194
www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
DOI: https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2022.53.05.19
How to Cite:
Chunlei, Y., & Liyun, Y. (2022). The communication and acceptance of chinese films and TV series in Kazakhstan in the context of
overseas promotion of chinese. Amazonia Investiga, 11(53), 194-203. https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2022.53.05.19
The communication and acceptance of chinese films and TV series in
Kazakhstan in the context of overseas promotion of chinese
中华文化“走出去”背景下中国影视剧在哈萨克斯坦的传播与接受
82
Received: April 20, 2022 Accepted: May 22, 2022
Written by:
Yang Chunlei83
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6879-807X
Yang Liyun84
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8152-7020
Abstract
Kazakhstan is the largest country in Central Asia,
and its cooperation with China in economic and
cultural aspects is increasingly close. Studying
the communication and acceptance of Chinese
film and TV series in Kazakhstan can better
understand the acceptance and cognition of
Chinese culture by the Central Asian people.
Based on data analysis and literature research
methods, this paper reviews the history of
communication and current situation of Chinese
films and TV series in Kazakhstan, uses
questionnaires to explore the ways and effects of
communication of Chinese film and TV series in
Kazakhstan, and analyzes the perception of
different types of Chinese film and TV series by
Kazakhstan audience. It also pointed out a series
of problems existing in the communication and
promotion of Chinese films and TV series in
Kazakhstan: the cultural differences between
China and Kazakhstan, the low quality of subtitle
translation of film and TV series, and the lack of
adequate publicity. Some suggestions are
proposed to promote the promotion of Chinese
film and TV series in Kazakhstan and Central
Asia, so as to promote the in-depth exchange and
cooperation of film and television culture in
countries along the Belt and Road.
Key Words: Chinese films and TV series,
Kazakhstan, communication and acceptance.
摘要：
哈萨克斯坦是中亚地区最大的国家，与中
国在经济和文化等方面的合作日益密切。
研究中国影视剧在哈萨克斯坦的传播与接
受，能更好地了解中亚民众对中国文化的
接受度和认同感。本文基于数据分析和文
献研究法梳理了中国影视剧在哈萨克斯坦
的传播历史和现状；利用调查问卷探讨了
中国影视剧在哈萨克斯坦传播的途径和效
果，剖析了哈萨克斯坦观众对中国不同类
型影视剧的接受情况；并指出了其中存在
的一系列问题：中哈两国文化差异大、影
视剧字幕翻译质量不高、宣传不到位等相
关问题提出若干建议，以期促进中国影视
剧在哈国以及中亚地区的传播，推动“一
带一路”沿线国家影视文化层面的深入交
流与合作。
关键词：中国影视剧；哈萨克斯坦；传播
与接受
82
This paper is supported by the research program of the Center for Northeastern Asia at Zhejiang Yuexiu University (Research on
the Transmission of Chinese Screen Culture to the Russian World and the Construct of National Image, program number:
2020DBY05); This article is also the research result of the general scientific research project of the Zhejiang Provincial Department
of Education in 2020 "Research on the Mechanism and Path of China-Kazakhstan Digital Economic Cooperation under the
Background of the Epidemic", project number: Y202044893.
83
Associate professor, Zhejiang Yuexiu University, China.
84
Lecturer, Zhejiang University of Finance & Economics, China. (co-author, contributed equally to this work）.
Chunlei, Y., Liyun, Y. / Volume 11 - Issue 53: 194-203 / May, 2022
Volume 11 - Issue 53
/ May 2022
195
https:// www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
Introduction
With the improvement of China's comprehensive
national strength, more and more countries in the
world are turning their attention to China. In
order to let more countries in the world know
about Chinese culture, China has launched the
"Going Out" Strategy of Chinese Culture.
Kazakhstan is the largest country in Central Asia,
with the further development of relations
between China and Kazakhstan, China and
Kazakhstan have continuously strengthened
cooperation in politics, economy, trade, culture
and other fields. In this context, the
communication of Chinese film and TV series in
Kazakhstan has also ushered in new
opportunities. Taking this as the starting point,
this paper analyzes the communication and
acceptance of Chinese film and TV series in
Kazakhstan from the perspectives of
communication background and communication
opportunity. It also discusses the acceptance of
Chinese film and TV series by the Kazakhstan
audience and the communication dilemma of
Chinese film and TV series in Kazakhstan
through a questionnaire survey. In view of the
current situation of Chinese films and TV series
in Kazakhstan, this paper puts forward five
suggestions to improve the communication effect
of Chinese film and TV series in Kazakhstan.
