The first IP authorization conference kicks off in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on Dec 20. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]

Hangzhou, host city of the annual China International Cartoon & Animation Festival (CICAF) in East China's Zhejiang province, is eyeing to be a center for the national cartoon and animation industry, with an IP (intellectual property) authorization conference held in the city on Dec 20.

Organized by the organizing committee of CICAF and Taobao (China) Software Co Ltd, the event brought together a raft of world renowned animation IPs including Hatsune Miku, Ultraman, Evangelion along with cartoon and animation organizations to exchange ideas on the merchandising and IP rights of cartoon characters.

"The animation IP is not only animation works, but also a cultural product and an effective tool to promote the city image," said Zhuo Chao, deputy director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Hangzhou Municipal Committee.  

An online platform jointly built by CICAF and Taobao (China) Software to promote the exhibition of the festival and the industrialization, informatization and data integration in Chinese animation, was officially unveiled.

In addition, the organizing committee of CICAF also signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the industrial investment company Yintai Group, through which to host a series of cartoon exhibitions and animation carnival parades through Yintai store in Hangzhou.

As a rising hub for the Chinese cartoon and animation industry, Hangzhou has successfully held CICAF for 14 years.

CICAF is the only State-level professional cartoon and animation festival in China, and is currently the largest, most popular and most influential professional cartoon and animation festival. The annual event has been held in Hangzhou every spring since 2005.