Cartoon Network's Ben 10 and Asia Pacific VP Dulce Lim-Chen Photo: Yu Dan

By Xu Liuliu

American cartoon corporation Cartoon Network Enterprises (CNE) still sees a large potential for fast growth in Chinese cartoon markets even though the company's leading children's entertainment channel still hasn't localized their programming for China's small screens.

"We see more opportunities and chances from this market than difficulties," Dulce Lim- Chen, vice president of CNE Asia Pacific, told the Global Times. "The challenges we are facing here are common in every market."

Extending its reach beyond television to "animate" the lives of children, CNE launched new product categories in China last year, including toys, books, home entertainment items, apparel, accessories, footwear, and stationery.

"We don't have any TV programs being broadcast in China, but we have books featuring our cartoons," she said. "A total of 150 kinds of our storybooks sell very well among Chinese kids. We will have even more this year."

According to Lim-Chen, CNE's popular Ben 10 and Powerpuff Girls franchises were a great success in China for the year 2009. A Powerpuff Girls magazine doubled its circulation and expanded distribution to Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai.

Ben 10 DVD box sets are currently being sold, and Lim-Chen said plans were in the works to sell box sets for Ben 10 as well. "China is a key licensing and merchandise market for us and we plan to expand CNE's footprint here," she added. "Kids today are engaging with CNE beyond television and we will shape our branded collections in even more interactive ways that resound strongly with Chinese audiences."

At one point, CNE collaborated with China Central Television (CCTV) in 2003 to broadcast the cartoon drama Powerpuff Girls, but didn't continue their broadcasting cooperation agreement after new regulations were passed that strictly limited broadcasts of foreign animations. CNE unveiled cartoon franchise plans for the Chinese market last year.