The First China International Animation and Cartoon Industry Summit Forum opened Thursday in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province.

The forum attracted about 120 cartoonists from China and other countries including the United States, Canada, Japan and Germany.

The participants will focus on animation and cartoon industry issues in education, in the digital age and in the future.

Experts will also discuss ways to further promote the development of China's cartoon industry and strengthen the cooperation and exchanges between domestic and overseas professionals.

"My opinion is that education and production must be planned and developed together," said Bordo Dovnikovic, a Croatian designer and cartoonist.

"The issue of quality education of animators is a pre-condition for production of both commercial and artistic, independent animation. In some countries, this is solved in a systematic way, from workshops to official schools," he said.

China's long history could provide rich inspiration for artists to create attractive animation and cartoons, said Chang Chen-yi, who works as artistic character designer for Disney Studio. Chang designed the character Mulan, a Chinese female hero in an animated film by Disney Studio.

The forum will last for two days at China Academy of Art, which owns one of the national animation teaching and research bases.

(Xihua News Agency June 3, 2005)