Po the panda from Kung Fu Panda. [Photo/Agencies]

From a cameo by Chinese space station Tiangong-1 in sci-fi blockbuster Gravity to a comedic gang boss in Johnny Depp's latest comedy Mortdecai, Chinese elements are becoming more common in foreign movies.

For many foreign filmmakers, Chinese elements are frequently used to help movies appeal to Chinese audiences and bring in box office earnings in one of the world's biggest movie markets. In 2014, Chinese movie lovers spent more than 30 billion yuan ($48,42 million) at the cinema.

But apart from huge box office takings - what else can China contribute to the global movie industry? Filmmakers and critics to the 5th Beijing International Film Festival have many ideas.

Rob Minkoff, director of Oscar-winning animation The Lion King, said Chinese culture was fascinating to foreign audiences. He offered the movie Kung Fu Panda as an example in which the Chinese culture, especially martial arts, attracted audiences from across the globe.

Jeffrey Katzenberg, CEO and a co-founder of DreamWorks Animation SKG, said Kung Fu Panda was created many years ago "out of our love for Chinese culture rather than consideration of business".

"China can offer something more than martial arts," said Stafan Laudyn, director of the Warsaw International Film Festival.

With a long history, China has tons of stories about its thinkers, philosophers, poets and painters, which provide a treasure trove for filmmakers, he said.