Theoretical Framework or Literature Review
Communication Background of Chinese
Films and TV Series in Kazakhstan
In recent years, driven by the strategy of
“overseas promotion of Chinese culture
industry” and "Belt and Road Initiative", Chinese
cultural industry, such as literature, culture, fine
arts, and film and television works, have been
"sailing out to sea" to achieve better overseas
communication. In such a macro background, the
overseas communication of Chinese films and
TV works have also made remarkable
achievements. According to the data of the
Ministry of Commerce, China's cultural trade
exports reached 99.89 billion US dollars in 2019,
and China's foreign cultural communication has
achieved rapid development. In the export and
communication of cultural products, film and
television works are the most common and
widely spread type that the public is willing to
appreciate and accept.
The communication history of Chinese films and
TV series in Kazakhstan can be dated back to the
period of the Soviet Union. At the end of the last
century, the Russian version of Pilgrimage to the
West was widely loved by the Kazakhstan people
and has been rebroadcast for many times. The
films of Turpan Love Song and Beautiful
Homeland produced by Tianshan Film Studio
were the first Chinese films to enter the Central
Asian film market (Jianqi, 2015: 119). In recent
years, with the continuous deepening of the
friendly relations between China and
Kazakhstan, economic and trade cooperation has
become increasingly close. As a Chinese saying
goes, "the state-to-state relation lies in amity
between the two peoples". With the deepening
development of China-Kazakhstan relation, the
Kazakhstan people are increasingly enthusiastic
and interested in learning Chinese language and
the Chinese culture. One of the best ways to
understand Chinese culture is to watch Chinese
movies and TV series because they demonstrate
Chinese culture in a visualized, vivid and poplar
manner.
In the 21st century, with the vigorous
development of mass media, films and TV words
have become an important carrier of cultural
exchanges among various ethnic groups because
of their prominent entertainment functions. They
are easy to understand, pleasing to the eyes and
can be widely communicated in many areas.
Therefore, Chinese culture, including Chinese
music and TV series, has gained more and more
attention in Kazakhstan.
The Communication Opportunities of
Chinese Films and TV Series in Kazakhstan
The Growth of China's Comprehensive
National Strength and the Deepening of
China-Kazakhstan Relation
The influence of a country's culture on the world
depends largely on its comprehensive national
strength (Mengzhen, 2018: 152). On the one
hand, the prosperity of national strength has led
to innovation and great progress in other social
and cultural fields, resulting in great cultural
prosperity and development, and thus more
advanced and innovative cultural products and
varied cultural forms have been spread overseas.
On the other hand, a country with strong
comprehensive national strength will have
greater influence in the world and attract people's
interest and attention. People would like to know
the history and cultural development of such
strong and developed countries (Bin, 2008). With
the rise of China on the international stage,
Kazakhstan media have paid much attention to
the achievements of China. 24.KZ, Khabar, and
196
www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
Kazakh TV have made a lot of news reports
related to the development of China's economy,
highly praising the achievements of China in
various fields. In such a macro context, more
people in Kazakhstan are eager to learn Chinese
language and understand Chinese culture. Films
and TV series are an important window for the
Kazakhstan people to understand China and learn
Chinese.
As the most powerful and richest country in
Central Asia, Kazakhstan is the first stop on the
Silk Road. President Xi Jinping attaches great
importance to China-Kazakhstan relation and has
visited Kazakhstan for many times. In August
2015, the ministers of Culture of the two
countries signed a new intergovernmental
agreement of cooperation on cultural and
humanity issues. Since the signing of the
agreement, senior officials of relevant
departments and non-governmental
organizations of China and Kazakhstan have
continuously expanded and deepened exchanges
and cooperation in the relevant field. Through the
governmental decision-making and the policy of
top-down promotion, China-Kazakhstan
comprehensive strategic partnership has entered
a new stage and the bilateral economic and
cultural exchanges have been growing steadily.
In particular, the cooperation in the cultural field
has been continuously refined, and the film and
television exchanges between China and
Kazakhstan have also made great progress,
which is also the basis for the smooth
communication of Chinese films and TV series
in Kazakhstan.
The Rapid Development of Kazakhstan's
Cultural Industry
Culture is a social phenomenon, and every
country and nation has its own specific culture.
In the context of globalization, the role and status
of culture is increasingly recognized, and cultural
strength has become an important indicator to
measure the comprehensive national strength of
a country. Since the independence of the country,
Kazakhstan has set the cultural development goal
of protecting the Kazakhstan national cultural
tradition and fully supported its cultural
development.
Nazarbayev, former President of Kazakhstan
attached great importance to developing its
culture. In the State of the Union address entitled
"The Road to Kazakhstan - 2050 Development
Strategy: the Same Goal, the Same Interests, and
a Shared Future, the president put forward the
idea that “Kazakhstan ought to inject new
impetus to the development of our culture, and
formulate long-term cultural political ideas”. The
concept should include measures to develop a
modern culture cluster with the aim of forming a
competitive internal culture of Kazakhstan.
