Russian Knights aerobatic team trains for Zhuhai Airshow

The Russian Knights aerobatic demonstration team completed its first adaptive training on Saturday for the upcoming 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai City of south China's Guangdong Province.

Also known as Airshow China or Zhuhai Airshow, the biennial aerospace trade show is scheduled for November 12 to 17.

It will be the first appearance of the Russian team at the airshow in eight years, and their first performance in China after changing into Su-35S heavy fighter jets.

Su-35S is a Flanker variant fitted with thrust-vectoring engines, which provide strong power for the pilots to conduct aerobatic maneuvers.

"Very good. We practiced the entire routine. Everything went well as planned and as how we discussed it would be like before the training," said Igor Tkachenko, a pilot of the aerobatic team.

"I feel good and I'm in a good mood. We were fully prepared today, and the weather was good, so our training went smoothly. We practiced Nesterov's loops, glides, oblique loops, and barrel turns in a six-plane formation. We also performed barrel rolls for the first time here," said Sergey Nakazny, another team member. As China's largest arms show and is recognized as one of the world's most important defense exhibitions, this year's Zhuhai Airshow has drawn 1,022 companies from 47 countries and regions, including Russia, France, the United States, Saudi Arabia and Italy.

Established in 1991, the Russian Knights aerobatic demonstration team has attended six editions of the Airshow China. It is the only aerobatic team in the world that performs with heavy fighter jets.

Russian Knights aerobatic team trains for Zhuhai Airshow

Russian Knights aerobatic team trains for Zhuhai Airshow

Russian Knights aerobatic team trains for Zhuhai Airshow

Russian Knights aerobatic team trains for Zhuhai Airshow

China's movie industry is increasingly deriving its earnings from broader consumer economy.

Released during the 2025 summer season, the film "Nobody" became China's highest-grossing two-dimensional animated film -- and its success went beyond theaters.

Through licensing and brand partnerships, the movie has generated 2.5 billion yuan (about 358.3 million U.S. dollars) in retail sales to consumers, with more than 800 licensed products on the market.

Ranging from plush toys to food and home goods, the movie-related merchandise can be purchased from over 3,000 online and offline outlets.

Meanwhile, souvenir stores are crowded at Shanghai Disneyland's Zootopia themed land, with hats, plush toys, and collectibles seeing steady demand from visitors.

"China's film industry is no longer defined by box office revenue alone. It has become a new growth engine that links and energizes multiple cultural sectors. At the heart of every successful film is strong storytelling. High-quality productions create cultural value, which in turn enhances the commercial value of intellectual property and opens up new consumption opportunities. I believe China's film industry delivered an outstanding performance in the past year," said Chen Xiaoda, vice dean of Shanghai Vancouver Film School.

Film IP fuels expansion of consumer market