China - December 10, 2024 Chinese e-sport equipment makers strike gold with export boom (Voice_over) From gaming mice, to keyboards to controllers, China’s e-sport equipment manufacturers are ramping up production to meet booming overseas demand. A keyboard manufacturer in the southern Chinese city of Donguan said their peak sales season is usually around Christmas time. But with more overseas orders this year, their busy season arrived early. (Sound_bite) Lu Hang, Manager, esport equipment company: "This year, our export orders have increased by about 40 percent. The fast development of Chinese video games has sparked interest among global players, which also boosted export in the industry." (Voice_over) Another manufacturer of game controllers said thanks to tech upgrades, many of their products’ core components can be produced locally, which gives them a competitive edge in pricing and product development. (Sound_bite) Xu Chengqiang, Director, Product Research and Development, esport equipment company: "The core components of our controllers, such as motors, joysticks, and chips, can all be sourced in Dongguan. Thanks to the fast development of the core components, we can produce more customized products and have a better control of the cost compared with foreign brands. Our controllers are 30 percent cheaper than before." (Voice_over) Dongguan City is the main production base for e-sports gaming equipment in China, which accounts for half of the country’s total supply. Customs data shows that in the first nine months of the year, the city exported about 365 million U.S. dollars-worth of game consoles and related accessories, a 30 percent increase compared to the same period last year. [Restriction: No access Chinese mainland]