Strong support for the country's cultural
development is also reflected in the Strategic
Development Program of Kazakhstan 2030. To
this end, the Kazakhstan government has beening
increasing its investment in the field of cultural
development year by year. According to the
Statistics bureau, Kazakhstan invested 68 billion
tenge in cultural, leisure activities and sports
projects in the year 2016. The total of the
investment in the year 2017 was 75.1 billion
tenge, 104.2 billion tenge in the year 2018 and
155.8 billion tenge in the year 2019. In the first
ten months of the year 2020 the figure was 240
billion tenge (Italics, 2020) Therefore,
Kazakhstan's cultural industry has made great
progress, with the number of cultural facilities
and venues increasing year by year. The specific
data are as follows (see Table 1):
Table 1.
Statistical Table of Cultural Venues and Facilities in Kazakhstan.
Cultural Venues
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
Theatres
64
68
68
65
65
Audience (1,000)
2,341.4
2,771.1
2,833.6
2,942.1
894
Libraries
4,118
4,100
4,054
3,962
3,925
Audience (1,000)
49,573.9
51,511.8
53,360.6
52,396.7
34,109.6
Museums
238
240
245
250
253
Audience (1,000)
5,894.7
6,450.2
6,716.0
6,829.3
2,351.3
Cinemas
94
96
96
101
99
Audience (1,000)
14,474.9
17,606.7
17,840.7
19,880.5
4,781.2
(Source: Statistical Office of Kazakhstan Strategic Planning and Reform Agency, 2021)
Volume 11 - Issue 53
/ May 2022
197
https:// www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
As can be seen from Table 1, the epidemic in
2020 had a certain impact on Kazakhstan's
cultural industry. Before 2020, Kazakhstan's
cultural industry showed a trend of steady
development, and the number of visitors or
audiences to various cultural institutions kept
increasing. The film industry was booming, and
the total numbers of moviegoers in 2019 was
about 37 percent up than that from 2016.
Cinemas in Kazakhstan launched various
preferential activities in order to attract more
audiences. For example: some cinemas set the
ticket price by time (the ticket price was cheaper
in the morning), and set the ticket price by age
(there are adult ticket, children ticket, and youth
ticket). Some cinemas launched the movie
membership card, and offer preferential prices
from Monday to Wednesday, etc. In addition, the
equipment of cinemas has been constantly
upgraded. In 2018, for example, there were 314
cinemas in Kazakhstan, of which 62.4 percent
were 3D screens (Leontieva, Kuzmichev &
Mudrova, 2019).
The soaring box office of Kazakhstan films (see
Table 2) also shows that Kazakhstan film
industry has achieved great development, and the
Kazakhstan people's spiritual consumption and
pursuit have been improved.
Table 2.
Box Office of Films in Kazakhstan.
(Source: Leontieva, Kuzmichev & Mudrova, 2019；State Center for National Cinema Support, 2022)
To sum up, the development of Kazakhstan's
cultural industry has created favorable conditions
for the communication of foreign films including
Chinese films in Kazakhstan.
Extensive Construction of Film and Television
Culture Communication Platforms in China and
Kazakhstan
In order to further promote cultural exchanges
between China and Kazakhstan, relevant
government departments and enterprises of the
two countries have actively set up platforms for
film and television exchanges, which played a
significant role in helping film fans of the two
countries interact and understand each other's
cultures. In the year 2017, the Chinese Film
Exhibition, which was jointly undertaken by
China Film Group Corporation, China Film
Literature Society and Young Heroes and
Heroines Culture Co., LTD, was held in Astana,
the capital of Kazakhstan. During the film
exhibition, many excellent Chinese films were
screened, such as Kung-Fu Yoga, True Love, The
Wolf Totem, Ili River, Go Away! Mr. Tumour, The
Flowers, and so on (Xiao, 2017). During the
same period, "Kazakhstan Chinese Film
Exhibition -- Xinjiang Film Week" was held in
Almaty, during which a number of Xinjiang films
were screened, including True Love, Where
Dreams Begin, Money on the Road and so on,
which were well received by Kazakhstan film
fans（Fan，2017）.
In addition, film and television co-production
between China and Kazakhstan has also
witnessed vigorous development. In 2019, The
Musician, a co-production between China and
Kazakhstan, was released in both countries. The
film tells the story of Xian Xinghai, a musician
who was stranded in Kazakhstan during the war
in the 1940s. The film grossed a box office of
$649,703 and was loved by Kazakhstan
audiences, who considered the film "deeply
moving and touching" and "worth seeing."
198
www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
As the deepening of trust and cultural ties
between the Chinese and Kazakhstan people,
Chinese TV series have also opened up a market
in Kazakhstan. Many Chinese films have easy-
to-understand storylines that can cause the same
emotional response of the Kazakhstan audiences.
