Actors, directors share optimism about future of Chinese film industry

Chinese film professionals expressed their optimism about the future of the country's film industry at the 20th China Film Huabiao Awards ceremony held in the coastal city of Qingdao on Sunday.

The Huabiao Film Awards are the highest government-sponsored awards for the Chinese movie sector. The biennial event celebrates the achievements of China’s rapidly evolving film industry, recognizing the collaborative spirit and innovative efforts of its filmmakers.

At the event's press zone, actor Duan Yihong expressed his pride in the growing international recognition of Chinese cinema as smash hits like the record-breaking animated sequel "Ne Zha 2" show the world what the country's filmmakers are capable of.

"Whenever I see Chinese cinematic works receiving international acclaim and Chinese performances gaining global recognition, I feel extremely proud. This serves as a benchmark, a role model, and a source of motivation for us professionals. To produce excellent Chinese films and convey them to the international stage, to the world," he said.

Director Guo Fan -- best known for "The Wandering Earth" sci-fi series -- highlighted the progress made in the modernization of Chinese filmmaking.

"I think we've actually completed a significant part of the infrastructure construction in terms of industrialization. For example, what we see on set today -- scenes, props, and so on -- we're now able to realize almost anything we can imagine thanks to our country’s strong manufacturing capabilities. For instance, we can now use 3D printing and CNC machining to rapidly produce components piece by piece, allowing us to assemble parts efficiently and complete large batches of props or sets quickly. I this respect, I believe we've already made a significant breakthrough. The next step is to further improve in terms of management and personnel coordination. By focusing on these areas, we can deepen our efforts and strive to elevate our level of industrialization even further," said Guo.

Meanwhile, actor Wu Jun spoke about the importance of ensuring strong storytelling in Chinese films that can resonate with global audiences.

"We should tell stories that showcase the Chinese people's love for life and peace, and stories that promote truth, goodness, and beauty while condemning falsehood, evil, and ugliness. I believe such stories will ultimately gain recognition from people all around the world," he said.

Actors, directors share optimism about future of Chinese film industry

The African Union (AU) and its partners have warned that the ongoing Middle East conflict poses a "serious risk" to African economies.

In a recent joint policy brief, the AU, the United Nations (UN) Economic Commission for Africa, the African Development Bank, and the UN Development Program warned that the longer the conflict lasts and the more severe the disruption of shipping routes, energy, and fertilizer supplies, the greater the risk of a significant growth slowdown across Africa.

With most African countries still growing at rates below pre-COVID levels, the brief projected a 0.2 percentage-point decline in Africa's gross domestic product growth in 2026 if the conflict lasts more than six months.

The organizations stressed that the conflict, which has already triggered a trade shock, could quickly become a "cost-of-living crisis" due to higher fuel and food prices. Rising shipping costs, insurance premiums, exchange rate pressures, and tighter fiscal conditions could further compound the crisis, with vulnerable households bearing the heaviest burden.

The Middle East accounts for 15.8 percent of Africa's imports and 10.9 percent of its exports, underscoring the critical implications of the current situation for African economies, according to the brief.

Highlighting that the fertilizer channel may prove more consequential than oil shocks for some countries, the brief noted that disruptions to Gulf liquid natural gas supply would affect ammonia and urea production, raising fertilizer costs during the crucial March-to-May planting season.

It warned that the phenomenon will put further upward pressure on food prices and hit vulnerable households hardest, with significant negative impacts on food security in Africa.

Expressing concern over potential geopolitical spillover effects that could reshape Africa's security, it also warned that a wider conflict could intensify competition for influence in Africa, with regional conflicts in Sudan, Somalia, and Libya already reflecting external sponsorship.

The brief emphasized the importance of strengthening energy security, safeguarding and restoring fiscal space, accelerating the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, and establishing financial safety nets across Africa as essential strategies for building resilience.

African leading organizations warn Middle East conflict poses "serious risk" to African economies