A ceremony was held earlier this week in Shanghai to launch a state-level base for the development of the fledging online game animation industry in China, reports ASIA PULSE.
Located in the Zhangjiang High-tech Zone in east Chinas Shanghai municipality, this is the third such kind of 3D industrial base for online game animation in the country following those set up in Sichuan and Guangdong provinces.
More than 200 domestic and overseas software corporations specializing in web games and animation will operate in the zone. As well, some 300 high-tech companies and 60 research centers in the zone will also contribute to the growth of the industry in China.
The base was established under the approval of the Press and Publication Administration of China, which is promoting the development of the online games and animation industry.
The income of Shanghai-based web animation firms accounts for about 70%of the countrys gross volume in this field.
Shanghai will also see the opening of the countrys first cartoon-theme shopping mall by the end of 2005. The Toonmax Cartoon Shopping Center, covering 10,000 square meters of floor space in Shanghais downtown business district, is a joint project of Toonmax TV, Chinas first, fulltime cartoon company and channel for all ages, and Songyu Group.
Toonmax TV has already established cooperative relationships with more than 30 Chinese and international cartoon brands, such as Disney and Toys & Wonders Ltd. for the shopping center.
