16th China International Animation Copyright Fair Opens in Dongguan with RMB 2.065 Billion in Projects Signed

2026-08-08 Editor

Dongguan, Guangdong, China, Aug. 9, 2026 – Steven Zhao, Canada & World Report — The 16th China International Animation Copyright Fair opened on Aug. 6 at the China Toy Capital Animation Expo Center in Shipai Town, Dongguan, bringing together more than 500 companies and organizations and showcasing over 2,200 IP properties from around the world.

Held under the theme “Integration Without Boundaries,” the fair has been extended from four days to five this year and will run through Aug. 10. It combines professional trade exhibitions, industry services and public activities, while highlighting the integration of animation, designer toys, digital technology, manufacturing and cultural tourism.

On the opening day, large-scale IP installations and designer-toy sculptures were displayed throughout the venue. Inside the exhibition halls, attractions ranged from AI-generated digital characters and emerging technologies to established film and animation properties. Professional buyers, industry representatives, visitors and cosplayers filled the venue, creating a mix of business activity and public entertainment.

The fair covers 33,100 square metres, 25 percent more than its previous edition. Five major exhibition areas feature film and animation IP, digital innovation, cross-industry IP applications and brands from Dongguan’s designer-toy sector, alongside interactive attractions such as a designer-toy supermarket.

Organizers have invited more than 5,000 professional buyers and distributors to participate in over 20 industry matchmaking activities covering IP licensing, trade negotiations, project incubation and the joint development of licensed merchandise.

From an annual exhibition to a year-round industry platform

This year’s fair further expands Dongguan’s “professional exhibition plus industrial town” model by connecting the event with the city’s planned 112.2-square-kilometre designer-toy and cultural tourism zone.

The city is introducing a “5+365” operating model that combines the five-day fair with year-round services for product development, manufacturing, IP licensing, market access and international trade. The initiative is intended to connect exhibitions, industrial parks and manufacturing clusters more closely.

An investment promotion conference for the Dongguan designer-toy and cultural tourism zone was held at the venue on Thursday afternoon as a major supporting event of the fair.

More than 200 representatives of companies and organizations from China and overseas attended, including CCTV Animation, China Animation Group, Haichang Ocean Park, Alibaba’s 1688 platform and Xiaohongshu.

At the conference, 16 groups of cooperation projects were signed with a combined value of RMB 2.065 billion. The agreements cover digital cloud services, supply-chain coordination, overseas strategic procurement, technological cooperation, designer-toy company headquarters and industrial investment funds.

The planned cultural tourism zone spans Shipai, Chashan, Songshan Lake, Hengli and Shilong. It is designed to overcome administrative boundaries between individual towns and establish an integrated development area combining research and development, manufacturing, IP incubation, tourism, talent development and consumer services.

The zone will draw on natural landscapes along the Dongjiang River and Hanxi River, as well as historic villages, industrial facilities and technology centers, to develop interconnected cultural, commercial and tourism destinations.

Dongguan Deputy Secretary-General Sun Haibo invited global IP owners, creative agencies, investors, entrepreneurs, artists and designers to establish projects in the city. He said the planned zone would be developed as a destination where people could visit, create and live, combining historic villages with emerging attractions such as AI-powered toy development centers.

Investment opportunities across the development zone

During the conference, Dongguan’s investment promotion authorities and representatives of Shipai, Chashan and Songshan Lake presented a range of proposed projects and investment opportunities.

Shipai, a major center of Dongguan’s designer-toy industry, promoted five projects covering commercial development, creative design, education, art and entertainment. The town has approximately 33.6 hectares of developed industrial land and 92,000 square metres of factory space available within the cultural tourism zone. It is also offering support for IP development and employee housing.

Chashan presented opportunities involving an AI toy industrial park, an AI-powered plush-toy manufacturing base for the Greater Bay Area, a HarmonyOS ecosystem industrial park, historic village development and ecological tourism. The town introduced 10 supporting measures in May, including RMB 10 million in funding, with the goal of doubling the scale of its toy industry within three years.

Songshan Lake, which has an eight-square-kilometre lake and 226 kilometres of ecological greenways, is seeking projects combining technology with designer toys. Proposed developments include waterfront commercial areas and immersive technology-based toy parks.

Eight consultation and negotiation areas were established at the promotion conference to provide companies with coordinated investment services. Two industry research routes were also arranged, allowing business representatives to visit local companies and examine Dongguan’s complete manufacturing chain.

International participation reaches a new level

The fair, described by organizers as China’s only national-level exhibition dedicated to animation, has expanded its international participation significantly this year.

A total of 98 companies representing international IP properties are participating, twice the number recorded last year. Representatives of foreign consulates in Guangzhou, cross-border purchasing groups and multilateral cooperation organizations attended the opening and took part in trade and copyright discussions.

For the first time, the fair has established a strategic partnership with the International Animated Film Association. International screenings and professional exchanges are being held to provide Chinese creators with greater access to global animation trends and production practices.

Industry events during the fair include an international animation forum and exchanges between Chinese and overseas creators. Participants are discussing technological change, content innovation, copyright protection and new international business models.

China’s first research and evaluation base for technical trade measures affecting designer-toy products has also been established in Dongguan with support from the General Administration of Customs.

The national-level platform will collect information on overseas technical trade requirements, assess relevant measures, issue risk alerts and help companies respond to potential market barriers. It is expected to support the international expansion of Chinese designer-toy businesses and give Dongguan a greater role in discussions concerning international trade rules.

AI and cross-industry cooperation drive new growth

Digital technology is a major focus of this year’s fair. A dedicated digital integration exhibition area showcases AI-assisted animation, virtual digital characters, virtual reality applications and intelligent manufacturing.

AI-themed business and technology sessions are also being held to connect digital companies with Dongguan manufacturers and accelerate the application of new technologies across design, production, licensing and sales.

The fair is promoting broader “animation plus” cooperation by connecting IP owners with businesses in clothing, food, home furnishings, tourism, cultural heritage and intangible cultural heritage. Dedicated matchmaking sessions are intended to turn creative concepts into commercially viable products.

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Animation Film Week is being held alongside the fair for the third consecutive year. Its program focuses on project incubation, talent recruitment and development, public screenings and industry policy services.

Other professional activities include the Designer Toy Innovation and Development Conference, the 2026 Brand Licensing Trends Conference and the Greater Bay Area Animation Film Project Pitching Conference.

Free public activities bring the fair into the city

The fair is open to the public free of charge and features 24 public activities under the theme “Boundless Animation Journey: A Summer of Designer Toys.”

Opening-day events included mecha parades, animation-themed symphonic performances, a Chinese-style animation and designer-toy parade, and a robot-band performance.

Dongguan is also organizing citywide cultural and tourism activities throughout August. The program includes themed bus services, visitor benefit stations, restaurant and retail discounts, designer-toy music events, industrial study tours and intangible cultural heritage performances.

A specially designed “Explore and Shop in Dongguan with the Animation Fair” travel route connects the exhibition venue with designer-toy factories, historic villages and other cultural attractions.

Through the fair and the new cultural tourism zone, Dongguan is seeking to transform its established manufacturing strengths into cultural influence, tourism activity and consumer growth. The city aims to build a more complete industry ecosystem in which global IP can move efficiently from creative development to manufacturing and the retail market.