This makes Chinese TV series more appealing to
the Kazakhstan people. KTK (Kazakh
commercial television channel) broadcasts a
large number of modern and ancient Chinese TV
series. During its run in Kazakhstan, the
channel's Chinese modern TV series Hey, Old
Man attracted 10.5 percent of viewers. Feathers
to the Sky, a TV series about ordinary Chinese
entrepreneurs, was also popular in Kazakhstan.
Ayman Varieva, manager of the program
manager department of KTK TV, said that she
liked the Chinese TV series Come on, you are the
Best very much, and that Chinese TV series were
very popular with the Kazakh people. At the
same time, KTK has found a new way to
broadcast Chinese period dramas such as Wei
Zifu and Empresses in the Palace. In 2020,
Astana TV broadcast the Chinese TV series All Is
Well, which achieved good ratings among the
Kazakhstan audience. The leading actor Ni
Dahong gained a large number of fans in
Kazakhstan by virtue of this TV series.
Methodology
In order to further understand the communication
status of Chinese films and TV series in
Kazakhstan, the author conducted a survey by
means of questionnaire and drew some
conclusions. This survey mainly targeted at
Kazakhstan who know Chinese language, and a
total of 200 copies were distributed and 139
copies were recovered. Among the respondents,
49 did not understand Chinese language and 90
did.
Results and discussion
Investigation on the Current Situation and
Problems of Chinese Films and TV Series in
Kazakhstan
Channels and Ways for Kazakhstan People to
Watch Movies
Based on the analysis of specific survey data, it
can be seen that the Kazakhstan people mainly
watch Chinese films and TV series through film
festivals, cinemas, film and television channels,
video websites and other ways, and the specific
proportions of these ways are different. Twenty-
one of them (about 15 percent) watched Chinese
films through film festivals. Twenty-four
respondents, or 17.2% of them went to the
cinemas to watch Chinese films. 11 people (about
7.8% of the respondents) watch Chinese movies
through film and television channels, such as
MGTV, etc. More Kazakhstan (83, or 60 percent
of the respondents) watch Chinese movies and
TV series on free video websites, including
www.1905.com, YouTobe, Baskino, Doramatv.
live, hdrezk. PRO and others. So fewer
Kazakhstan people are actually willing to go to
the cinema and pay for the movies they are going
to watch. The rapid development of the Internet
has made it the main channel for the Kazakhstan
people to watch Chinese films and TV series.
Popular Types of Chinese Films and TV Series
among the Kazakhstan People
In order to further understand the interest of the
Kazakhstan people in watching movies, this
questionnaire designs and involves the film and
television themes that the Kazakhstan people like.
The questionnaire data intuitively reflect the
audience's interest in China in different types of
film and television. 75 people (about 54% of the
respondents) of respondents like Chinese Kung
Fu movies, represented by Bruce lee, Jackie
Chan, Jet Li and other Chinese martial arts stars.
They have carried forward Chinese Kung Fu
action movies, and made Chinese Kung Fu action
movie a "business card" for the foreign audiences
to get know China. Eighteen people (about 13
percent of the respondents) prefer Chinese
comedies, while 17 people (about 12 percent of
the respondents) prefer Chinese family dramas.
The rest of the respondents prefer Chinese
literary movies, historical dramas in costume and
documentaries about Chinese culture.
It can be seen that with the continuous promotion
of the "Belt and Road Initiative", Central Asian
countries represented by Kazakhstan have
diversified types of Chinese films and TV dramas.
Historical costume dramas, family dramas,
science fiction films and literary films have
entered their life and won recognition of the
Kazakhstan people. From the perspective of
communication types, the communication of
Chinese films and TV series in Kazakhstan
should not only rely on a certain type, but also
select and match film types according to
Kazakhstan's culture and movie-watching habits,
so as to achieve better communication and
acceptance effects in Kazakhstan (Huilin &
Zheng et al, 2016: 17-25).
The Kazakhstan People's Attitude Towards
Chinese Films.
Volume 11 - Issue 53
/ May 2022
199
https:// www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
Through a detailed study of the questionnaire, it
can be seen that the communication effect of
Chinese films and TV series in Kazakhstan is not
satisfactory. Sixty-one people (about 43 percent
of the respondents) think Chinese films and TV
series are good and like them. Seventy-three, or
52 percent of the respondents, have a neutral
attitude toward Chinese films and TV Series. Six,
or about 4 percent of the respondents, said they
dislike Chinese films and TV series. At the same
time, the survey detailed which films and TV
series the Kazakhstan like to watch. American
movies topped the list, with 91 people (61% of
the respondents) favoring American movies,
citing their compact plots, superb acting skills
and excellent production. Thirty-two people
(about 23 percent of the respondents) like
Russian movies, because the two countries have
similar culture and the Russian films are easy to
understand. Fifteen people (about 10% of the
respondents) like Chinese movies. Twenty-six
people, or 18 percent of the respondents, like
Korean movies. At the same time, many
respondents being interviewed like to watch
films from Turkey, Japan and European countries.
