Hangzhou, capital of eastern Zhejiang province and one of China’s hubs for technology start-ups, has pledged RMB 100 million ($14 million) in annual funding to support video gaming and esports, as recent signs point toward a thaw in the central government’s crackdown on these industries, reports the South China Morning Post. The plan was announced by Hangzhou’s municipal government in the same week the country’s semi-official gaming industry association declared that the video game addiction problem of minors was “basically solved.”
“[We should] dig deep into the comprehensive value of games, culture, technology and innovation, and further create a good ecosystem for the gaming industry,” said a Hangzhou official quoted by local media on Thursday.
As part of the plan, a number of major academic institutions in the city – including Zhejiang University, China Academy of Art and Zhejiang Media Institute – will establish degrees for students to major in video game animation and esports, helping train new artists and developers.
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