Popular British TV exports like Downton Abbey push collaborations forward. Photo: IC

British Prime Minister David Cameron's second trip to China from December 2 to 4 attracted its fair share of attention, particularly as it came right on the heels of Cameron starting up his first Chinese Weibo account.

He used this new channel to post his schedule for the trip and field questions from the public. In six days, his follower count swelled to more than 220,000.

Some comments directed at Cameron were quite amusing. One user asked, "Prime Minister, could you tell Sherlock to hurry? Please don't make us wait another two years for one season when there are only three episodes in each season."

Although just a playful quip, this comment does reveal the current Chinese fervor for British TV exports such as Sherlock, Downton Abbey and Merlin.

Chinese video streaming sites such as Tencent Video and Sohu TV regard British TV series as the newest battleground for viewers.

China and the UK have already established cooperative ties in economics, industry and culture.

In a newer development, teams from both nations are now seeking opportunities to work together on TV and film projects.

"China is the fastest growing market for UK television producers," John McVay, CEO of UK-based PACT, the Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television, said in a PACT press release. "Our latest report shows sales have increased by 90 percent in the last year."

Opening up dialogs

Last month, PACT led a week-long delegation to China comprised of 16 of the top British TV production companies, all looking for more collaborations with their Chinese counterparts in the industry.

The group visited Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu, and met the major players on the Chinese side, including CCTV, BTV, SMG, Youku/Tudou, iQiyi and Tencent Video.

During this first-time trip to China, industry leaders from both countries met in Beijing, had a signing ceremony with the CCTV documentary channel and attended the Sichuan TV Festival showcase, according to a PACT press release.

The British companies in the delegation come from many different areas of TV and film production, from feature films to children's programming. Their content has won or been nominated for many prizes, including Oscars, Emmys and BAFTAs. Sue Vertue, producer of Sherlock, was one member of the delegation.

British Ambassador to China, Sebastian Wood, said these meetings presented a golden opportunity for the UK and China to "explore our creative potential together."

"We will be holding a number of 'Creativity is GREAT' events in the future across China, including a GREAT Festival of Creativity in Shanghai in 2014," Wood said, referring to events sponsored by the government in various creative industries.

Co-production potential

As the British team comes to China in search of collaborations, the Chinese team is also reaching out to the UK.

The 5th China Image Film Festival, held in London on November 13, welcomed the British Film Institute, British Film Commission, BBC Worldwide, ITV, China Film Producers' Association and China Film Group Corporation - a sampling of the leading production teams from both nations.

The festival screened 23 features and 18 shorts - all Chinese - according to CCTV. The festival also hosted a forum about co-producing films between China and the UK.

More jointly-made films between China and other countries like the US have been made in the past few years, such as The Forbidden Kingdom (2008). Additionally, more Chinese elements are seen in international blockbusters, like James Bond flick Skyfall (2012). And now this trend is very likely to carry over into British and Chinese movies.

"The UK film industry has mostly been supported by the US, but the opportunity has come for China to make those investments," said Ivor Benjamin, chairman of the Directors Guild of Great Britain, as quoted by CCTV. "It would be good to see China and the UK working together financially."

Chairman of the China Image Film Festival, Jia Zhendan, concluded that the UK needs the massive market in China and potential distribution channels while China needs experienced partners to expand distribution for Chinese films in the international market and for the technical support.

Adding special effects as a gimmick in TV and film projects is no longer enough for a successful cooperation. A more in-depth collaboration, which can reflect the cultural elements and storytelling strengths of each country, is the way of the future.

Global Times