In recent years, with the improvement of
Kazakhstan's domestic film production level,
many interviewees (8 people, about 5% of the
respondents) support domestic films.
The topic of favorite Chinese actors and actresses
is closely related to the movie themes watched by
the Kazakhstan people. Forty-six people, or 33
percent of the correspondents, like Chinese
martial arts stars such as Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee,
Donnie Yen and Jet Li. Chinese actors such as
Gong Li, Ni Dahong, Ge You and Zhang Ziyi are
also popular in Kazakhstan for their acting skills.
19 people, or 13 percent of the correspondents,
said they like the new generation of Chinese
actors, including Huang Jingyu, Wang Dalu and
Xiao Zhan. Twenty-two, or about 15 percent of
the correspondents, said they had no interest in
Chinese actors and actresses. From the above
survey data, it can be seen that most of the
Kazakhstan people's impression of Chinese films
stays on Kung Fu movies and Kung Fu stars. As
more and more Kazakhstan students choose to
study in China and get in touch with Chinese
culture, Kazakhstan audiences will break through
the previous limitation of Chinese Kung Fu
movies and have a more diversified choice of
Chinese films and TV series.
Problems Existing in the Communication and
Acceptance of Chinese Films and TV Series in
Kazakhstan
The economic and diplomatic cooperation
between China and Kazakhstan has laid a solid
foundation for the communication of Chinese
films and TV series in Kazakhstan. A series of
positive measures, such as Chinese Film festival
and China-Kazakhstan co-production of films,
have greatly promoted the communication of
Chinese films and TV series in Kazakhstan.
However, the communication of Chinese films
and TV series in Kazakhstan also faces multiple
problems. Many Kazakhstan people still have an
impression of Chinese films at the level of Kung
Fu movies, while some Kazakhstan people say
they have no interest in Chinese films and TV
series.
There are many factors influencing the wide
spread of Chinese films and TV series in
Kazakhstan, the most obvious one of which lies
in the different cultures of China and Kazakhstan.
Film and television works have their own
national characteristics, and the film and
television works of a region reflect the cultural
characteristics of the region. Sixty-six
respondents (about 47%) believe that there is a
big difference in cultural values between China
and Kazakhstan, and they cannot accept and
understand the culture and values expressed in
Chinese films and TV series. Fifty-two people
(37% of the respondents) said they could not
understand the meaning of Chinese films due to
language problems. Foreign audiences' cognition
of Chinese films basically starts from the
subtitles, and the quality of the translated
subtitles directly affects audiences' cognition and
understanding of the films. Respondents said that
when watching Chinese films, they need to use
English or Russian subtitles, but the translation
of these subtitles cannot clearly and completely
express the content and meaning of the film.
Twelve people, or about 8 percent of the
respondents, said Chinese films are not well-
made enough to compete with the American
films. Twenty-two respondents (about 15%) cited
other reasons, such as political factors, less
publicity of Chinese films and TV series in
Kazakhstan, and less cooperation between the
two countries in this regard.
Countermeasures and Suggestions on the
Communication of Chinese Films and TV Series
in Kazakhstan
How to effectively spread Chinese culture and
promote Chinese films to enter the international
market is an issue constantly discussed by the
academic circle. Based on the questionnaire
survey and interview attempt of Kazakhstan
audiences, the following countermeasures are
given in this paper:
200
www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
Actively Carry out "Film diplomacy" and
Explore New Channels for China-Kazakhstan
Co-production of Films
In the mid-20th century, China's "Panda
Diplomacy" was a way for China to enhance its
soft power. In the year 1971, the "Ping-pong
Diplomacy" between China and the United States
helped to improve relations between the two
countries. Professor Liu Wenfei of the Chinese
Academy of Social Sciences put forward the new
concept of "Literature Diplomacy" for the first
time, which advocated the "normal" diplomatic
relations between two countries should be
pluralistic, involving political, economic and
cultural fields. At the same time, this relationship
should also be enhanced to a certain depth and
breadth. We should not only rely on political
diplomacy, economic diplomacy, military
diplomacy and energy diplomacy, but also rely
on cultural diplomacy and cooperation and
communication in the fields in humanities,
among which literature occupies an important
position (2016). Compared with printed books,
films and TV series have more advantages in
attracting audiences for their audio-visual
expression and easy accessibility. So, actively
carrying out "Film Diplomacy" will play an
important role in the overseas promotion of
Chinese films and deepening diplomatic relations
between the two countries.
