Chinese Film Distribution Giant Huaxia Partners With Hong Kong’s China Digital Licensing

Huaxia, China’s second-largest film distributor, has entered into a strategic partnership with Hong Kong-based China Digital Licensing, the two companies announced Friday.

our editor recommends

The China Clusterf--k: Is Hollywood Fed Up?

Hollywood Descends on China for Beijing International Film Festival

U.K.'s Pinewood Shepperton, China's Seven Stars Ink Joint Venture Deal

'Iron Man 3' Snags Prime China Release, Same Date as North America

Huaxia and the China Film Group – both backed by the Chinese government -- are the only two entities with official licenses to import and distribute foreign films in China.

PHOTOS: China Box Office: 10 Highest-Grossing Movies of All Time

Hong Kong-based China Digital Licensing is a digital copyright licensing and distribution firm. It is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and claims to be the largest distributor of licensed music and sports content in mainland China. The company was a partner with the Chinese Olympic Committee in 2008 and says it accounts for 50 percent of all professional sporting event broadcasting and distribution in China. The new deal with Huaxia will accelerate an expansion into film and TV content distribution that the company launched in 2012.

PHOTOS: Cut, Censored, Changed: 10 Hollywood Films Tweaked for International Release

According to a statement released by China Digital Licensing, the new partnership “aims to jointly expand overseas markets for domestic films and television, improve the international influence of top ranking Chinese films and [TV shows], as well as promote exchanges and cooperation between cultures home and abroad.”

Financial terms were not disclosed.