BEIJING: Chen Lijun, a Yue opera performer, rose to fame across China after her captivating portrayal of a male character in the Yue opera production of New Dragon Gate Inn went viral online.
Speaking at the 2026 China Internet Civilization Conference in Nanning, capital of the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, on Tuesday, Chen shared her story to champion the benefits of a healthy internet environment and its vibrant online community. Chen, who has nearly 4.6 million followers on her social media platform Douyin, the Chinese counterpart of TikTok, said she hopes to promote the development of Yue opera through the internet.
“I record the content I love and my practice sessions, edit them into short videos, and share them online. These works have been well received, and I’ve managed to attract some attention to Yue opera through the internet,” she said. As a young opera performer who has benefited from social media platforms, Chen said it is her duty to help build a civilized online community.
“Through every positive share and every kind response, we lift up a civilized and vibrant internet environment. This also gives each of us the opportunity to grow and realize our dreams through the internet. Let’s work together to make our online home cleaner and warmer,” she said to participants at the conference.
With the rapid development of the internet, China has attached great importance to cyberspace governance.
When the inaugural China Internet Civilization Conference was held in 2021, President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message, emphasizing that as a major component of social etiquette and civilization under new circumstances, internet civilization remains a key area in enhancing China’s strength in cyberspace.
China’s internet user base reached 1.125 billion by December, with the internet penetration rate exceeding 80 percent, according to the 57th Statistical Report on Internet Development in China, released by the China Internet Network Information Center in February.
In a keynote speech delivered at Tuesday’s conference, Li Shulei, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, underlined the need to foster a clean and upright cyberspace.
While calling for continued efforts to enrich the supply of high-quality online content and strengthen mainstream values, mainstream public opinion, and mainstream culture on the internet, Li said it is important to improve a long-term mechanism for cyberspace governance.
Issues such as online rumors and cyberbullying infringe upon societal and public interests and must be addressed with strong measures, he said.
Participants at the conference called for an integrated approach to promoting internet civilization, fostering a sound cyberspace, and enabling the internet to better enhance people’s well-being.
Meng Man, a Chinese scholar and professor at the Minzu University of China’s School of History and Culture, highlighted the progress brought to humanity through the internet, but emphasized that the question of how to build a healthy online environment has become increasingly important.
“This is because the internet profoundly shapes both the living environment and our mental landscape. Naturally, we hope that the internet not only creates attention for content creators, but also provides fertile ground for all users, serving not just as an information provider, but also as a platform of civilization,” Meng said. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
