Images of lively characters in eye-catching scenes are still haunting Hanoian clerk Nguyen Van Quang, although the last episode of the Chinese film "Xiao Ao Jiang Hu" (Blood Cold and Proud Hot) was seen on Hanoi TV last week.

Like him, many Vietnamese people often glue their eye on TV screens at night, even in daytime, tirelessly watching Chinese films on different channels.

In recent years, Chinese films, with backgrounds ranging from old dynasties, including Song, Ming and Qing, to modern-day society, have dominated Vietnamese TV channels, both central and local, attracting numerous viewers of both sexes at different ages.

"Among foreign films screened on Vietnam's central channels last year, Chinese and US films accounted for the most, with 29 percent each. This percentage will remain unchanged this year," Nguyen Kim Trach, an official of the Vietnam Central Television Station (VTV), told Xinhua Saturday.

Screening Chinese films are to satisfy the public's taste as a survey shows that local people spend more time watching them than other programs because psychology of characters and issues raised in Chinese films are similar to those in Vietnam, said Trach, director of the VTV's Center for TV Program Exchange and Copyright Exploitation.

Of Chinese films, the proportion of modern works screened on the central channels has been increasing, thought historical films are still dominating local channels, such as those of Hanoi capital city, northern Ha Tay province and southern Can Tho province.

"I adore Chinese films, especially modern ones because they bring up useful philosophies of life and convincing lessons," Trach stated.

His statement is echoed by many viewers. As one of them remarked: "Many modern Chinese films go directly to hot issues in the market economy such as increasingly competitive business world and long-lasting struggles against social evils and corruption."

While many grown-ups are interested in Chinese real historical figures, most of teenagers love made-up people in humor films and Gongfu ones. Not long time ago, the main character in the film " Huan Zhu Ge Ge" (Princess Huan Zhu) was so impressive that many girls in Hanoi urged their parents to buy them hats and handkerchiefs like hers.

"Chinese films have two things that make me enjoy watching tirelessly. They are humor of action and words, and extraordinariness of characters. I admire positive characters in them because most of them are optimistic and wholeheartedly devoted to love, family and lofty ideals," said Bui Thu Trang, 16-year-old pupil in Hanoi. 

(Xinhua News Agency December 22, 2003)