The ASEAN Internet Celebrity Conference opened with great fanfare in China’s Hainan Province, drawing large crowds of TikTok influencers, venture capitalists, and media personalities from across the region. Themed around the “Family of Maritime Silk Road,” the event showcased Hainan’s unique cultural and historical ties to the ancient trade route, which resonated with both domestic and international attendees.
One of the highlights of the event was the launch of a TikTok short video contest, designed to encourage creators to produce content that highlights the cultural richness and modern innovations of Hainan. The contest aims to harness the power of social media to promote tourism and investment in the province, further cementing its growing reputation as a hub for digital innovation and cultural exchange.
Speaking at the event, Hasan Junaid Arshad, a PhD scholar and CEO of MEER TV, praised the initiative. “It’s a refreshing idea. People will engage and culturally correlate themselves. It is indeed a life to explore and live,” he said, emphasizing the potential of the digital platform to bridge cultures and create meaningful connections between the region’s diverse populations.
The conference also featured a series of panels and discussions on the role of social media in promoting regional cooperation and development. Scholars and industry leaders hailed the event as a significant step in fostering digital collaboration within the ASEAN community. With the rapid rise of platforms like TikTok, they highlighted how digital content creators can play a pivotal role in promoting regional heritage and economic growth.
Hainan Province, known as the “Family of the Maritime Silk Road,” has increasingly positioned itself as a key player in China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The conference further emphasized the province’s ambition to become a global destination for cultural exchange and economic development.
As the ASEAN Internet Celebrity Conference progresses, it is expected to spark more collaborations between content creators, venture capitalists, and regional stakeholders, ultimately strengthening the ties between China and its ASEAN neighbors through the power of digital media. The event is also seen as a strategic move to elevate Hainan’s profile as a leader in both tourism and digital content production in the years to come.
