Collectors of Chinese art will be able to check the authenticity of artworks on-line in a new official database of artists and their works,

"China's artwork market have become increasingly vibrant in recent years, with trade values constantly increasing," said Zhang Xinjian, vice director of the cultural market department under the Ministry of Culture.

The database will register artists and art organizations on the Internet, and an appraisal panel of 148 experts will authenticate all the registered artists and their artworks.

"It is the first such 'census' of Chinese artworks since 1949 and it will give a clear view of the sector," said an official in charge of the database which has registered more than 3,000 artists and organizations since trial operationg began in June.

China has about 70 million collectors, with the annual domestic trade value reaching tens of billions of yuan.

However, collector Xing Jizhu pointed out that fake artworks and irregular trade practices had created stumbling blocks for collectors, and he called for an immediate reform of the art market.

The database would help build a price system which would encourage honest practice and facilitate trade and investment, experts said.

Source: Xinhua