An international symposium on the global reach of Chinese online literature was held in Paris from Oct 8 to 9, bringing together nearly 40 scholars from Chinese and French universities and research institutions who proposed a joint annual visiting writer program to promote cross-cultural exchange.

Xu Shuang of Paris Cite University, Shao Yanjun of Peking University, and Xia Lie of Hangzhou Normal University jointly initiated the symposium, where discussions covered creative practices, changing digital media, authorship, cross-media adaptation, and overseas readership.

Xia said the program aims to bring Chinese online literature and academic research into overseas universities, enabling international students and scholars to engage directly with writers and better understand contemporary Chinese literary experiences.

The symposium also examined how Chinese online literature reaches international audiences and how overseas fans reinterpret and recreate stories.

Hangzhou is a major hub for online literature and digital cultural products and is seeking to strengthen academic exchanges with French scholars. Participants emphasized that overseas expansion should go beyond commercial success to foster deeper cultural understanding, helping international audiences move from appreciating individual stories and intellectual properties to understanding the cultures behind them.

The symposium laid the groundwork for future research cooperation, academic visits, and exchanges between writers in China and France.