[originaltext] China is expected to replace the United States as the World’s

China is expected to replace the United States as the World’s largest photographic market within 25 years, according to projections made by industrial leader Eastman Kodak.
    China’s photographic market has been growing at an annual rate of about 10 percent during the past few years, eight percentage points higher than the United States.
In major Chinese cities, each person uses only 0.9 rolls of film annually, according to managers in Kodak’s photographic products department. In rural areas, the figure is a negligible 0.01 rolls.
    These figures suggest a huge opportunity for film producers to tap into a market where personal incomes are increasing and whetting people’s desires for more photographs. Vast market potential has encouraged leading players to intensify their development strategies in China.
    Officials from Lucky, the country’s only domestic film producer, said the company will speed up the development of processing chain stores this year and will invest heavily in promotions. Meanwhile, Kodak is expected to stage Kodak Carnival Exhibitions in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and Chengdu. It is the largest show ever staged in China by Kodak.
    The company also launched a new program which will enable small investors to open a Kodak Express processing store and wanted to develop China into its No. 1 market within 10 years. Since 1994, more than 4,500 processing stores have been opened in more than 500 cities across the country.