7th 'My China Story' International Short Video Competition Award Ceremony held in Beijing

The award ceremony of the 7th "My China Story" International Short Video Competition was held in Beijing on Saturday.

Yu Yingfu, vice president of China International Communications Group (CICG), delivers remarks at the 7th "My China Story" International Short Video Competition Award Ceremony in Beijing, Dec. 20, 2025. [Photo/CICG]

In his remarks, Yu Yingfu, vice president of China International Communications Group (CICG), said that the competition has evolved into a widely influential platform for presenting China to international audiences, guided by its long-standing goal of promoting exchanges between China and the world; in response to new dynamics in people-to-people exchanges between China and other countries, the competition will continue to tell stories of China through short videos, offering the international community a clearer picture of a confident, dynamic, open, and inclusive nation.

Yu said that the competition will continue to explore China's development path and present Chinese modernization with greater depth and a stronger human-centered perspective. He added that the competition will encourage creators from diverse backgrounds to share stories of cross-cultural exchange, broaden the reach of outstanding works on international platforms, and engage young people in dialogue and exchange. He noted that CICG will continue to develop the "My China Story" brand to a high standard, helping emotionally resonant stories from China reach global audiences and leave a lasting impression.

Malcolm Clarke, a British filmmaker and two-time Academy Award winner, gives a keynote speech at the 7th "My China Story" International Short Video Competition Award Ceremony in Beijing, Dec. 20, 2025. [Photo/CICG]

Malcolm Clarke, a British filmmaker and two-time Academy Award winner, said that telling stories from China is less about what is told and more about how it is told. At the heart of international communication, he noted, is the ability to reveal shared emotions and experiences through storytelling, and as communication increasingly moves toward social media and short videos, ordinary individuals now have greater potential to reach audiences. He said that by focusing on authentic, human-centered details of social development and presenting content that feels vivid and true to life, stories can resonate across cultures and help international audiences better understand China.

This year's competition collected a total of 45,880 entries, covering 128 countries and regions and 26 languages. From these submissions, 85 outstanding works were selected.

Alongside the ceremony, the Co-Plan of Global Vloggers' Content Creation on China was officially launched. As an extension of the "My China Story" brand, the initiative aims to provide a platform for international short-video creators who are eager to experience China's warmth firsthand and explore the country's development.

The competition was hosted by CICG and co-organized by the government of Haidian district, Beijing.

Open to both Chinese and international creator teams, the competition has been collecting China-themed short video works in multiple languages and formats on a long-term basis. Over the past seven years, it has grown into a comprehensive international communication brand in the field of new media.