With the summer holidays just beginning, Shanghai is putting on, not one, but TWO cartoon exhibitions. But while one was a hive of activity, the other was eerily quiet.

Japanese and South Korean animation have long proved popular among Chinese youngsters. Despite being an expensive toy, the Japanese character Sakura Momoko always sells well.

A Cartoon Fan said: "We are interested in Japanese cartoons the most."

But this eerily quiet section is the Chinese cartoonists' exhibit. And enjoys little of the attention.

Typical Chinese animation uses real life for inspiration, then exaggerates and satirizes it. This "historical and cultural" display is the first of its kind in a cartoon exhibition... And it may be the last. So what is the future for Chinese cartoons? Should they stick to their traditional styles? Or should they try and move with the times and become more commercialized? It's a question Chinese cartoonists will surely be pondering.

(CCTV.com July 9, 2004)