A major comics and games expo opened in Shanghai on Thursday, providing a platform for exhibitors to showcase their latest animation and game-related products.

Co-sponsored by China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Shanghai municipal government, the 15th China International Comics and Games Expo has attracted over 350 exhibitors from home and abroad, including big names such as Disney and Chinese online entertainment provider Bilibili.

This year's expo will feature an event showcasing home-made animation products, a science fiction forum, as well as a carnival for e-sports.

China's animation industry has grown steadily in recent years, with its gross output value in 2017 reaching more than 160 billion yuan (about 23.5 billion U.S. dollars).

Boosted by technologies such as big data, artificial intelligence and 5G, China's animation industry is expected to gain new momentum in the coming years, said an official with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

The expo, held at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center, will run through Monday.