The 2025 Dragon Boat Festival film season has got off to a strong start, with the total box office (including presales and limited screenings) of newly released movies in the Chinese mainland surpassing 100 million yuan (about 13.9 million U.S. dollars) on Saturday, the first day of the three-day public holiday.
According to industry tracking data, the highly anticipated Hollywood blockbuster "Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning" has emerged as the clear frontrunner, demonstrating the enduring appeal of the action franchise among Chinese moviegoers.
Second and third on the chart are "Endless Journey of Love", a China-produced animation, and the legendary Japanese cartoon figure Doraemon's new movie "Doraemon the Movie: Nobita's Art World Tales".
The Dragon Boat Festival, also known as the Duanwu Festival, falls on the fifth day of the fifth month in the Chinese lunar calendar. This year, it is being celebrated on Saturday, May 31.
During the festival, people follow the tradition of holding dragon boat races and eating zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) to honor the patriotic poet Qu Yuan.
Dragon Boat Festival box office in Chinese mainland passes 100 mln yuan mark
Phase Two of the 139th China Import and Export Fair, or Canton Fair, opened Wednesday in south China's Guangzhou, as the world's largest trade fair enters its home-living showcase.
The five-day segment, running April 23 till 27, focuses on building materials, furniture, household goods and decorations, highlighting China's push to showcase its home living and lifestyle industries.
The Canton Fair runs from April 15 till May 5 in three phases, each highlighting categories from advanced manufacturing to home living and lifestyle products. Covering 1.55 million square meters, the fair features 75,700 booths and more than 32,000 enterprises, including about 3,900 first time exhibitors.
At 09:00, a vibrant opening ceremony for the second phase was held, with performances of dragon and lion dances captivating the crowd.
Green empowerment is a key highlight at Phase Two, with biodegradable tableware and fully recyclable composites drawing buyers as low-carbon goods emerge as a new hallmark of China's foreign trade.
An increasing number of Chinese exhibitors in sectors from ceramics to aluminum are leading or joining the drafting of international standards, underscoring their rising global influence.
The fair features new products including AI-powered swimming pools and smart grills, while a newly established fashion accessories zone drew buyers with freshwater pearls and heritage crafts highlighting oriental aesthetics.
Notably, 195 global companies have confirmed buyer delegations for Phase Two, with organizers arranging targeted matching events to connect suppliers and purchasers.
Established in 1957, the Canton Fair is the longest-running of several comprehensive international trade events in China, and has been hailed as the barometer of China's foreign trade.
Canton Fair enters second phase, showcases home-living products