An important channel of "Film Diplomacy" is the
active cooperation between China and
Kazakhstan in film production. A series of
agreements between the two countries have
provided national support for this "Film
Diplomacy". In the year 2017, China and
Kazakhstan issued a joint statement, in which the
article 22 clearly stipulates that "the two
countries should strengthen their cultural
exchanges, expand media cooperation,
strengthen mutual translation cooperation of
literary works and films, and jointly produce
films and TV series." In the same year, the two
governments signed the Agreement on China-
Kazakhstan Film Production. Under the
framework of this agreement, the Sino-Kazakh
co-production of Composer, a film about Xian
Xinghai's experiences during the war, was widely
acclaimed and welcomed by the audiences in
Kazakhstan. China has always upheld the
concept of good-neighborliness and friendship
with Kazakhstan. The joint production of films
between the two sides will not only combine
Chinese culture with Kazakhstan culture, but also
resonate with the Kazakhstan people based on the
perspective of their own audiences. Co-produced
films and TV series will not only enhance the
cultural soft power and international influence of
China and Kazakhstan, but also tell China's
stories and spread China's voice in a better way
(Yanling & Yixuan, 2019: 53-58).
Attach Importance to the Cultural
Communication Power of Overseas Students and
Establish an Effective Working Mechanism
With the further advance of the Belt and Road
Initiative, learning Chinese language has become
a trend in Kazakhstan. During his visit to
Kazakhstan in the year 2017, Chinese President
Xi Jinping announced an increase in the number
of Chinese government scholarship granted to
overseas students in Kazakhstan (Delu, 2019).
During a visit to the local schools in December
2018, former Kazakhstan President Nursultan
Nazarbayev said that the trade with China
accounted for 20 percent of Kazakhstan's foreign
trade and called on students to choose Chinese as
a second foreign language (Xiao, 2019). What's
more, the Kazakhstan news agency reported that
China had become the second largest destination
for Kazakhstan students to study abroad
(Shangluo, 2021).
Through learning Chinese language and getting
in close touch with Chinese culture, the
international students from Kazakhstan can have
a deep affection for China, and they will have a
positive impact on the spread of Chinese culture
after returning home including Chinese movies.
From this point of view, the work related to
international students in China should not only be
an international educational and cultural
exchange, but also a part of the national cultural
diplomacy strategy of China (Jiaying, 2010:
152-157). The United States was the first country
to recognize the important role of foreign
students as a "medium" for cultural exchange
between countries. The US has done much to
convey its American values abroad, with 200,000
young people from Central Asian countries
receiving some certain forms of American
education, and many of them are now working
for Western companies. After studying in the
United States, these young people returned to
their home countries and became the main
"medium" for spreading American culture
overseas (Jie, 2006: 70-72).
It can be seen from the above questionnaire that
the Kazakhstan people with Chinese learning
experience generally like Chinese culture and
have a high evaluation of Chinese films. As an
important channel for Chinese films to spread to
the foreign countries, the national government of
China and the relevant schools should strengthen
Volume 11 - Issue 53
/ May 2022
201
https:// www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
its cultural strategic awareness and establish a
long-term mechanism in the education of
overseas students. In the teaching process, the
Chinese film and television arts should be
introduced in the contents of their courses, and
help the foreign students to experience the charm
of Chinese film and television arts. This can
make them keep into contact with more excellent
Chinese film, feel the Chinese culture in the
movies, understand the system of China's
national policy, and better understand the culture
and values of Chinese spirits and the deep
cultural connotation in it, so as to cultivate more
messengers of carrier to spread Chinese culture
and enhance China's international image. The
overseas students will become the new force of
Chinese film overseas communication, which is
topic worth pondering and researching for
Chinese educators in the future.
Maintain the Established Mode and Develop the
Advantages of New Media in the Digital Era
In the past, Chinese films went to the
international market mainly relying on film
festivals, cinemas and other physical
communication channels. However, the coming
of the digital age has greatly impacted the
traditional mode of film viewing and the
communication of film culture. In the digital era,
new media has become an important way for
people to watch movies and TV series due to its
strong communication ability and convenient
application. From the questionnaires and
interviews, it can be seen that that about 60
percent of respondents in Kazakhstan watch
Chinese movies and TV series on free video
websites. With the further development of digital
technology, mobile apps, video websites and
other new media have become important
channels for the people to watch movies.
According to the Global Survey on China's
National Image, 51 percent of overseas
audiences prefer to learn about Chinese culture
through new media. Young people, in particular,
are more accustomed to getting Chinese
information through new media (Yunquan, 2017).
Based on this, while relying on traditional
cinemas and TV channels, Chinese films and TV
series should also actively seek cooperation with
Kazakhstan video websites, earnestly explore the
viewing needs of Kazakhstan people, and deliver
high-quality Chinese films and TV series to
Kazakhstan through those new media.
