"We intend to optimize and integrate local resources and to upgrade technological standards in the Chinese film industry to inject more vigor and strength into film enterprises and make them more competitive," said State Film Bureau chief Liu Jianzhong yesterday.

"More importantly, by revitalizing the Chinese film industry, we will foster a new growth point for the national economy."

Chinese Filmmakers Association statistics show that China now has more than 30 State-owned film studios and film processing studios, along with a dozen more private-funded film-related enterprises scattered across the country.

These State-owned film enterprises each has the capability to produce a full feature film.

Currently, the equipment is left idle when there are no productions being made, and the machinery is rarely open to filmmakers from outside the film studio.

That will change as the scattered, overlapping, inefficient film industry resources are reorganized to maximize utility and profit, Liu said.

The four existing film groups, formed in late 1998 and early 1999, include Beijing-based China Film Group, Shanghai Film Group, Shanghai Yongle Film Group and Changchun-based North China Film Group.

The bases for the three new film groups are Zhujiang Film Studio in South China's Guangdong Province, Xi'an Film Studio in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province and Emei Film Studio in Southwest China's Sichuan Province.

"If conditions are mature enough in the future, it is possible that China will form more big film groups and cross-regional regrouping will be encouraged since they help both the industry and regional economies," Liu said.

Although detailed plans for regrouping the film enterprises have not yet been formed, many local film-related enterprises have shown great interest in this reform drive and are eager to be integrated into larger film groups to ensure a better future, Liu said.

This year's reform measures also include the utilization of computerized movie-ticket vending machines at about 400 major cinemas across the country. This will help keep track of demand for films and make administration easier and cheaper, Liu said .

China's pending accession into the World Trade Organization (WTO) is part of the impetus for these reforms.

"The pressure and challenge from WTO entry is only one of the reasons why the Chinese film industry is undergoing reforms," Liu said. "In the new century, the Chinese film industry is motivated to explore new ways of growing bigger and stronger."

(China Daily 02/10/2001)