CRI听力: China Becomes Fastest Growing Movie Market

Foreign movie makers are stepping up their efforts to lure Chinese moviegoers, as the country becomes one of the world's fastest growing movie markets.

Hollywood blockbuster Terminator Salvation reaped a box office return of over 10 million yuan on its first full day release in the Chinese mainland, Tuesday.
That's equivalent to nearly one and half million US dollars. (www.hXen.com)

Zhang Miao is China Distribution Director of the American production company, Columbia Pictures.

"Five years ago, the Chinese mainland was probably not that important for Hollywood filmmakers. But now it's developed into a very crucial market for every US moviemaker in terms of its profit growth and regional significance."

Zhang Miao adds that foreign moviemakers need to produce more films suited to the taste of a Chinese audience so as to better exploit the market potential.

According to official statistics, China's box office revenue in urban areas surpassed 600 million US dollars last year, an annual increase of nearly 27 percent.

It's also the fifth consecutive year the mainland's movie market grew by more than 25 percent.