Official: No ceiling on US film imports
(China Daily)
Updated: 2004-05-27 08:38

The Shanghai Youth Daily reported on Tuesday that the Chinese Government decided to import a maximum of 14 US movies annually among the total of 20 set in the nation's movie import quota.

The Information Office of the Film Administration told Xinhua that the administration has never issued such a policy, but the country always perseveres to import a variety of movies.

The worry about the monopoly of US movies in the Chinese market is rising among local communities.

Among the 20 imported movies last year, 18 were from Hollywood. The exceptions were a film featuring Hong Kong star Jackie Chan and one from the Republic of Korea.

The imported movies have lacked cultural variety and in recent years, acknowledged Professor Ni Zhen from the Beijing Film Academy, who was quoted by the Shanghai Youth Daily.

Film importers are trying to import movies involving as many countries and cultures as possible, said the source with the China Film Group, one of China's only two film importers.

A French film week was held in early April this year in Beijing with 10 movies put on, and attracted favourable response.

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