ZHOUSHAN Archipelago, in the East China Sea to the southeast of Shanghai, has been named as the official destination of the 10th Shanghai International Film Festival, the event's organizing committee said today.

A series of activities has been planned on the islands, located off neighboring Zhejiang Province, to celebrate the festival which will run from June 16 through 24.

First up in early June will be a seafood festival. The first domestic seafood cooking competition will be held in Beijing, Shanghai and Zhoushan at the same time on June 7.

Shenjiamen, a port on the archipelago, is famous for its bountiful and unusual seafood, its seafront promenade and open-air seafood restaurants with swimming pools.

Sand sculptures are another attraction of the coastal city.

One of the four beaches along the southeast coast at Zhujiajian, southeast of the archipelago is the venue for the annual Zhoushan International Sand Sculpture Festival.

The theme of this year's festival, to be held from September 15 to October 7, is to welcome the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The Zhoushan government is keen to make the island city a globally famous film and television production base by holding more photographic shows. The city already has one such base on Taohua Island.

Although it is not among the largest islands in the archipelago, Taohua Island is the highest. Anqi Peak, named after a Qin Dynasty hermit, is 539.7 meters high.

A theme park used to shoot some TV series based on martial art novelist Jin Yong's masterpieces is also a must for visitors.

The name of the island coincides with a fictitious island that was depicted in Jin's work.

A locally-produced film based on happenings in the city during World War II has signed up for the participation of a movie show of the film festival.

Zhoushan will hold a festival to celebrate Guan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy, in November.