a year-on-year increase of 8.71%; The "2025 China Science Fiction City Index Report" shows that Chengdu firmly ranks in the first tier of urban science fiction development in China, and its science fiction communication dimension ranks first. On the policy side, Chengdu has issued the first national action plan for the development of science fiction industry in cities, deploying 18 key tasks around 5 major areas; Launching the first city level science fiction content creation and education support policy in China, "Science Fiction 13 Articles," covering creation, incubation, transformation, and consumption. On the capital and project side, Chengdu has launched the first city level science fiction future industry fund in China, with a target scale of over 3 billion yuan; At the same time, Chengdu continues to hold brand competitions such as the "Tianwen" Chinese Science Fiction Literature Competition, the Chinese Science Fiction Nebula Award, the China Science Fiction Galaxy Award, and the "Future Science Fiction Master Award", and builds the country's first "Science Fiction IP+Future Scene" OPC community to promote the deep integration of science fiction and artificial intelligence, film and animation, gaming and esports, digital cultural and creative industries, and cultural tourism consumption. From policies, capital, projects to content, technology, and scenarios, a science fiction industry chain that connects original incubation, IP conversion, and consumer applications is accelerating its formation.
The science fiction industry has a long chain and a wide range of specialties, from content creation and IP development to technology application and scene implementation, requiring complementary advantages from different cities. Beijing has a strong foundation in think tanks, copyright, and international communication, while Shanghai and Shenzhen have outstanding advantages in gaming, film and television, digital cultural and creative industries, technology applications, and industrial capital. Cities such as Chongqing, Nanjing, Xi'an, Wuhan, Guangzhou, and Hangzhou have also formed their own characteristics in cultural and tourism scenes, literary publishing, scientific research and education, digital economy, and industrial incubation.
The first members of the special committee come from multiple cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Nanjing, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Wuhan, and Xi'an. In the future, the special committee will be based in Chengdu and serve the whole country, promoting the effective connection of content, technology, capital, scenarios, and professional service resources in various regions, so that the advantages of different cities can complement each other in the national cooperation network, and jointly improve the ecology of China's science fiction industry.
The academic seminar on empowering science fiction industry innovation and development with artificial intelligence held on the same day focused on topics such as industry trends, AI applications, patient capital, intellectual property, IP development, talent cultivation, and international communication. Wu Yan, a professor, doctoral supervisor, and director of the Center for Science and Human Imagination at Southern University of Science and Technology, pointed out in his keynote speech on "Where is the Science Fiction Industry Heading?" that China's science fiction industry is entering its third stage, which is to develop the future characteristics of the entire city. In today's practice of technological and cultural development in China, science fiction development needs to stand higher, see further, and transform from following to leading.
On the industry side, Chen Shi, Secretary General of the Chengdu Science Fiction Association, shared the scenario based practice of empowering the science fiction industry with artificial intelligence using the Kemeng Science Fiction OPC community as an example. This community is jointly built by WaytoAGI and Red Star Media, a subsidiary of Chengdu Media Industry Group, connecting developers, creators, and industry resources to accelerate the transformation of science fiction imagination into real productivity. Ji Weiming, Senior Vice President of the Three Body Universe, shares his exploration experience of science fiction IP entering cultural and tourism scenes, public spaces, and urban consumption systems, based on the development practice of the "Three Body" IP.
On the investment side, Ma Guobin, the initiator of Shenzhen Science & Fantasy Growth Foundation, focuses on the investment logic and patient capital layout of the science fiction industry, exploring how capital can accompany the long-term growth of science fiction original works; Another investor, Ji Shaoting, founder of the Future Affairs Management Bureau, analyzed the directions worth paying attention to in science fiction project financing and industrial development in the next 3 to 5 years based on investment practices.
On the talent side, Xiao Xinghan, Vice Chairman of Chongqing Science Fiction Society, shared the opportunities and tasks faced by the integration of science fiction industry and education based on local practices. In the compliance aspect of the industry, Cui Li, Senior Partner of Beijing Jingshi Law Firm, shared her thoughts on using the rule of law to safeguard the high-quality development of the science fiction industry from the perspectives of intellectual property protection, AI creative copyright, and industry compliance.
Next, the three themed roundtables will further discuss the industry front line.
Regarding the topic of "Cross border Integration and Ecological Co construction of Science Fiction Industry in the New Economic Era", guests from the fields of science popularization development, game development, and science fiction award operation jointly discussed how science fiction can enter education, gaming, cultural tourism, and public consumption scenarios, how cross-border cooperation can move from a single event to sustainable operation products, and how different institutions should form long-term cooperation in the science fiction industry ecosystem.
Guests from universities, research institutions, and industry leaders discussed the transformation of production methods brought about by artificial intelligence. They discussed what kind of composite talents the industry needs after content production is reshaped by AI, and how the education system should respond to the rapid changes in technology and industry.
Around the international dissemination of Chinese science fiction, guests discussed how Chinese science fiction can more effectively enter the international market from the perspectives of overseas publishing, copyright operation, brand building, intellectual property protection, and localized dissemination.
These discussions provide diverse ideas for the science fiction industry to move from "single point breakthrough" to "ecological synergy".
The science fiction industry connects science, literature, and future life, and is also an important carrier for the deep integration of cultural creativity and technological innovation. The establishment of a special committee is not just about adding an industry organization, but more importantly, establishing a cross regional, cross domain, and cross link collaborative mechanism, making it easier for creators to find industry partners, allowing high-quality IP to smoothly enter the film and television, gaming, cultural tourism, and consumer scenes, and enabling enterprises, universities, capital, and professional service institutions to form a joint force on the same platform.
Looking towards the future, the special committee will be based in Chengdu, serving the whole country, linking with the world, continuously gathering science fiction creation and industrial resources, promoting industry standard research, talent cultivation, project incubation, investment and financing docking, copyright services, and international cooperation. Chengdu will also use this conference as a new connection point to further amplify the brand effect of the World Science Fiction Conference, strengthen the source of original content, industry transformation platform, and international exchange window, so that more science fiction imagination can find a place to land here, and more Chinese science fiction stories can go global.