China National Academy of Chinese Painting was launched  on Thursday.

The academy grew out of the Institute of Chinese Painting, which was founded in 1981 with painting master Li Keran serving as the first president.

The national academy will be mainly engaged in producing and studying Chinese painting, calligraphy and seal cutting, according to academy sources.

Minister of Culture Sun Jiazheng addressed at the opening ceremony to hail the establishment of the academy as a positive push for the prosperity and development of the country's fine arts.

(Xinhua News Agency December 15, 2006)