Hangzhou Vows Video-Game Funding as China Crackdown Eases: SCMP

Hangzhou pledged $14 million for video gaming and esports amid indications that a government crackdown has eased.

Hangzhou vows video-game funding as China crackdown eases (Pixabay)

Hangzhou, a China hubs for tech startups, pledged 100 million yuan ($14 million) in annual funding for video gaming and esports amid indications that a government crackdown on those industries has eased, the South China Morning Post reported, citing a municipal government announcement.

The funding program is part of preparations for the country's hosting of the Asian Games, according to the report. The Hangzhou government said it plans to call on various government bodies in the city to help create a “positive atmosphere of public opinion” during the vent, the English-language newspaper said. 

The country's semi-official gaming industry association declared the video-game addiction problem among minors was “basically solved”, the English newspaper said. A number of academic institutions in Hangzhou, including Zhejiang University and the China Academy of Art and Zhejiang Media Institute, will establish degrees in video-game animation and esports, according to the report.