In addition, the function of new media in film and
television publicity cannot be ignored. Different
from the traditional forms of communication, the
power of new media and its influence have
become a trend in the network information age.
In the era of digital economy, the publicity,
broadcasting and feedback of Chinese films and
TV series can all rely on the effectiveness of new
media. In the future, we should pay attention to
the power of new media, build a new
communication system for Chinese films and TV
series, establish government or more private
websites, and give full play to the role of network
communication, so as to promote the wide
spreading and communication of Chinese films
and TV series in Kazakhstan.
Improve the Translation Quality and Optimize
Translation Strategies
Some scholars have pointed out that translation
is always a bottleneck in the promotion of
Chinese culture (Xiaoyong, 2013). The same is
true of the spread of Chinese films and TV series.
Film and TV works are the material carrier of
Chinese culture to the outside world, and film
and television language contains rich cultural
information and cultural connotation. Different
from written words and contents, film and
television language is characterized by its
instantaneity, localization and simplicity.
Compared with literary works, the audience of
film and television is obviously wider and more
popular, so the language of film should be
suitable for both the old and the young as well as
for the educated and uneducated, so the language
should be both elegant and popular. A translation
that is too obscure will only deter foreign
audiences. At present, the institutions and
individuals committing to the Chinese film and
TV series translation in Kazakhstan mainly
consist of translators from relevant film and TV
departments in Kazakhstan, Chinese producers,
and fans of Chinese film and TV series on
relevant video platforms. However, there are
many problems. Firstly, there lacks standards and
supervision for the translation of Chinese films.
Secondly, some translators do not understand the
film, and foreign translators do not understand
Chinese culture. Thirdly, some production
companies or Kazakhstan distribution companies
do not understand the translation and do not pay
attention to the translation. There are other
problems. According to questionnaires and
interviews, about 37 percent of the respondents
said Chinese subtitles translation is difficult to
understand. As is known to us, the translation
strategies should serve translation purposes.
Kazakhstan's impression of China lies in the
rapid development of science and technology and
economy, while its acceptance of Chinese culture
and their perception of the identity of Chinese
culture and values are not so high as we expect.
202
www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
In this context, the selection of translation
strategies for film and TV art works' translation
is particularly important. In order to smoothly
carry out cross-cultural communication in film
and television translation, it is necessary to
consider the dual context of Chinese and
Kazakhstan language cultures and their different
film and television cultures. When there is no
corresponding vocabulary in the target context,
the translation strategy of "combining
domestication and foreignization" can be
adopted to localize the film and television
language as much as possible, which is
conducive to local people's understanding of the
film and television content.
Give Full Play to the Advantages of University
Scientific Research and Cooperate with Multiple
Departments
With the continuous promotion of the "Belt and
Road Initiative", the academic circle pays more
and more attention to the research on the
countries along the "Belt and Road", and the
research fields include the economy, politics,
military, humanities and other aspects of the
related countries. After the disintegration of the
Soviet Union, China established friendly
relations with central Asian countries one after
another. Many research institutes and research
centers specializing in Central Asian issues
emerged, such as The Central Asian Institute of
Lanzhou University (established in1994) and the
Central Asian Institute of Shaanxi Normal
University (established in 2004). Shanghai
International Studies University (in 2015),
Beijing Foreign Studies University (in 2016) and
Dalian Foreign Studies University (in 2016) have
set up the Kazakhstan Research Center, and
Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics
(in 2018) has set up the Kazakhstan Economic
and Social Research Center. These Central Asia
Institutes and Kazakhstan research centers have
made full use of their advantages to provide
multiple support for the further development of
China-Kazakhstan relations. Colleges and
universities should establish cooperation mode
with enterprises, and complement each other's
advantages to jointly carry out academic research,
including investigating the channels for foreign
audiences to watch Chinese films and TV series
and exploring the demand for foreign audiences
to watch Chinese films and TV series, so as to
provide accurate countermeasures and guidance
for Chinese films and TV series to go global. In
the future, more attention should be paid to the
research capacity of scientific research
institutions in colleges and universities, so as to
achieve better overseas communication of
Chinese films and TV series.
Conclusion
Under the guidance of the strategy of “overseas
promotion of Chinese culture industry” and "Belt
and Road Initiative", the spread and
communication of Chinese films and TV series
in Kazakhstan have achieved certain progress.
However, on the whole, the influence and market
share of Chinese films and TV series in
Kazakhstan is still very low, and the
communication of Chinese films and TV series
in Kazakhstan also faces multiple problems.
