More Chinese people are paying for online video content. In 2017, 170 million Chinese users paid for online video, while the total number of all web video users was 565 million, Xinhua found.

CGTN’s Weizi Peng reports.

The top three streaming platforms in China are Iqiyi, backed by Chinese internet giant Baidu; Tencent Video, owned by internet company Tencent; and Youku, which is owned by Alibaba.

These companies have spent billions to buy exclusive rights to popular TV series and movies from China and overseas.

Many of their original shows and web series have been hugely popular, such as the talent competition show “Idol Producer” and it’s competitor “Produce 101 China”.

In the talk show “U Can U Bibi” people debate issues and the audience votes on the best argument.

In “Who’s the Murderer”, celebrities work together to solve a crime.

Some shows have also sparked heated online debates such as the competition “The Rap of China”, also on Iqiyi.

The Chinese rating website Maoyan found that 20 internet shows have reached 1 billion views in the first half of 2018.

Meanwhile, smaller online video platforms are focusing on niche markets.

Bilibili is a popular website for Chinese animation lovers.

Users can post comments when they watch, and those comments flash on screen as the video plays and they can also can also upload their own videos.

For sports fans, there’s PPTV where they can watch games online.