The Chinese animated blockbuster "Ne Zha 2”, which recently became the world’s highest-grossing animated film of all time, made its debut in Thailand on Thursday.
The film, known for its breathtaking animation and spectacular action sequences, is the first non-Hollywood film to exceed two billion U.S. dollars in global earnings, according to data from ticketing platform Maoyan.
Now, Thai moviegoers are experiencing the story of the titular boy god from Chinese mythology, and his ally, Ao Bing, with plenty of fans showing up at a special preview screening on Wednesday.
"Ne Zha is like a hero — someone I've admired since I was a kid. I've watched so many versions of the story over the years, and there's no way I'd miss this one!" said Pheerawat Rittem, a moviegoer in Bangkok.
After watching the film, viewers said they were amazed by its high-tech visuals and relatable character.
"It was so much fun! The action was intense, and everything was just epic. It had all the elements of a classic Chinese film, like the ones I watched as a kid, but brought to life in stunning animation," said Balin Lamor, another Bangkok moviegoer.
"The love and respect for ancestors was portrayed so well in the movie. Some scenes were so emotional that they even made me cry because I connected with the characters. What I loved the most was that the movie was quite long, making it feel absolutely worth every baht I spent!" said Fah Watcharaattayaphon, another moviegoer.
"Ne Zha 2" was released on January 29 during the 2025 Chinese New Year festival holiday. It is a sequel to the 2019 animated box office hit "Ne Zha". Inspired by a Chinese mythological tale, the film features themes of defiance, fate, and self-confidence, which resonate universally.
World's highest-grossing animated film "Ne Zha 2" debuts in Thailand
China's first 500-kV cross-border alternating-current power interconnection project entered service Monday, creating the highest voltage grid tie between the two countries and advancing Belt and Road energy cooperation.
The project raises two-way power transfer capacity between the two countries from 50,000 kW to 1.5 million kW, enabling the annual transmission of about 3 billion kWh of clean electricity, roughly 30 times the capacity of previous lines, according to China Southern Power Grid.
As the largest cross-border grid project and the highest-voltage power link between China and Laos, it connects southwest China's Yunnan Province with Oudomxay and Luang Namtha provinces in northern Laos.
Cross-border electricity trading began as the project entered operation. About 4.81 million kWh of power from clean energy bases in northern Laos was transmitted to Yunnan through the new line, marking a more regular and institutionalized phase of power connectivity between the two countries.
It is also the first time an overseas new energy project has participated in China's electricity market, the company said. The power involved in the transaction came from a large mountain photovoltaic project in Laos, one of the core supporting power sources for the interconnection line.
"This project is the cross-border power grid project with the highest voltage level between China and Laos. Leveraging the China-Laos power grid interconnection and the power markets in southern China, surplus hydropower from Laos can be transmitted to China during the rainy season, while China can supply supplemental power to northern Laos during the dry season. This project represents yet another landmark achievement between China and Laos in deepening power cooperation and jointly advancing the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative," said Li Jingru, general manager of Electricite du Laos Transmission Company Limited (EDL-T), a joint venture of China Southern Power Grid and Lao state-run Electricite du Laos.
The solar project has an average annual power generation capacity of about 1.65 billion kWh. In 2026, it is expected to transmit about 1.1 billion kWh of solar power across the border, supporting energy complementarity between the two countries.
"In the future, efforts will be made to further promote normalized cross-border electricity trading, meet the trading needs such as electricity transmission from Laos to China's Yunnan, from China's Yunnan to Laos, and from Laos to China's Guangdong, and facilitate the optimal allocation of energy resources in the Lancang-Mekong region," said Li Minhong, marketing director of China Southern Power Grid.
Construction of the interconnection project began in late February last year. Spanning a total length of 177.5 km, the transmission line includes a 145-km Chinese section and a 32.5-km Lao section.
New China-Laos power link expands transfer capacity 30-fold, boosts electricity trading
