SHANGHAI, June 18 -- SHANGHAI is expected to become the home of domestic-made flat screens after the Ministry of Information approved a state-level industry park to be built in the Xinzhuang area.

Xinzhuang Industrial Park will be the industry's base, which is planned to introduce US$2.5 billion in foreign investment and reach US$10 billion in sales, Sina.com reported today.

With a total investment of US$6 billion, the park will have material and parts providers, two TFT-LCD production lines and flat screen buyers such as LCD TV manufacturers and laptop computer producers.

Shanghai started producing flat screens in November 2005 and was among the earliest on the Chinese mainland to do so.

SVA Group, the park's major producer, has established a joint venture with NEC and built the first fifth-generation production line on the mainland.

In October 2005, NEC (Shanghai) SVA Co Ltd launched mass production and its 15-inch displays now account for one fourth of the global market, the report said.

By the end of last year, China's annual capacity of flat-panels reached 150,000 units. Output will surpass 200,000 pieces this year.

SVA is considering introducing a sixth-generation production line this year and may invest in more advanced technology in 2009, which might raise monthly output to 60,000 units next year and 200,000 by 2010.