The first short-video operation center of Tencent went operational in Shinan district on May 8. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The first short-video operation center of Tencent, an internet-based tech mogul, went operational in Shinan district, Qingdao, Shangdong province on May 8.

The center will produce innovative and creative content that is designed to promote Qingdao's mixed charm of beauty, art and fashion and is easy to share across Tencent's various platforms.

It will encompass training & incubation, innovative production, data analysis, media research, city branding, and activity planning centers, covering culture and science among other fields.

The project is led by Shenzhen Tencent Computer Systems Co Ltd working jointly with a Qingdao culture and technology company and cooperating with the Shinan district government.

In recent years, short-video apps have proved a big hit in China, featuring user-generated clips on everything from make-up tips to cooking. With the accelerated development of 5G technology and the widespread popularization of a new generation of smart terminals, short-form video is increasingly the most popular format of media consumption.

In this context, the charming coastal city of Qingdao, that always advances with the times, takes the initiative in adapting to the changing media landscape. It wants to grab online attention and spread its fame all over the country.

The city started cooperating with Tencent in 2018, which helped promote major activities and publicize its attraction sites. It was a phenomenal success. As a result the cooperation will be expanded.

According to the tripartite agreement, the operation of the center will mainly rely on om.qq.com, Tencent's open content platform with other platforms such as WeChat's Top Stories (a built-in function), QQ, QQ Space, QQ Browser, Daily Express, Tencent News, and Tencent video included in the collaborative system. Videos uploaded to any of the abovementioned platforms will be accessed in all the other platforms due to a connected network.

The core operations team consists of elites from traditional media industry and experienced producers of popular short videos.

Tencent will give support in terms of resources, funding, talent, and mechanisms to ensure the center is fully innovative and creative in culture exploration, editing, design, packaging, and production. The goal is to create a national leading short-video production base.

Specifically, Tencent will grant a subsidy of no less than 10 million yuan ($6.9 million) to generate website visitor volume for the center. Outstanding content creators incubated by the center will enjoy priority in accessing quality resources and capital to make their teams bigger and better, according to the agreement.

Tencent's complete big data and training systems will play a significant role in the process.

Shinan district is an important central area in Qingdao with rich endowment of natural resources, location advantages and a superior development environment. Paying a great deal of attention to the cultural creation industry, Shinan has introduced favorable policies and gathered a group of cultural sci-tech innovative parks, giant cultural enterprises, and cultural startups. Chinese leading video sharing sites including Ergeng and Pear have chosen to locate in Shinan in recent years.

With a solid industrial foundation and rich industry chain resources, Shinan is ready to make a splash on the internet and achieve healthy progress in the digital content sector.