Beijing, Sep 30 (IANS): China's animation industry generated more than 100 billion yuan (around $16 billion) in revenue in 2014, an official said.

The number is a 15-percent increase over the previous year, when revenue topped 87 billion yuan, Liu Hongge, deputy director with the centre for international cultural exchange under the Ministry of Culture, said during the opening ceremony of the 12th China (Changzhou) International Animation Art Week, Xinhua reported on Wednesday.

"China is keen to boost the animation sector with efforts to produce more high-quality projects," Liu said, adding that China's animation industry will grow rapidly in revenue in the coming years despite challenges.

Recent months have seen several domestic animation hits, including live-action animation "Monster Hunt", whose box office sales exceeded 2.4 billion yuan in mid-September since its debut on July 16.

Liu said the government will continue to support innovative animation projects and animators.

This year, animation companies from nearly 40 countries and regions attended the China (Changzhou) International Animation Art Week, which started on Tuesday.