Of the 200 digital cinemas round the world China's mainland boasted 57, ranking the second next only to the United States.

According to the statistics released by the Digital Film Company of China Digital Film Group, the newly started China's Digital Theatre developed by leaps and bounds. The total number is expected to reach 166 by the end of 2004 and 1000 several years later, hopefully to exceed that of the United States.

Jiang Defu, deputy-director of China Digital Film Group, believes that the development of digital film can not only improve the international competitiveness of China's film industry, but also effectively regulate the movie business, particularly in cracking down the piracy.

Compared with the traditional film, the digital film can save 90% of the cost in the process of production, distribution as well as projection and yield double of the profits. The State Administration of Radio Film and Television will take the digital films and theatres as the strategic move for China's film industry, providing a great support to it with policies and capital. Despite the fact that China produces more than 200 films annually, the digital film is very little and the domestic digital filmmakers are only around two or three. All these show that the filmmakers are not very interested in digital films.

The Digital Film Company of China Digital Film Group will turn 100 classic movies into digital ones this year. According to the programme of the State Administration of Radio Film and Television on digital film, the digital theatres in China's various regions will show at least 50 digital films annually by 2006.

By People's Daily Online