The hugely popular Chinese animation movie "Ne Zha 2" has been captivating moviegoers in New Zealand, with many viewers saying it has even aroused their interest in making a trip to China.
The film has shattered numerous box office records since its release on the Chinese mainland during the recent Chinese New Year, and it has already surpassed Disney's 2024 picture "Inside Out 2" to become the highest-grossing animated movie of all time.
Since being released in New Zealand on Feb. 13, the movie has also been attracting film fans who have been impressed by its cutting-edge presentation and entertaining tale based on ancient Chinese mythology.
In the capital Wellington, residents all of ages have been enjoying the charm of Chinese movies.
"I watched the movie 'Ne Zha' and I felt very happy after it. Today I went to a face painting place and I chose to be a Chinese princess. I think China is beautiful. I want to go to China," said a young girl named Emily.
"I like some of the Chinese movies I saw. Some of them are comedies, the comedies I like too. And some are action [films]. It's a good movie. I like it. I'd like to go to China to visit, to visit [the country] and the Chinese people," said Sam, a resident.
"I've always been very interested in Chinese culture, so I'm looking forward to learning a bit more and seeing something new. I know it's very popular. So, it's exciting," said another resident named Zayn.
Others say they enjoyed experiencing the philosophical ideas and depiction of traditional Chinese culture in the movie, which charts the story of a rebellious boy-god from Chinese folklore.
"I really like when they go into the history of Chinese movies. And some of the Chinese movies again from quite a while ago, they go into Taoism that I like. The philosophy of Chinese culture is a little more pragmatic. They're a little bit more down to earth and a little bit more focused on doing a good job now," said a resident named Mike.
"The culture is transmitted through film and Chinese culture is ancient and wise and is an example for the rest of the world at this time," said another local called Paul.
"I think an understanding of Chinese culture is essential to a closer understanding between our two peoples. The more we understand and appreciate each other's cultures, the better we understand how to cooperate together," said Chris Lipscombe, the National President of the New Zealand China Friendship Society.
Film fans in New Zealand charmed by Chinese culture as hit animation makes waves
A new round of trade-in subsidy program is energizing China's consumer market these days, with provinces across the country seeing a surge in demand for cars, home appliances and digital devices.
In north China's Shanxi Province, the new trade-in subsidy program, which started on January 9, has further helped boost sales in home appliances and digital devices which are covered by the new round of subsidies.
To enjoy the subsidies, six types of home appliances, including refrigerators and washing machines, must meet national Level 1 energy-efficiency or water-efficiency standards. Digital and smart products include four types, such as mobile phones and tablets, with a sales price cap of 6,000 yuan (about 800 U.S. dollars) per item.
In both categories, subsidies are set at 15 percent of the final transaction price. For home appliances, the maximum subsidy is 1,500 yuan per item. For digital products, the cap is 500 yuan per item. Each consumer can receive a subsidy for one unit in each category.
Neighboring Shanxi, Hebei Province kicked off the year of 2026 with the new round of trade-in subsidy program starting on January 1.
The subsidies cover automobiles, home appliances, and digital products. Individual consumers who purchase designated Level 1 energy-efficiency appliances or eligible digital products priced at no more than 6,000 yuan can receive subsidies equal to 15 percent of the transaction price. The maximum subsidy is 1,500 yuan per appliance and 500 yuan per digital or smart device, with each person limited to one subsidized item in each category.
Data showed that from Jan 1 to 9, Hebei's home appliance trade-in program alone disbursed more than 130 million yuan in subsidies, driving sales of over 920 million yuan.
In east China's Jiangsu Province, the new trade-in subsidy program, taking effect for two weeks, has brought the province a boom in trade-in.
At a local 4S store in Jiangsu's Suqian City, showroom traffic has spiked as salespeople walked customers through the new benefits from the trade-in subsidy program.
"Under the scrappage-and-replacement scheme, customers who buy a new energy vehicle (NEV) can receive a subsidy worth 12 percent of the vehicle price, capped at 20,000 yuan (about 2,860 U.S. dollars). For combustion-engine cars, the subsidy is 10 percent, with an upper limit of 15,000 yuan. For trade-ins, NEVs are able to receive a subsidy worth 8 percent of the vehicle price, up to 15,000 yuan, while combustion-engine cars will receive a 6-percent subsidy, with a cap of 13,000 yuan," said Sun Yue, a saleswoman at the store.
In the home appliance sector, Jiangsu's policy this year stipulates that only products that meet China's Level 1 energy-efficiency standard are eligible for subsidies. The scheme covers six major categories, including refrigerators and washing machines.
Consumers who purchase qualifying appliances can receive a subsidy equal to 15 percent of the final retail price, up to a maximum of 1,500 yuan per item. Each person is limited to one subsidized unit per product category.
Four types of digital and smart products, such as mobile phones and tablets, are eligible for a 15-percent subsidy capped at 500 yuan per unit, with a retail price no more than 6,000 yuan.
"With the national subsidy policy back in place this year, I went to the store to check what discounts I could get. It knocked 500 yuan off the price. [The discounted price is] very reasonable," said Wang Kang, a resident of Jiangsu's Xuzhou Province.
To enhance the shopping experience for consumers, many retailers are pairing subsidies with "one-stop" services that combine the delivery of new products with on-site collection of old ones.
"After consumers place an order for new home appliances, our staff will schedule a time to pick up the old units. Recycling the old appliance can also further offset the purchase price of the new one," said Yang Jie, a sales supervisor at a major home appliance company.
China's new trade-in program sparks consumption boom
