This article serves as a comprehensive synthesis of insights gleaned from a myriad of industry reports, institutional analyses, and candid discussions with pioneers in the burgeoning metaverse sector. From government strategies to industry dynamics, pioneering opinions, and governance frameworks, each facet contributes to a nuanced understanding of the metaverse’s evolution and China’s pivotal role therein.

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Government’s Strategic Embrace of the Metaverse and Amplified Investments

The government’s keen attention to the metaverse concept is paralleled by intensified investments aimed at maintaining technological supremacy in metaverse terminal products, establishing industry standards, and reshaping value distribution patterns. Accelerated efforts are underway to foster the development of novel terminal products tailored for individual consumers while bolstering research and development endeavors in areas like new energy intelligent connected vehicles and smart home technologies. Moreover, the construction of a robust collaborative computing ecosystem, comprising super-large data centers and edge data centers, underscores the government’s commitment to metaverse infrastructure.

As of September 2022, major cities including Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou have incorporated “metaverse” into their government work reports for the upcoming year. Over 65 explicit policies supporting the metaverse industry have been rolled out by approximately 15 provincial-level units nationwide, signaling a concerted effort to propel the sector forward.

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Current Industry Landscape and Roadmap for Future Growth

Investments in the metaverse industry are concentrated in hardware, cultural tourism, education, and industrial production sectors, with additional support evident in integrated media, commercial creativity, sports, and health domains. The trajectory for the VR sector is promising, with a surge in equipment sales anticipated, driven by transformative efforts by mobile phone manufacturers.

In the first half of 2022, approximately 590,000 units of VR equipment were shipped in the Chinese market, with total sales expected to reach around 1.5 million units by year-end, accounting for about 10% of the global market share. This growth is attributed to competitive pricing and a burgeoning demand for localized solutions.

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Pioneering Perspectives on Metaverse Development: Innovating Toward Tomorrow

Technological Advancements: Deepening the integration and optimization of VR/AR/MR and digital twin technologies across industries such as industrial production, cultural tourism, and education, fostering innovation and efficiency.

Application Integration: Harnessing spatial intelligence, virtual personas, and blockchain concepts to develop cohesive and immersive metaverse experiences, bridging the gap between physical and virtual realms.

Social and Gaming Evolution: Transitioning from gaming-centric narratives to comprehensive metaverse experiences, fostering a paradigm shift towards gamified social interactions and parallel universes.

Industry Intelligence: Integrating digitalization, intelligence, and metaverse technologies to drive advancements in smart cities, Industry 4.0, and beyond, catalyzing a new era of interconnected industries.

Emerging Opportunities: Seizing upon cost-effective innovations in virtual clothing, multi-sensory devices, and virtual real estate to unlock novel avenues for growth and development.

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Insights on Metaverse Governance: Charting the Course Ahead

The emergence of novel governance models for the metaverse is predicated on an understanding of its inherent laws, developmental characteristics, and stakeholders. With models ranging from digital twin governance to digital symbiotic governance, the focus remains on aligning top-level governance objectives with bottom-level governance strategies, bridging the gap between virtual and physical realms seamlessly.

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Conclusion: By aligning government initiatives, industry dynamics, visionary insights, and governance frameworks, China is poised to lead the charge in shaping the metaverse landscape of tomorrow.

References:

[1]中关村大数据产业联盟秘书长赵国栋：数字人是元宇宙时代获取信息的最主要入口之一

https://app.myzaker.com/news/article.php?pk=635663918e9f091690695216

[2]“元宇宙”与碳中和研究院常务副院长、优实资本董事长邢杰：“元宇宙”将开启电商和消费“新寒武纪时代”

https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1719283725836232667&wfr=spider&for=pc

[3]易股天下集团董事长易欢欢：未来十年元宇宙的十大趋势

https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/516826296

[4]大三生集团董事长、元宇宙三十人论坛发起人徐远重：元宇宙是大设计和大实验的载体

https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1739478986556261283&wfr=spider&for=pc