(Yicai) March 1 -- The Shanghai Internet Audiovisual Industry Base, China's first national base for the industry, has established a new zone in the city's Yangpu district.

The zone, set up on Feb. 28, hosts companies in video, livestreaming, network audio, and other online audiovisual areas, including Bilibili, Douyin, Xiaohongshu, and Oriental Shopping, as well as the Asia-Pacific region's leading arts and media faculties of Fudan University and Tongji University. It covers an 8.2 square kilometers, with 4.58 sq. km set aside for commercial entities.

The National Radio and Television Administration approved the Shanghai Internet Audiovisual Industry Base in 2010, with a 0.45 sq. km construction area. Around 2,880 firms have settled in and generated more than CNY1.7 billion (USD236.3 million) of tax revenue last year and over CNY18 billion (USD2.5 billion) of revenue from technology, industry, and trade, Yicai learned. 

The industry has boomed in the Yangpu, Songjiang, and Jing'an districts of Shanghai, and setting up the new branch will boost the industry's layout in the city. Around 150 representatives from companies, universities, industry associations, government departments, and industry experts attended the launch ceremony.

The Development Research Center of NRTA signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Shanghai Radio and Television Bureau at the event. Yangpu also released policies to promote the industry along with initiatives to encourage graduates from local universities to become creators.

In addition, Oriental Pearl Group, Bilibili, Douyin, and other companies and universities, including Fudan, Tongji, and Shanghai University of Sport, have each added online audiovisual programs to their course offerings.

Editor: Martin Kadiev