New Zealand’s Pukeko Pictures and Chinese entertainment group Guangdong Huawen Century Animation have inked a co-pro deal for Kiddets, a sister series to Pukeko’s animated preschool series The WotWots.

Kiddets is being developed under the treaty guidelines established by New Zealand and China last year, which are designed to explore as many opportunities as possible and forge closer business ties between the two countries. The deal allows approved projects to gain official co-production status, giving prodcos access funding and incentives in line with national films in each country.

Pukeko’s chief creative officer Martin Baynton and c0-owner  Richard Taylor will be in charge of producing all of the creative elements of scripts and design in Wellington, New Zealand, while Guangdong Huawen Century Animation will handle the animation from Beijing, China.

Original series The WotsWots, a preschool program that follows the adventures of two siblings from outer space has been sold into more than 100 countries, including several in Asia. The goal is to grow franchises—The WotWots and Kiddets—particularly in the Chinese market, where in April Guangdong Huawen Century Animation Company’s licensing and distribution arm successfully introduced the BBC series Waybuloo.

Earlier this year, Pukeko teamed up with BeyondTheStory to produce a range of educational eBooks based on The WotWots.