China working to issue approvals for games
Xinhua
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HAIKOU, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) - China is working to issue approvals for games that have passed the examination process, an official with the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee said Friday.

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Visitors were experiencing online games at the China International Import Expo on November 7, 2018 in Shanghai. (File Photo: VCG)

Feng Shixin, vice director of the department's copyright bureau, called for patience as there are stacks of game applications that need to be examined.

Some of the games have passed examination and they will issue the approvals as quickly as possible, Feng said during the China Games Industry Annual Conference held in Hainan Province.

The official recognized online games as "a significant part of China's internet content industry and an important form of public entertainment."

The games have played an important role in boosting the country's internet economy, sparking vigor of cultural innovation and satisfying the cultural needs of the public, according to Feng.

Meanwhile, Feng noticed that problems inside China's online gaming industry include a lack of originality, cultures, and social responsibilities, as well as a misdirection of values.

China is witnessing massive growth in its online gaming market, which reached 235.5 billion yuan (about 34.3 billion U.S. dollars) last year, according to data from the Cyberspace Administration of China.

The fast-booming industry, however, also aroused concerns such as the negative impact of inappropriate content and gaming addiction, which was listed as a mental disorder by the World Health Organization this year.