The economic performance of China's small and medium enterprises (SMEs) was on a generally steady, sound and upward trajectory in 2024, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said Tuesday.
In 2024, the economic performance of SMEs maintained overall stability with steady progress, with the added value of small and medium-sized industrial enterprises above the designated size increasing by 6.9 percent year on year, 2.8 percentage points higher than that of large enterprises, said Vice Minister of Industry and Information Technology Zhang Yunming at a press conference in Beijing.
Industrial enterprises above designated size are those with annual revenue from principal business reaching or over 20 million yuan.
In terms of fostering innovation-driven enterprises, China has promoted the development of SMEs that apply special, sophisticated technologies to produce unique and novel products, and fostered a total of 14,600 "little giant" enterprises, with the number of national science and technology enterprises exceeding 600,000, Zhang said.
In the next step, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will intensify efforts to promote the high-quality development of SMEs, he added.
"In 2025, [China will] further support over 30 pilot cities and recognize additional 100 distinctive industrial clusters of SMEs. Mechanisms will be rolled out to promote the development of SMEs that use specialized and sophisticated technologies to produce novel and unique products. [We will] conduct studies on setting up the second phase of national development fund for SMEs, actively foster public service platforms (bases) for SMEs to provide them with more high-quality and efficient services, thereby promoting the development of these SMEs in this regard," he said.
Economic performance of China's SMEs steadily picks up in 2024
The Chinese animated blockbuster Ne Zha 2 began preview screenings in London on Friday ahead of its official release in the country and Ireland on March 21, attracting excited crowds to watch the film in advance.
The film made its debut in the UK at London's BFI IMAX, home to the country's largest IMAX screen and is scheduled to screen in over 250 cinemas of 100 cities across the UK and Ireland during the first week of release.
The film's Europe-wide distributor, Trinity CineAsia, announced that it has acquired theatrical distribution rights for Ne Zha 2 across 37 countries in Europe, including the UK, Ireland, and Germany. This scale of film release is exceptionally rare in the history of overseas distribution for Chinese-language films, reflecting the strong confidence of local cinemas in the movie's market potential.
"The fact that it is here and, you know, that we are getting a lot more influx of films from all across Asia from China, South Korea, Japan, South Asia as well. I think it's really good to kind of like widen the palate, because we all want to escape our little cinematic bubble and see what the rest of the world has to offer," said Jack Martin, a film reviewer, in an interview with the China Central Television (CCTV).
"Ne Zha 2" has shattered global box office records to become the No. 1 box office animated film of all times and also the first non-Hollywood production to crack the global all-time top 10 box office chart.
Rooted in 16th-century Chinese mythology with a bold reinterpretation, the movie has attracted attention of global audiences with its stunning visuals, well-crafted storytelling, and deep cultural heritage.
"And I think all these elements show that Ne Zha 2 is both a film that's modern, but also has its roots in something very deep and very ancient," said Cedric Behrel, managing director of Trinity CineAsia, in an interview with the CCTV.
Many audiences attending the preview screening in London have shared their thoughts about the movie in interviews with the CCTV.
"It was moving like heartwarming. Yes, I'll go home now and talk to it to all my friends," said a moviegoer.
"I thought that the humor of the film was really great, but it balances so perfectly with some of the more dramatic and heartfelt moments of it. And yeah, I really, really enjoyed it. And the language barrier was not a problem at all," said another moviegoer.
"We might not speak the same language, but at its heart is a very universal theme of friendship and just trying to do right in the world. And I think that a lot of people really resonate with that. I can see why it's done so well in China already," said Jack Martin.
James Smith, an social media influencer, shared his views about the movie in Chinese language during the interview. He thought the movie can serve as a bridge for foreigners to understand Chinese culture.
"I watched Ne Zha, the 2019 box office hit, in China. When I heard that its sequel was set to debut in the UK today, I rushed to the cinema to see it. It's definitely a great movie, filled with humor, touching moments, and encouragement. My friends often ask me how they can better understand China, because they think I know something about the country. I would say that you can watch the Ne Zha 2, as I believe it's a great film and through which you can learn something about Chinese culture," he said.
Ne Zha 2 begins preview screenings in London, captivating local audiences
