The Sino-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City is sparing no effort to develop its cultural innovation industry, with the development of the animation sector set as a priority.

Xu Hui, deputy director of the general office of the SSGKC, said promoting the cultural innovation industry is an important strategy for both the country and Guangdong province, and that the SSGKC would seize the opportunity.

"The SSGKC expects to be able to attract more talents in the comic and animation industries from home and abroad to settle down in the city in the years to come," Xu said.

"The SSGKC plans to build an innovative industrial zone, which will include designing cultural innovation products, producing games, developing animation and publishing mobile and digital products," Xu explained.

The Guangdong provincial government's Reform and Development Plan of the Pearl River Delta hopes to accelerate the development of a State level software, film, television, animation and game production base within the southern Chinese province.

To this end, the SSGKC has signed a framework agreement for strategic cooperation with Animation Comic Game China Group earlier this year to jointly promote the construction of a southern Chinese base for the State-owned animation and comic company.

According to the agreement, both sides will join hands to develop animation and game projects and together establish a cultural innovation fund to promote the industry.

Meanwhile, Guangdong-based Alpha Animation, which is listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, has planned an animated Silicon Valley-style project, with investment of more than 900 million yuan ($129.79 million). The project will include the construction of an animation industrial zone in the SSGKC.

Raymond Liu, senior brand licensing manager of Alpha Animation, said the SSGKC provides many opportunities for animation companies to develop their business.

Looking ahead, the SSGKC is also seeking to further expand its cooperation with Guangdong Huawen Century Animation, New Zealand's Weta Workshop and other big-name animation companies from home and abroad to develop its cultural innovation industry.

(China Daily 12/16/2016 page7)