World's highest-grossing animated film "Ne Zha 2" debuts in Thailand

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 experience in eradicating poverty offers valuable lessons for the rest of the world, said Kishore Mahbubani, former permanent representative of Singapore to the United Nations, in an interview aired Friday.

Mahbubani highlighted the historic significance of China lifting hundreds of millions of people out of poverty, describing it as a powerful example of effective governance, in an exclusive interview with China Central Television (CCTV) in Shanghai.

"So, for a country like China to lift 800 million people out of poverty, the sense of personal liberation that people get when they escape poverty is so powerful. I experienced it, I came out of poverty. I can understand how these 800 million people feel. And so the sense of personal liberation is enormous. It takes an incredible amount of good governance to eradicate poverty. And so clearly, China has done some things exceptionally right to be able to rescue so many people from poverty," he said.

He also noted that China's success has reflected governance capacity that merits serious study.

"And if we can move into a world 10 to 20 years from now, where every country in the world replicates what China has done and eradicates poverty, then we would have improved the human condition dramatically. And that's why China's governance needs to be studied carefully by all the countries in the world," said Mahbubani.

China's poverty alleviation experience worth global study: former Singaporean diplomat