Storyline Online art auctions gaining momentum in China [Voice_over] China's art auction landscape is embracing a transformative shift to online bidding as it drives higher engagement and turnover by connecting salerooms with remote buyers. At this live art auction, bids from the floor are incorporated with real-time offers from online participants. The auctioneer says digital participation is consistently high. [Sound_bite] Du Wei, Auctioneer: "The proportion of clients participating in online bidding is in fact quite high—almost every lot attracts online bidders. We operate with a specialized system that ensures online and on-site buyers have essentially the same decision time. It's a principle of equal treatment." [Voice_over] Another benefit of online auctioneers is that they can interact with viewers to answer detailed questions about the auction items. This auctioneer began hosting online art auctions three years ago. She said that with rising consumer demand for online auctions, she now conducts up to five live sessions weekly, each attracting over 30,000 viewers on average. [Sound_bite] Jin Dongfang, Auctioneer: "When I started live-streaming three years ago, a single session bringing in roughly 30,000 U.S. dollars felt like a great result. Now, the average transaction value per session has grown roughly two to three times, and for our major sales events, it can increase by five or sixfold." [Voice_over] According to industry data, the transaction volume of online auctions in China - which can include art, electronic goods, cars and real estate- is expected to exceed 150 billion U.S. dollars by the end of the year. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]