Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, plans to build a major animation industrial park covering 600 hectares, officials have announced.

The move is part of Hangzhou's plan to become the country's "capital of cartoons and animation," an official said at the second China International Cartoon and Animation Festival.

The park would accommodate 100 such cartoon and animation companies in the Binjiang high-tech zone, where 40 such companies are already based.

The industry in Hangzhou employs 2,000 skilled workers and produced 8,580 minutes of cartoons and animated television programs and films in 2005.

Co-sponsored by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television and Zhejiang provincial government, the week-long festival has been held under the slogan "Making life wonderful".

Leading producers from France, Japan, the United States, Hong Kong and Croatia have been invited to the festival.

The first festival was held in Hangzhou in June 2005.

The first Chinese cartoon film was produced in 1926 and celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the country's cartoon and animation industry have been an important part in the festival.

(Xinhua News Agency May 4, 2006)