On May 13, AmCham China hosted event showcasing the positive impact of Esports. The hybrid event was available both online and offline, with the offline event being held in “the Dome” at the Conrad Tianjin.
The event began with an eye-catching light show, followed by opening remarks from Michael Hart, President of AmCham China and Shari Bistransky, Deputy Public Affairs Officer and Counselor for Public Affairs of US Embassy Beijing.
Following the opening remarks, Jie Li, Chief Technology Officer of the Electronic Sports Committee of the Internet Society of China, discussed the official definitions, standards, industry statutes, and development direction of Esports in China to help attendees better understand the emerging industry.
Following that, Xiang Shi, Editor-in-Chief of “Esports” Magazine, further elaborated on the development of Esports under globalization and made the case for Esports being utilized as a tool for cultural transmission. While Esports have helped bring the world closer together, Shi remarked there is still yet much room for growth, especially when it comes to technology, agents, and amateur games.
Kevin Brown, Esports Program Specialist of Orange County (CA) Department of Education and the North America Scholastic Esports Federation (NASEF), also joined the event to expound on scholastic Esports. Scholastic Esports are the intentional use of Esports as a vehicle for learning. According to Brown, Esports can improve student engagement, language and literacy skill development, as well as curriculum integration.
The final speaker, Dr. Peng Zhao, gave an interactive presentation illustrating the significant positive impact Esports can have on participants mental health. Dr. Zhao explained that Esports can also help people with disabilities build confidence and better connect with society.
The event ended with a Q&A session moderated by Mark Dreyer, Director of Marketing and Communications of AmCham China. AmCham China would like to thank the US Embassy in China for their generous gift that made this event possible and the Conrad Tianjin for providing venue support.