China's cartoon and animation industry has developed rapidly in the past 30 years, but it needs more to catch up with advanced countries, said experts at a forum held in Hangzhou yesterday.

Wei Lai, president of China Cartoon Century, delivers a speech yesterday in Hangzhou at a forum during the 4th China International Cartoon and Animation Festival that lasts from April 28 to May 3, 2008.

Animation art is found almost everywhere, in technological applications, product demonstrations and commercial promotions, said Wang Ying, general manager of CCTV Animation.

Imaginative power plays a key role in the prosperity of the cartoon and animation industry, he said. "Imaginative power should be applied not only in artistic creation of animation, but in the industry's operations too."

Only with imaginative power can industrial operations become a reality, Wang Ying said, citing the example of the Disney World. "Without imaginative power, Disney World wouldn't exist."

To play up the role of imaginative power in industrialization of cartoons and animations, he said, "Imaginative power applied in artistic creation is a gorgeous leather, and that used in industrial operation is the flying wings."