Censored Bond film Skyfall opens in China

Skyfall is already the biggest grossing film internationally of all time

The latest James Bond film, Skyfall, has finally opened in China after a two-month delay, with some key scenes removed by Chinese censors.

A scene in which Bond kills a security guard in Shanghai has been cut, as have references to prostitution in Macau.

Subtitles have also been changed to hide references to torture by the Chinese security forces.

China routinely censors foreign films to remove content deemed to be morally or politically damaging.

The authorities also limit the number of imported films that can be screened in cinemas, partly to protect the domestic entertainment industry.

Skyfall was released internationally in 2012 and has become one of the biggest grossing films of all time, taking more than $1bn (£630m) at the box office.

The Chinese release was probably delayed to give domestic films a better chance of box office success, says the BBC's John Sudworth in Shanghai.

Much of the film is set in China, in part to appeal to Chinese cinema-goers.

But capturing the lucrative Chinese market comes at a price, says our correspondent, with movie companies who champion free speech at home having to make compromises to pass the Chinese censors.

The changes made to Skyfall are however minor compared to some other films, he adds. In addition, a pirated version of the film has been available in China for weeks so many people will have seen the full version anyway.