Casino Royale to be released in China

NEW YORK: James Bond - the British fictional master spy with licence to kill - has slipped past the Chinese regulators for the first time since the character was created by Ian Fleming.

The latest James Bond movie "Casino Royale" has reportedly won over its toughest adversaries yet, China's film censor board. Sony Pictures, China informed that the movie will be released in China on January 30.

"We are extremely pleased that the film has passed and expect it to be one of the highest-grossing films next year in China," Li Chow, Sony Pictures' general manager in China, said.

The magazine said Chinese audiences are familiar with 007 through pirated copies, but none of the previous films in the franchise have had a big screen release.