China set to establish a national Esports Work Council
The China Internet Association has announced its plan to implement an Esports Work Council.
At a Digital Esports and Intelligent Economy summit in Beijing, the China Internet Association met with political officials and multiple Chinese companies related to esports. It announced plans to create an Esports Work Council, which will promote, reinforce, and standardize the country’s esport industry. It will also combine esports planning with China’s existing education strategies to make esports a more sustainable industry.
“The esports industry has grown in a certain scale and level, it already has sort of strong economic effect,” said
Vice Secretary of China Internet Association Song Maoen.
The summit received the support of multiple Chinese government departments. These included the General Administration of Sports of China,the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
The announcement of an Esports Work Council comes shortly after the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of China declared esports an
official career path.
According to a May 2018 report, one in every five people in China watch or play esports title. The largest games of choice were League of Legends and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds. The country’s esport market size has reached more than 60 billion yuan (about $9 billion), an almost 60 percent increase from 2016’s numbers.
2018 was the same year China achieved ultimate victory in League of Legends when domestic team Invictus Gaming took home the Worlds Championship trophy. Riot Games’ next World Championship will be held in China in 2019.
The country is the home base of four Overwatch League teams: Chengdu Hunters, Guangzhou Charge,
Hangzhou Spark, and
Shanghai Dragons. Dota 2 also has a major esports scene in China, with the country winning three of the eight International championships. This year’s edition of The International will be held in Shanghai.
Olivia Richman
About Olivia Richman
Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.
View full profile
Read Also
League of Legends
The Top-Earning League of Legends players of all-time
Hannan Mundia
League of Legends is one of the most profitable competitive games around, with its popularity meaning that players at the top are very well paid. Here we will compile a list of the top-earning League of Legends players of all-time. The esports scene has exploded in popularity in recent years, largely due to League of Legends. The game paved the way for other competitive games and has been going strong ...
League of Legends
LoL Worlds 2026 returns to the USA: Locations, venues, dates and slots revealed
Owen Harsono
Riot Games have revealed important details for the highly anticipated worlds 2026 tournament, including locations, dates, and some great news for South American fans. Here’s everything we know about LoL Worlds 2026 so far. On March 22, First Stand grand finals day held in São Paulo, Riot Games confirmed the tournament will be hosted in the United States. This will be the fifth time in history that Worlds has been ...
League of Legends
How to watch League of Legends 2026 First Stand
Hannan Mundia
2026 First Stand is shaping up to be the most intriguing League of Legends tournament of this year, prompting the question of how fans can watch it. Riot Games is usually fairly lax about streaming its events, but that doesn’t mean just anyone can stream them live. With this year’s First Stand being the first opportunity fans have to watch how their favorite teams stack up on the big stage, ...
League of Legends
List of qualified teams at First Stand 2026: Who are the favorites?
Hannan Mundia
With the first split of every competitive League of Legends region concluded, the list of qualified teams for the 2026 First Stand tournament is set. Last year's First Stand saw just five teams compete. The stakes are upped this year, with eight First Stand teams coming together for a chance to win the first international event of the year. Here are the teams that made it and who the outright ...
League of Legends
League of Legends 2026 First Stand preview
Hannan Mundia
First Stand will be the first competitive League of Legends international event of 2026. This preview goes through all of the necessary details, including First Stand's location, prize pool, and schedule, ensuring fans can tune in live to support their favorite teams and players. The 2026 First Stand is the newest of the three international competitions in the circuit. Launched in 2025, this year’s tournament is slated to start on ...
Esports Betting
FEARX vs Dplus 2026 LCK Cup playoffs: Preview, betting tips & predictions
Hannan Mundia
FEARX and Dplus KIA will compete in the 2026 LCK Cup lower bracket final to determine which team will face Gen.G in the grand final, and this betting preview highlights all of the important details about this upcoming match. While FEARX and Dplus KIA both went into this split as the underdogs, the two teams have surprised many with their performances since. Reaching the top three in a competitive region ...
Esports Betting
LYON vs Team Liquid 2026 LCS Lock-In predictions, key stats, odds & more
Hannan Mundia
LYON and Team Liquid are slated to face off in the 2026 LCS Lock-In playoffs, and this betting preview highlights the stats and form behind both teams to help you make more accurate predictions and picks. Despite the subpar performance of both teams in the Swiss stage, Team Liquid and LYON have seemingly bounced back in the playoffs. Both teams comfortably won their lower bracket quarterfinals matches without giving a ...
