BEIJING, Dec. 12 (Xinhuanet)-- "HARRY Potter and the Goblet of Fire" is poised to be China's biggest box office hit this year, reaping more than 80 million yuan (US$9.8 million) since its release nearly a month ago.

It attests to American movies' huge influence in the world's most populous country.     

    The movie, together with the other three installments of the hugely successful series of films, features the adventures of a little wizard boy. It has created millions of "Harry fans."     

    China's other two Hollywood hits this year, "Star Wars Episode III" and "Mr & Mrs Smith," have earned 75.4 million yuan and 62 million yuan, respectively, since their releases in June.     

    Along with its economic rise in recent years, China has been opening wider to foreign ideas ¡ª from management expertise to fast food to Western movies, especially Hollywood blockbusters.     

    During 2000 to 2004, China imported 4,332 films, 40 to 50 percent of them made in America. Of the top 88 foreign movies China enjoyed, 70 came from the US.     

    According to Mao Yu, an official with the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, China introduced 16 American movies among the total 20 foreign films distributed in 2005.     

    But just 10 or 20 years ago, few Chinese had watched or even heard of American movies in that ideological era.     

    Wang, 40, said most of the few foreign movies he watched during his childhood were from the "socialist camp," such as films from Vietnam and the People's Republic of Korea. Indian movies left a deep impression on him by featuring love stories with singing and dancing.     

    Most Chinese movies screened were news clips. When the first American movie, "The Fugitive," landed in 1994, Chinese distributors were afraid that the movie might cause controversy.     

    The poster read "Time of reform and hot debate: risky screening in the movie market." It's a story of a man fighting a false accusation that he had killed his wife.     

    Ten years later, more and more Chinese are accustomed to the Western scenes and thinking depicted in movies and are attracted to Hollywood movies for their high-tech production techniques. They no longer regard them as a threat.

    "American blockbusters, while taking hold of the Chinese movie market, help the Chinese movie industry progress in creativity and production," said Yin Hong, professor at Tsinghua University, who believed that the Star Wars series has stimulated Chinese enthusiasm about space exploration.     

    After China's entry into the World Trade Organization, China no longer maintains a movie import quota and allows distribution of imported American movies by sharing box office earnings. Enditem