C-dramas gain global momentum

"We kept the original framework and character design, along with the iconic scenes audiences remember,"Lu says. "But we also searched for what fits the local market best." Still, he adds, complete localization was not the goal — they wanted to preserve the distinct "Thai flavor" that international audiences increasingly appreciate.

Across the industry, such collaborations are becoming a pattern. Data presented at the forum by Liu Anqi, senior analyst at the France-based media research firm Glance, show that from 2020 to 2025, China ranks first in Asia in both intent to collaborate and the number of coproduced projects.

Indonesia's largest mobile operator, Telkomsel, has extensive experience in coproductions with Chinese partners. Lesley Simpson, the company's vice-president of digital lifestyle, says Telkomsel provides local expertise and a strong user base for Chinese collaborators. At the same time, Indonesian industry players require a wide variety of content.

"Local content and Chinese content are very different in style, but Indonesian audiences enjoy both,"Simpson says. "Indonesia has many islands and a large population, and audience preferences can vary from one island to another, which is why it's essential to offer a wide variety of content."

For Zhao, who has spent decades leading Huace Group's international outreach, such transformations underscore what she has long observed. "Before, a Chinese episode might sell for a few thousand US dollars," she says. "Now, strong titles can sell for more than $100,000 per episode."

Yet, she adds, economic value is only part of the story. The more profound significance lies in culture."Good storytelling ultimately depends on understanding the spiritual core of Chinese people and embedding it in the narrative."Swords into Plowshares centers on the longing for national stability and everyday peace, desires that cross eras and borders.

"A thousand years ago or today, people yearn for a world without war," Zhao says. "It is a Chinese story, but also a human one."