Heritage goes global via tech in Hainan

Facilitators of China's intangible cultural heritage must adopt digital innovation and look toward cross-border commerce to expand globally, experts urged during a cultural heritage event that concluded over the weekend in Hainan province.

The three-day gathering, combining the 2025 Cultural and Natural Heritage Day Hainan Intangible Cultural Heritage publicity exhibition and the fifth Sanya Nanshan Intangible Cultural Heritage Festival, focused on leveraging the Hainan Free Trade Port's policies to help traditional crafts reach international markets. The event was held at the Sanya Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone, an emerging hub for cultural heritage preservation.

With the Hainan Free Trade Port set to launch independent customs operations by the end of the year, event goers identified its tax policies and e-commerce advantages as key to cultural exports.

"No other place offers Hainan's combination of tourism appeal and policy flexibility," said Xu Chao of the China Advertising Association's cultural creativity committee. He highlighted how the island's innovative income tax policies, streamlined cross-border payments and convenient cross-border data flows could cut costs for businesses in this sector, particularly for startups.

Xu proposed establishing international warehouse networks in Hainan, similar to JD Logistics' international warehouses, TikTok fulfillment centers and Walmart's distribution centers. "Hainan's port facilities and direct flights to Southeast Asia give it unbeatable logistics advantages," he added.

E-commerce emerged as a key theme during the event. Li Qing, chairman of Xi'an Dust& Snow Cultural Exchange Co, shared how Guangxi's Yao ethnic herbal soap made $20,000 from US sales via influencer partnerships.

"Independent e-commerce sites such as Shopify allow brands to break free from reliance on third-party platforms and create their own cultural space while leveraging overseas influencers for global traffic," he said.

Li said Hainan's multicurrency settlement policies and international logistics potential provide an ideal environment for intangible cultural heritage businesses.

"Companies running international e-commerce stores can use Hainan's cross-border financial policies to reduce exchange rate risks — something hard to replicate in other Chinese regions," he said.

Digital transformation also dominated discussions. Jia Zhendan, curator of the World Heritage Central Axis' digital project, showcased AI applications that automatically translate craft techniques into multiple languages.

"We're moving from preservation to participation," Jia said, noting that China's intangible cultural heritage trademark registrations increased to 55 percent last year as a result of innovations similar to those highlighted.

Zang Zhipeng, a professor at Tongji University and deputy director of the China Cultural Industry Association's cultural metaverse committee, proposed merging heritage with digital entertainment, suggesting augmented reality tours where visitors could "collect" virtual crafts at tourist sites.

Tourism integration proposals included the "Intangible Cultural Heritage World Village" concept to enhance travel experience in Sanya. The plan would combine domestic traditions such as Liuyang fireworks from Hunan province with other international heritages in immersive displays.

"The goal is making heritage part of daily life — not just museum pieces," Xu said.

An Intangible Cultural Heritage Export Cultural and Trade Exchange Center at Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone was launched during the event.

"Our initiative will connect Hainan's traditional crafts with Belt and Road countries through digital platforms and physical exhibitions," said Li Baisheng, the zone's assistant to general manager.

chenbowen@chinadaily.com.cn