Universal Studios Beijing to feature Monkey King

(ECNS) - Universal Studios Beijing will highlight Chinese cultural elements, including a theme park based on the Monkey King, a household name from the classic work "Journey to the West," the Beijing News reported on Friday.

The theme park is to be located in Tongzhou District of Beijing. Once completed it would be Universal Studios' largest theme park, expected to attract 10 million visitors worldwide per year, the report said.

Construction has accelerated at the facilities, which are being developed with the Beijing Tourism Group, and will cover an area of 2.02 million square meters, according to the report.

The theme park is expected to break ground later this year, and in the second and third stages the projects will feature Chinese elements.

Duan Qiang, general manager of the Beijing Tourism Group, said the park would become one of Beijing's larger-scale tourism complexes and is scheduled to open in 2020.

Universal Studios Beijing will adopt a one-entrance-ticket system, which will cost less than $100. However, tourists may still have to pay extra for some special entertainment rides, Duan added.

In addition, the project will include hotels, motels, exhibition halls, residential buildings and culturally significant entertainment.