This research provides an assessment of the Metaverse’s development within the People’s Republic of China (PRC), advocating for a “de-Westernized” approach to media and platform studies. While the global Metaverse narrative has often been dominated by the Silicon Valley’s commercial visions, this study explores how China has integrated this technology into its national digitalization strategy and social construction. Drawing on official government documents, such as the “Three-Year Action Plan for Metaverse Industrial Innovation (2023-2025)”, the study highlights a multi-level interest spanning government, academia, and society. Methodologically, the research employs a mixed-method approach, utilizing the “walkthrough method” to conduct an empirical analysis of four case studies in Beijing and Shanghai. These cases – ranging from political education platforms to cultural heritage projects – illustrate the diverse applications of immersive technologies in the Chinese context. The analysis utilizes a theoretical framework of four dimensions: the transition from real to virtual (youshi zhixu 由实至虚), virtual-real interaction (xushi liandong 虚实联动), the promotion of the real through the virtual (youshi zushi 由虚促实), and the strengthening of the real via virtuality (yixu qiangshi 以虚强实). The findings reveal a distinctive ecosystem that prioritizes the preservation of traditional heritage and the dissemination of “Red Culture” and socialist values. Despite recent economic cooling and technological hurdles, the study concludes that China’s Metaverse represents a strategic fusion of technological progress, cultural identity, and political governance.
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