HK residents can qualify for mainland showbiz brokerage

Residents from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan can become qualified to be show business brokers on the mainland by taking exams, according to a new regulation issued by the Ministry of Culture.

The ministry confirmed on Thursday that people from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan can obtain entertainment business broker's certificates after passing related exams.

This is the first time that the ministry has clearly specified whether and how people from the regions mentioned can obtain such certification on the Chinese mainland.

Cooperation and personnel exchanges between the mainland and Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan in the entertainment sector have seen rapid growth in recent years.

Qualification exams will be held twice annually and the China Trade Association for Performances will be responsible for issuing certificates.

Set to take effect from March 2013, the regulation was created to maintain order in the entertainment sector.

The Chinese mainland had more than 2,600 entertainment business brokerage agencies and more than 23,000 entertainment brokerage professionals in 2011, ministry figures showed.