Chinese team enhances efforts to tackle public health risks in Myanmar

A Chinese public health team has intensified its efforts of disease prevention and control in Myanmar, tackling public health risks after a 7.9-magnitude earthquake struck the country in March.

A temporary laboratory established by the China Public Health Team to Myanmar has been officially put into operation. It currently has a capacity for 80 testing projects, including 44 pathogen-related projects, 19 projects related to drinking water quality, and 17 projects related to food poisoning.

At the same time, the team has focused on conducting mosquito density monitoring and environmental disinfection in densely populated areas for disaster victims, as well as sampling and testing the drinking water and domestic water.

"Through testing, we can understand some of the hygiene conditions of the drinking water in the disaster area. At the same time, through our monitoring, we can implement interventions in various places to ensure the drinking water safety of the public and prevent the spread of water-borne infectious diseases," said Yang Zushun, head of the laboratory testing group.

The team's deployment is part of China's ongoing post-disaster relief mission. Its trip, which started on April 19, marks China's second health and epidemic prevention aid mission to Myanmar. The first team returned on April 6 after a nine-day deployment.

The 7.9-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on March 28. As of May 2, the earthquake has claimed 3,839 lives and injured 5,105 people, with 101 others remaining unaccounted for, according to Myanmar's official data.

Chinese team enhances efforts to tackle public health risks in Myanmar

China's movie industry is increasingly deriving its earnings from broader consumer economy.

Released during the 2025 summer season, the film "Nobody" became China's highest-grossing two-dimensional animated film -- and its success went beyond theaters.

Through licensing and brand partnerships, the movie has generated 2.5 billion yuan (about 358.3 million U.S. dollars) in retail sales to consumers, with more than 800 licensed products on the market.

Ranging from plush toys to food and home goods, the movie-related merchandise can be purchased from over 3,000 online and offline outlets.

Meanwhile, souvenir stores are crowded at Shanghai Disneyland's Zootopia themed land, with hats, plush toys, and collectibles seeing steady demand from visitors.

"China's film industry is no longer defined by box office revenue alone. It has become a new growth engine that links and energizes multiple cultural sectors. At the heart of every successful film is strong storytelling. High-quality productions create cultural value, which in turn enhances the commercial value of intellectual property and opens up new consumption opportunities. I believe China's film industry delivered an outstanding performance in the past year," said Chen Xiaoda, vice dean of Shanghai Vancouver Film School.

Film IP fuels expansion of consumer market