We are not threatened by the prospect of another park in Shanghai or Beijing. The US has more than one Disney Park with no problem, and China has a bigger population Simon Clemmell Hong Kong Tourism Board

A separate theme park in Hong Kong is due to open within three or four years and Disney wants to make sure this is a success before moving onto the mainland.

"In all likelihood, a second theme park in mainland China will not open before 2010," said Disney's head of communications for Asia, Irene Chan.

The news is expected to bring relief to Hong Kong officials following concern that a competing venture in Shanghai would have threatened its own park's viability.

According to some predictions, visitors from mainland China would account for about one in three visits to the theme park.

Room for two

But Hong Kong officials denied that there would have been a problem.

"We have never believed that the construction of another Disney park on the mainland would have any impact on the one in Hong Kong," said Hong Kong Tourism Board spokesman Simon Clemmell.

"We are not threatened by the prospect of another park in Shanghai or Beijing. The US has more than one Disney Park with no problem, and China has a bigger population.

"Our catchment area is southern China and South East Asia, including Indonesia, Taiwan, Malaysia, possibly India and even Australia and New Zealand.

"All of these places don't have a Disney Park and would perhaps be interested in visiting the Hong Kong one."

Joint venture

The Hong Kong operation will be Disney's third theme park outside the US, after Paris and Tokyo.

The Hong Kong government has backed the project with a $2.8bn cash injection into infrastructure developments such as a rail link to the outlying Lantau island where the theme park is being built.

In return, the government will gain a 57% stake in the project.