China's broadcast regulator sets a 500-title microdrama target in its five-year plan

China's National Radio and Television Administration published its 15th Five-Year Plan for broadcasting and online audiovisual services on 22 October 2026. The notice, issued by the administration's Planning and Finance Department, lists 33 tasks and 43 major projects.

The attached 17-page plan sets, among its 2030 indicators, 500 excellent micro short dramas as a cumulative total for the five years, and AI penetration of at least 95% for the sector. It sets out a "leading plan" for overseas expansion of micro short dramas that promotes live-action and AI-made series in parallel, forms an overseas-expansion industry alliance and asks leading platforms and producers to position themselves differently from one another. It also continues two existing programmes, known in Chinese as 五个一批 and 微短剧+.

The plan carries no document date and no classification tiers or rules for paid content. Separately, on 21 October the administration's general office issued its list of excellent online audiovisual programmes for the second quarter of 2026: 14 of the 39 works are micro short dramas.