XIAMEN, Fujian — The mobile game Tower of Fantasy, developed by the Beijing-based movie and gaming company Perfect World, became an overseas hit last year. It was the No 1 free internet download app in more than 40 countries and regions and ranked among the top 10 bestsellers in more than 30 countries and regions.

Its content, characters and scenery are all related to Chinese stories. Such commercial success will bring more opportunities for game players worldwide to experience Chinese culture, says Xiao Hong, CEO of Perfect World.

Xiao attended the recent Forum on the International Exchanges and Mutual Learning Among Internet Civilizations. The forum was part of the 2023 China Internet Civilization Conference, which opened in the city of Xiamen in East China's Fujian province late last month. Government officials, representatives from internet companies and social organizations, scholars and netizens, attended and exchanged views on internet civilizations.

"It is vital to learn how to use the internet as a carrier to promote experience exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations," Xiao says. "We hope that more industry participants will work with us to promote Chinese culture and cross-border cultural exchanges in the world."

William Brown, an American professor at Xiamen University, says the internet has changed people's lives, and its greatest potential lies in helping people bridge the barriers between people and countries.

"I like to joke that Chinese people had no money 30 years ago, and today they still have no money. That's because we use cell phones for almost everything.

"I haven't used cash for years, and anything I need will be delivered to my door, like science fiction. When I go to other countries and must use cash and credit cards, I feel like I'm back 20 years ago," Brown says.

"Now, I shoot videos to tell Chinese stories because China has begun to understand the world, but the world still doesn't understand China," he says.

"We are in harmony without uniformity, and we can use the internet to prove that unity is better than division."

Rahman Bayramdurdyyev, a Turkmenian student at the China University of Petroleum-Beijing, has studied in China for 12 years. He has witnessed rapid development and enjoyed the benefits of China's internet services, such as using convenient internet communication tools to contact his family during his stay in China, and carrying out academic exchanges with scholars across the world.

"The internet not only provides an excellent platform for us to understand China but also, expands a broad channel for us to tell the stories of international students in China to the rest of the world and the stories of Central Asia to China," Bayramdurdyyev says.

He says that China's internet development extends beyond its borders with initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative.

"Through the BRI, China aims to enhance connectivity and digital infrastructure across countries, fostering international cooperation and expanding its influence in the global digital economy," Bayramdurdyyev says, adding that as the internet continues to evolve, China will undoubtedly remain a key player and contribute to the shaping of an increasingly digital world.

Xinhua