Shenzhen firm to sidestep Mickey

China's top theme park developer plans to avoid direct competition with The Walt Disney Company by developing new theme parks outside major cities, and a renewed focus on the nation's culture.

The company, Shenzhen OCT Holding Company (OCT), plans to develop the chain of theme parks nationwide.

"We aim to have theme parks show up in most provincial cities around China," said Liu Pingchun, board chairman of OCT, a Shenzhen Stock Exchange-listed firm.