BEIJING, July 20 -- Guangzhou is seeking global cooperation to boost its cartoon industry and become a major animation and comic industrial production base in the country.

A new cartoon industrial park has been established in the city's Panyu District, where many cartoon companies already operate.

The capital of Guangdong Province expects more foreign cartoon companies to set up production facilities in the park in upcoming years.

Covering an area of more than 20 hectares, Panyu State Cartoon and Cyber Games Industrial Park is also expected to become home to many famous cartoon experts and comic artists from around the world in the years ahead, according to Xu Zhibiao, Guangzhou's vice-mayor.

More than 500 million yuan has so far been invested in the park in the district's Donghuan Street. It is the largest cartoon industrial park on the mainland.

"The park will become a new international cartoon production, sales base and demonstration center, playing an important role in Guangzhou's industrial development," Xu said.

The park is expected to be a major training center for special cartoon personnel as well.

Xu is hoping more foreign companies will set up their China headquarters and research and development centers in the park in the near future.

Although Guangzhou's cartoon industry got off to a late start in late 1980s, its development has been rapid in the past few years.

(Source: China Daily)