FOCUS

      Animation is a vital and vibrant industry crucial to cultural development. Canada is a globally recognized powerhouse of digital media with leading digital media technologies and rick experience in film & television animation, visual effect and game development. For building up a Canadian-China cooperation platform and enhancing exchanges in amination, the Canadian Animation Technology Mission visited Beijing with animation technology projects during April 19-20, 2018 for seeking partners in the capital. This meeting was sponsored by Ontario Ministry of International Trade (Canada) with the support of the Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission and Beijing Haidian District Intellectual Property Office. The visit was a complete success and delivered fruitful outcomes!

SUMMARY

      Ms. Lisa Qi, Area Director for China, Ministry of International Trade (Canada) hosted the meeting.

LisaQi, Area Director for China, Ministry of International Trade

      Lee Kane, Counsellor (Commercial) at Embassy of Canada in China, attended the meeting and delivered the welcome speech. In the speech, he stressed the long history of cooperation between Canada and China and the new animation development opportunity for both countries in the world today.

Lee Kane, Counsellor (Commercial), Embassy of Canada in China

      Animation related communications and exchanges play a key role in making Beijing the “City of Design” and promoting culture and technology integration, said Wenjun Fu, Deputy Director at the Culture and Technology Development Department BMCST. She analyzed the necessity of culture and technology integration in a political context and outlined policies and initiatives, among others, in combination with initial results.

Wenjun Fu, Deputy Director, Culture and Technology Development Department, Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission

      Song Yang, Chief Engineer at the International Cooperation Department BMCST, discussed policies concerning international technological cooperation in Beijing. Taking into account efforts made by Beijing in international cooperation, the International Cooperation Department BMCST has set an overall goal for international cooperation in four aspects, i.e. bringing in, going out, establishing brand entity, and building systems, and developed support policies and plan of key work, said Yang.

Song Yang, Chief Engineer, Department of International Cooperation, Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission

      Chungang Liu, Secretary-General at Beijing Animation and Game Industry Alliance introduced the animation and game industry and special cultural policies in Beijing. After giving details about the general situation of the game industry, the development of the animation industry and special cultural policies, Liu said, “the animation and game market will continue to expand as efforts will be made to reinforce Beijing’s position as the national political center, cultural center, international exchange center, and science and technology innovation center.”

Chungang Liu, Secretary, Beijing Animation & Game Industry Alliance

     Moreover, delegates from Canadian Animation Technology Mission, including KapowKidz, Inc., Northern World Entertainment Software Inc., SkyshipEntertainment and Kevin & Robin Books Ltd. gave the perfect projects presentations that received positive feedbacks and extensive praise from the delegates.

      On the afternoon of April 19, businesses from both sides communicate with each other for project matchmaking. Delegates from 23 Chinese businesses, including Flying Pig Planet (Beijing) Technology Co., Ltd., Penguin Fairytale and Baiyan Film & TV Culture Co., Ltd. and Canadian delegates had in-depth exchanges on respective demand and potential cooperation opportunities between each other, with the number of matchmaking reaching 73. During the matchmaking process, delegates requested detailed project information from the organizer from time to time and expressed intention to communicate and discuss with more Canadian organizations on projects. Particularly, 5 letters of intent were reached on site between Prokids Technology Corp., Beijing. and KapowKidz, Inc, and between Penguin Fairytale and Kevin & Robin Books Ltd.

      More than 100 delegates from industry associations, well-known organizations, and experts and scholars in the field of animation technology were invited to the meeting. It is a specific practice of the technological service field with respect to S&T supported economic development put forward by the government that specialist advisory bodies should practically serve international S&T innovation cooperation by matching information and providing technical and investment consultation and advices. ChinaWorth the organizer of the meeting, has organized large-scale international conferences, such as the 4th China (Beijing) International Technology Transfer Conference – China-Canada session – and the annual Beijing – Ontario Science and Technology Innovation Forum, has repeatedly built platforms for S&T exchange and cooperation between China and Canada, accelerated technology transfer and incubation, and has been recognized by both sides.

MEDIA REPORT

      At the same time, this event has attracted widespread media attention and has been reported by stdaily.com, Science Daily and sciencenet.cn, etc.