Panda Plan, an action-comedy starring renowned kung fu actor Jackie Chan, held a promotional roadshow in Beijing on Saturday, where Chan shared his personal connection to pandas, and the director discussed the creative process behind the film.
Released on Sept. 30, the film tells the story of an adorable panda cub named Hu Hu, adopted by world-renowned kung fu star Jackie, who soon becomes the target of a global crime syndicate. Jackie teams up with his agent and a dedicated panda keeper to embark on a high-stakes mission to rescue the cub.
Reflecting on his personal experience with pandas, Chan recalled how in 2009 he signed an adoption agreement with the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, a world-renowned institution for the conservation of giant pandas, donating one million yuan (about 142,485 U.S. dollars) to adopt two pandas. During the event, he shared anecdotes about traveling the world with panda dolls modeled after the real pandas.
"I adopted two pandas myself, and I even made panda dolls to take with me on my travels, from the Oscars to the Buckingham Palace. Everywhere I went, people would first recognize me and say 'ah, Jackie', then see the pandas and say, 'Oh, so cute!' and take photos. Pandas represent China, but they also stand for friendship and peace, which is especially important in today's world. I hope this film can inspire global audiences and promote peace," Chan said.
Since its release, "Panda Plan" has seen remarkable success, rising from the fifth to the third place at the daily box office.
"The film is already scheduled for release in 64 countries. We've just started with the United States, Canada, Brunei and Malaysia, and we'll continue unlocking release dates in other regions," said Zhang Luan, director of the movie.
The success of the movie was the result of the dedicated efforts of the entire cast and crew. Zhang highlighted how many of the action scenes were directly influenced by Jackie Chan during filming.
"Jackie was always suggesting new ideas. We'd try out different approaches until we found something exciting and fun. His extensive experience on set really helped us bring out the most entertaining elements from the script, refining them as we went along," Zhang said.
Starring in panda-themed action comedy, Jackie Chan shares personal connection to pandas
A military expert said that the latest live-fire exercises around Taiwan Island, code-named "Justice Mission 2025," are marked by immediate engagement in live-fire drills, a multidimensional blockade strategy, and unified control over Taiwan and surrounding waters.
In an interview with China Central Television (CCTV), Meng Xiangqing, a professor at the National Defense University of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), outlined four significant highlights of the ongoing drills, which began on Monday.
"The most striking highlight is the immediate engagement in live-fire drills from the outset. In previous exercises, while we conducted live-fire drills, there were times when such drills were absent, which was normal depending on varying exercise requirements. In this exercise, our military, including Army, Navy, Air Force and Rocket Force troops, rapidly deployed capabilities around Taiwan's northern, southeastern, and eastern areas, followed by live-fire exercises. Our artillery featured simulated strikes on moving targets at sea and on land. This is a significant highlight, showcasing our troops' readiness for battle at all times, their capability for combat at all times, and their assurance of victory, and their capability to seamlessly transition from training to combat," he said.
"The second highlight, which is also a central theme of this exercise, is the multidimensional blockade and control strategy. All branches of our military, including the Coast Guard, implemented multidimensional blockade and control measures at crucial ports and regions of Taiwan. According to the latest updates from the Eastern Theater Command this morning, these measures continue be to a vital part of today's exercises. For instance, the designation of two areas in northern Taiwan aims to execute control around the important Keelung Port, while in the southeast, the blockade targets Kaohsiung and the Zuoying maritime and airspace routes, effectively cutting off key ports, areas and military bases critical to Taiwan separatist forces, thereby establishing a 'closing the door to beat the dog' strategy," Meng said.
"The third highlight is that, from yesterday to today, the Fujian Coast Guard has engaged in law enforcement operation near Taiwan Island and surrounding waters, including attached islets, establishing unified control over these areas. This represents a new breakthrough. I particularly noticed that the areas under control have expanded, according to several pieces of information released by the Coast Guard yesterday, including a poster depicting the extent of our multidimensional control yesterday. Under one-China principle, this reaffirms China's sovereignty and security while underscoring the inviolability of our territory," he said.
"The fourth highlight is the demonstration of coordinated operations among the various units participating in the exercises. This included maritime assaults, ground strikes, air defense and anti-submarine operations, validating the strong combat capabilities of our military," the expert added.
Military expert shares key highlights of PLA live-fire drills
