Chinese animated film "Ne Zha 2" became the first Asian film to enter the Top 50 of the global box office chart, according to data from an online platform.
According to Chinese ticketing platform Beacon, "Ne Zha 2," a sequel to the 2019 hit featuring a mythical boy with magical powers and exceptional martial arts skills, grossed over 7.503 billion yuan (over 1.03 billion U.S. dollars) as of 23:30 Beijing Time on Saturday.
This figure surpassed the box office earnings of " Despicable Me 3," an American comedy 3D animation released in 2017. “Ne Zha 2” has since become the first non-Hollywood film to enter the Top 10 of the global animation box office list.
"Ne Zha 2" premiered in Chinese cinemas on Jan 29, alongside other films such as "Detective Chinatown 1900" and "Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force." Together, these films helped the Chinese New Year holiday box office revenue reach a historic milestone of 10 billion yuan (about 1.4 billion U.S. dollars).
China's blockbuster 'Ne Zha 2' enters Top 50 of global box office chart
China's blockbuster 'Ne Zha 2' enters Top 50 of global box office chart
China's blockbuster 'Ne Zha 2' enters Top 50 of global box office chart
China's blockbuster 'Ne Zha 2' enters Top 50 of global box office chart
China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) reviewed a record number of new drug registration applications in 2024, marking a year-on-year increase of 16.2 percent, with antineoplastic drugs accounting for the largest share, according to the administration.
In 2024, the NMPA evaluated a total of 18,259 drug registration applications, a figure that reflects the vitality of China's innovation in drug research and development.
"The record number of reviewed drug applications is a clear sign of China's rapidly growing biopharmaceutical industry. The approval of high-quality new drugs not only gives Chinese patients more and better treatment options, but also shows China's increasing role in the global pharmaceutical market, offering more Chinese solutions to patients around the world," said Yuan Lijia, a staff member at the Center for Drug Evaluation under the NMPA.
Notably, in 2024, applications for clinical trial and market approval of new anti-tumor drugs ranked first among all chemical drugs and biologics, accounting for even half of the total.
"In 2024, anti-tumor drugs made up the largest share of approved clinical trial applications, with over 41 percent being chemical drugs and more than 55 percent being biologics. Throughout the year, anti-tumor drugs also led in the number of innovative drugs approved, with both chemical drugs and biologics surpassing 36 percent," said Geng Ying, an official with the center.
In 2024, China approved the market entry of 48 innovative drugs and 65 innovative medical devices. Its number of drugs in development ranked second globally, and several domestically developed drugs gained approval for global markets.
China's new drug registration applications hit record high in 2024
