Chinese artworks remain the strongest-performing segment over the past 25 years, despite a deep adjustment in recent years amid the COVID-19 pandemic, China"s economic transition and a global art market downturn. The report showed the MM Chinese Art Price Index has risen nearly sevenfold since 2000, delivering a compound annual growth rate of 7.8 percent, compared with 4.8 percent for the MM Contemporary Art Price Index and 3.5 percent for the MM Impressionist Art Price Index.

　　Mei said the global art market has significantly lagged the rapid expansion of global wealth over the past 25 years, particularly wealth generated by advances in artificial intelligence.

　　"This spring auction season indicates the onset of a market revival," Mei said. "Considering the massive wealth generated over the past quarter-century, especially by recent breakthroughs in AI technology, the current market may present a historic window of opportunity for collectors and investors."

　　The report also pointed to a growing divide within China"s art market as collectors continued to favor works with broader international appeal, such as contemporary artworks and oil paintings. During this year"s spring auctions, the MM Chinese Oil Painting Index jumped 21.9 percent and the MM Chinese Contemporary Art Index rose 18.6 percent, while the MM Chinese Ink Painting Index fell 4 percent and the MM Chinese Modern Art Index declined 4.7 percent.

　　Mei attributed part of the shift to the growing internationalization of collecting Chinese art since the early 2000s as overseas buyers have become more active, making the market more sensitive to global collecting trends.