Chinese box office takings in 2010 are expected to exceed 10 billion yuan ($1.46 billion), said China Film Group Chief Han Sanping at a promotional meeting of Chinese films on March 3, Sina.com reports.

Movie box office revenues from the sizzling New Year's season have reached over 3 billion yuan in China with the help of two international blockbusters, Avatar and 2012, which took away about 1.6 billion yuan.

The box office receipts in January and February alone passed 2 billion yuan, doubling the number from the same period last year.

With quite an upbeat tone, Han predicts that it won't be difficult for China's annual box office to exceed 10 billion yuan this year and the booming Chinese film market will help to drive forward the development of the film and advertising industry.

Sponsored by the China Film Group's marketing subsidiary, the meeting served as a platform for film production companies and potential customers to introduce a slew of upcoming films from both home and abroad.

Among the promoted new films are those soon to hit cinemas in April like romance flick Du Lala's Promotion and spy thriller East Wind, Rain, as well as projects in filming or post-production like No Man's Land and Let the Bullets Fly.

The imported category covers Alice in Wonderland, Iron Man II, Shrek Forever After, Prince of Persia: the Sands of Time and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

According to Han, China has become the second biggest film market in the world, and Avatar, which extended its screening date to March 14, has raked in 1.2 billion yuan at the Chinese box office, turning China into its largest overseas market.

Han revealed that China Film Group is also considering cooperation with some American directors and actors this year.

(CRIENGLISH.com March 4, 2010)