Classic play The Taming of the Shrew will be featured in this year's New Live in China program. [Photo provided to China Daily]

A total of 12 productions by National Theater Live were screened in China that year itself.

In 2016, more productions joined the project, including those of the Royal Shakespeare Company and Shakespeare's Globe.

In 2018, New Live in China broadened its repertoire to include theatrical productions from the US, Russia and France.

Speaking about the project, Guo Shanshan, senior arts manager for the British Council in Beijing, says: "It promoted a cultural exchange between the two countries, so we supported it from the beginning, "adding that this year marks the 40th year of British Council's presence in China.

So far, New Live in China has brought 4,200 screenings to cinemas across the country, and they have attracted more than 400,000 viewers from 29 cities in 83 venues.

According to Li, besides the new productions, classic plays including Hamlet featuring Benedict Cumberbatch; King Lear featuring Ian McKellen and Richard II featuring David Tennent, and a revival production of six-time Tony Award-winning play, Red, will be shown again due to popular demand.

Separately, 19 productions from Shakespeare's Globe will be available online via mainstream streaming services this year, including Tencent and its subsidiary iQiyi.