Xi wraps up state visit to Russia, attendance at Victory Day celebrations

Chinese President Xi Jinping has wrapped up a state visit to Russia, where he attended celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War.

Xi arrived in Moscow on Wednesday to pay a four-day state visit to Russia at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin.

His plane was escorted to the Russian capital by fighter jets from the Russian Air Force after entering the country's airspace.

Upon his arrival at the Moscow Vnukovo Airport, Xi was greeted by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova and other senior government officials.

The Russian side held a welcome ceremony at the airport, where a military band played the national anthems of both China and Russia, followed by Xi reviewing the guard of honor and observing a march-past.

Xi attended a welcome ceremony hosted by Putin at the Kremlin on Thursday morning, before the two heads of state held both large-group and small-group talks.

Xi and Putin held in-depth exchanges on China-Russia relations, as well as major international and regional issues. They agreed to unswervingly deepen strategic coordination, promote the stable, healthy, and high-level development of bilateral relations, uphold the correct historical perspective on World War II, safeguard the authority and status of the United Nations, and maintain international fairness and justice.

"China stands ready to work with Russia to shoulder the special responsibilities given by our times, and make greater contributions to promoting our two countries' development and rejuvenation and upholding international fairness and justice," Xi said.

After the talks, the two heads of state signed a joint statement on further deepening the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era.

President Xi and President Putin also jointly met with the press before having a tea chat at the Kremlin on Thursday afternoon.

Xi attended a grand parade at Red Square on Friday, marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War.

After the ceremony, he and other world leaders walked from Red Square to the Alexander Garden, where they laid flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and observed a moment of silent tribute.

During his stay in Russia, Xi also held bilateral meetings with other world leaders attending the Victory Day parade.

The Chinese leader was seen off at the airport by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko and other senior Russian officials.

A farewell ceremony for Xi was held at the airport, during which a military band played the national anthems of China and Russia, and the Chinese president inspected the honor guard.

After Xi's plane took off, Russian Air Force fighter jets ascended to escort the president's aircraft.

As Xi made his way to the airport, local residents, representatives of Chinese enterprises, and Chinese overseas students lined the streets, waving the national flags of China and Russia to warmly congratulate Xi on his successful visit to Russia.

Xi wraps up state visit to Russia, attendance at Victory Day celebrations

Xi wraps up state visit to Russia, attendance at Victory Day celebrations

Xi wraps up state visit to Russia, attendance at Victory Day celebrations

Xi wraps up state visit to Russia, attendance at Victory Day celebrations

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