A post of China's first sci-fi blockbuster "The Wandering Earth." (Xinhua)

BEIJING, March 1 (Xinhua) -- China will further promote its film industry by creating leading businesses and cultivating talents, the State Film Administration said Thursday.

Wang Xiaohui, head of the administration, said at a meeting that the moves were aimed at achieving quality development of the film industry, helping Chinese films go global and increasing China's cultural soft power and influences.

Judges of Jin Jue Award appear on the red carpet for the opening ceremony of the 21st Shanghai International Film Festival in Shanghai, east China, June 16, 2018. (Xinhua/Ding Ting)

He also urged filmmakers to attach more importance to the quality of their productions and called for better regulation of the industry.

A total of 1,082 films were produced in China in 2018, a 20-percent increase from the previous year.

China's film box office rose 9 percent in 2018 to about 61 billion yuan (9.1 billion U.S. dollars), of which domestic films accounted for 62.2 percent, data from the administration showed. Enditem