There is still a long way to go before Chinese
films and TV series really enter the hearts of
Kazakhstan people. In the future, China can
develop a variety of channels to promote the
spread of Chinese films and TV series in
Kazakhstan, give play to folk "Film Diplomacy",
eliminate ethnic cultural barriers with the help of
accurate translation, and create a good reputation
of Chinese films and TV series by new media
means. In line with the communication concept
of equality and mutual benefit, the
communication of Chinese films and TV series
in Kazakhstan will surely realize the
transformation from form to reality and its
influence will surely transform from the minority
to the masses.
Bibliographic references
Bin, W. (2008). The historical law of overseas
dissemination of Chinese culture.
Guangming Daily.
https://www.gmw.cn/01gmrb/2008-
08/21/content_825971.htm
Delu, W. (2019). Chinese government
scholarships help Kazakh youth realize their
dreams and serve the country. CRJ online.
https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=162422899
0521485578&wfr=spider&for=pc
Fan, X. (2017). China Film Festival in
Kazakhstan in 2017—— Xinjiang Film Week
held in Almaty. CNR News.
http://ent.cnr.cn/gd/20170614/t20170614_52
3799725.shtml
Huilin, H., Zheng, Z., et al (2016). The
dissemination and reception effect of Chinese
films in the "One Belt, One Road" strategic
region -- China Film International
Communication Research Report in 2015.
Modern Communication, 38(2), 17-25.
https://bit.ly/3NWsOW3
Italics (2020). Investment in Kazakhstan's arts
and entertainment sector doubles [В два раза
выросли инвестиции в основной капитал в
сфере искусства и развлечений Казахстана]
Volume 11 - Issue 53
/ May 2022
203
https:// www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
Italic - business news of Kazakhstan [Курсив
- бизнес новости Казахстана] (kursiv.kz),
https://kz.kursiv.media/2020-12-07/v-dva-
raza-vyrosli-investicii-v-osnovnoy-kapital-v-
sfere-iskusstva-i/?ysclid=l2wshs8lnh
Jianqi, Z. (2015). Research on the
Countermeasures of Chinese film and
television drama export to Central Asia.
Vertical and horizontal audio-visual, (6), 119.
http://gdj.zj.gov.cn/art/2020/1/6/art_1228991
991_41467862.html
Jiaying, H. (2010). International Students and
Self-construction of China's National Image.
Shandong Social Sciences, (11), 152-157.
https://bit.ly/3nP6hA3
Jie, L. (2006). Use of U.S. Power in Central Asia.
Journal of Yanbian Party School, (3), 70-72.
https://bit.ly/3yWFlEV
Leontieva, K., Kuzmichev, P., & Mudrova, S.
(2019). Film market of Kazakhstan 2018–
2019. NEVAFILM RESEARCH
[НЕВАФИЛЬМ RESEARCH], (67),
https://research.nevafilm.ru/public/research/
articles/2019_kaz_cinema_market_2018_19.
pdf
Mengzhen, M. (2018). The Enlightenment of the
four overseas cultural communication
climaxes in Chinese history to today's
communication of Chinese culture.
Masterpieces Review, (5)，152.
https://bit.ly/3NR1J6B
Shangluo, M. (2021). Why do Kazakh students
favor Chinese universities so much?. New
Observations on the Silk Road,
https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=170179821
5171704231&wfr=spider&for=pc
State Center for National Cinema Support (2022)
Kazakhstan Film Industry.
https://kazakhcinema.kz/ru/kinoindustriya-
kazahstana.html
Statistical Office of Kazakhstan Strategic
Planning and Reform Agency (2021) website
https://stat.gov.kz/
Wenfei, L. (2016). Possibilities of Chinese and
Russian Literary Diplomacy. China Reading
Weekly, (2).
https://epaper.gmw.cn/zhdsb/html/2016-
06/29/nw.D110000zhdsb_20160629_1-
05.htm
Xiao, Y. (2017). Six films appeared at the
"Chinese Film Festival" in Kazakhstan.
Chinawriter
http://www.chinawriter.com.cn/n1/2017/061
2/c403992-29334081.html
Xiao, Z. (2019). Learning Chinese has become a
common practice in Kazakhstan. XINHUAN.
https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=162278861
6253519069&wfr=spider&for=pc
Xiaoyong, G. (2013). Chinese book publishing
faces translation bottleneck. People's Daily
Online.
http://world.people.com.cn/n/2013/0416/c15
7278-21154492.html
Yanling, W., & Yixuan, F. (2019). Mutual
learning of Chinese and Russian film and
television civilizations from the perspective
of "One Belt, One Road". Movie Review,
(23), 53-58. https://bit.ly/3yuuGzF
Yunquan, Y. (2017). Innovate the way to spread
Chinese excellent traditional culture to the
outside world. People's Daily Online.
http://theory.people.com.cn/n1/2017/0330/c4
0531-29179017.html
