Trust and respect hearts of China-Kazakhstan ties: Kazakh expert

China-Kazakhstan relations are not just about trade, but also about mutual respect, deep trust, and symbolic cultural ties that elevate the partnership into a joint pursuit of regional stability and shared development, said a Kazakh expert.

Azamat Baigaliyev, Director of the Institute of Eurasian Integration in Kazakhstan, made the remarks in a special program "China and Central Asia: Together for A Shared Future" co-produced by CGTN and Kazakhstan's Silk Way TV on Saturday ahead of the second China-Central Asia Summit in the Kazakh capital Astana.

"The main thing related with the Kazakhstan and China relationship is the mutual respect. It's a great potential for our economy because we all Central Asian countries, we need the strong guarantees from our great neighbors that it will be a really safe region for the development. Right now, China is the most stable and predictable country in the world. So right now it's not only about choice, it's about comfortable relationships between our countries. That's why it probably is developing so fast right now," he said.

Kazakhstan reached a bilateral trade volume of 43.8 billion U.S. dollars with China in 2024, Baigaliyev said, urging "really strong partnership and really strong agreement with China to develop this partnership."

"It's not just about money, it's also about trust, it's also about symbolic cultural decisions, it's also about investments. Not only investments in infrastructure and energy, and also investments in tourism, investments in the cultural relationships between our nations and also in the social development," the expert noted.

The second China-Central Asia Summit is being held from June 16 to 18 in Astana.

Trust and respect hearts of China-Kazakhstan ties: Kazakh expert

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