The 2026 China Internet Media Forum opened on Sunday in Zhengzhou, the capital city of central China's Henan Province, gathering diverse stakeholders to explore new paths for co-creating a thriving online content ecosystem.

The forum, jointly hosted by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), People's Daily, and the cyberspace commission of the Henan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), centers on the theme of "Leveraging the leading role of mainstream media, unleashing the creativity of diverse stakeholders, and jointly building a prosperous online content ecosystem."

At the opening ceremony, representatives from mainstream media, government new media, commercial platforms, and internet influencers presented the achievements of the past decade. Through scenario-based presentations and storytelling, they showcased how different entities have worked together to build a vibrant online environment.

During the ceremony, the "China in the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030)" online theme publicity campaign was launched, and the results of the 2025 China positive energy online excellent works collection and exhibition activity were released.

Beyond the opening ceremony, the forum hosted a diverse array of parallel thematic forums and supporting events, covering key areas including positive energy content creation, digital and intelligent empowerment for content dissemination, innovative development of online media, cross-cultural storytelling, and the regulated, responsible development of AI content. Participants engaged in comprehensive, in-depth discussions on new paths and methodologies for advancing the development of the online content ecosystem, aligned closely with the forum's core theme.

Widely recognized as a key window into the development trends of China's internet media industry, the China Internet Media Forum has long served as a pivotal platform for industry stakeholders to exchange ideas, share best practices, and drive collaborative development in the sector.