China has made numerous key breakthroughs in digital technology innovation and is taking steps to set standards and fully harness data utilization to further advance future development, an official from China's National Data Administration (NDA) said on Thursday.
Speaking at a press conference in Beijing, Liu Liehong, the NDA’s director, highlighted the achievements in made in China’s digital technology sector, including the increased production in integrated circuits and other high-end equipment.
"After years of sustained efforts, significant breakthroughs in key core technologies in the digital sector have showcased China's remarkable development achievements. Integrated circuits are accelerating their layout to form a complete industrial chain covering design, manufacturing, packaging and testing, materials and equipment," he said.
Liu also pointed to the performance of domestically-developed operating systems such as HarmonyOS, created by Chinese smartphone giant Huawei, as well as the advancements made in other tech fields including the rapidly-growing robotics sector and in other key hardware.
"The total number of devices in the HarmonyOS ecosystem has exceeded 1.19 billion, while the number of artificial intelligence patents registered in China accounts for 60 percent of the global total. Breakthroughs are constantly being made in fields such as humanoid robots and smart terminals," said Liu.
Starting last year, China launched a three-year plan to promote the use of data as a factor of production in more scenarios. Spanning the 2024-2026 period, the campaign aims to improve resource allocation, foster new industries, new patterns and new growth drivers, generating a multiplier effect in boosting the economy.
As this progresses, Liu also noted that efforts to fully extract the value of data are being accelerated, but stressed that regulations are being put in place to safeguard rights and unify standards.
"Last year, we introduced 21 policies including the development and utilization of public data resources. This year, more than 10 regulations covering areas such as data property rights will be released. A number of data enterprises focusing on data collecting, sharing, development and utilization are emerging. Standards and norms are constantly being launched, data trading is becoming increasingly active, and a unified national data market is being accelerated in its construction," he said.
China's National Data Administration was inaugurated in 2023 to advance the planning and building of a 'Digital China', and aims to foster the digital economy and the development of a digital society through the construction of data infrastructure and coordinating the integration and application of data resources.
China sees breakthroughs in digital tech innovation, data utilization: official
China sees breakthroughs in digital tech innovation, data utilization: official
China sees breakthroughs in digital tech innovation, data utilization: official
An industry observer said that 2026 is poised to be a "year of sequels and cultural stories" in global animation, following a strong 2025 where such films dominated box offices worldwide.
With heavyweights like Toy Story 5, Minions 3, and China's perennial favorite Boonie Bears set for release, along with culturally rooted productions such as The Three Kingdoms: War 1 Luoyang, the coming months are expected to draw large audiences and reinforce animation's central role in cinema.
This optimism is built on a solid foundation from the previous year.
Looking back at China's film market in 2025, animated features emerged as a powerful driving force. Four of the year's top 10 highest-grossing films were animations, three of which were domestic productions.
Total animation revenue exceeded 25 billion yuan (around 3.58 billion U.S. dollars), capturing nearly 50 percent of the annual box office. As the new year unfolds, the animation sector continues to shine with promising highlights.
A key trend driving this momentum is the surge of sequels from major franchises.
"One notable trend is the abundance of sequels to classic animated films, particularly from Hollywood. Several iconic series are releasing new installments, making 2026 a year of animated sequels. Given their strong IP foundation, these sequels are expected to attract more audiences' attention and achieve solid box office results," said Hu Jianli, secretary general of the Chinese Film Critics Society.
Alongside these international sequels, domestic animation IPs are also deepening their influence and expanding their reach. The annual Boonie Bears series will welcome its latest installment, while the popular TV series The Immortal Ascension is set for its big-screen debut.
"It's fair to say that the Boonie Bears series has maintained the most consistent quality among domestic animated film franchises over the years. Its expansion from television to movies, merchandise, and theme parks represents a fully developed industrial chain, greatly strengthening the IP's presence in the public consciousness. As for The Immortal Ascension, it's the first time that the animation IP is adapted for the big screen, which naturally generates exceptional attention—especially following the successful live-action web series last year. If this first animated film adaptation succeeds, it has the potential to become a major film IP in its own right," said Hu.
Beyond the reliance on established franchises, another significant creative trend is the growing number of animated films drawing inspiration from China's rich classical literature and historical epics. This approach aims to connect with audiences through deeply rooted cultural narratives.
A leading example is a prominent Chinese animation studio Light Chaser Animation's upcoming "The Three Kingdoms: War 1 Luoyang", which dramatizes the early power struggles from the famed historical period.
"We are seeing a clear increase in animated films adapted from classic Chinese novels and myths. Light Chaser Animation Studios' 'New Culture Series' has performed exceptionally well in our animated film market—for example, 30,000 Miles from Changan earned over 1.8 billion yuan (around 257.98 million U.S. dollars) at the box office. This series has truly succeeded in creatively transforming and innovatively developing China's outstanding traditional culture for the big screen, while also resonating emotionally with today's young audiences through its storytelling and character adaptations," said Hu.
Beyond sequels and adaptations rooted in traditional culture, original animated films are also carving out their space with unique concepts and distinctive styles, showcasing further creative possibilities.
Titles such as Arco, a 2025 animated science-fantasy film, and Pixar's Hoppers exemplify this trend of innovation.
"I believe animated films will remain a major force in the global box office in 2026. The worldwide top-grossing film of 2024 was Inside Out 2, and in 2025 it was China's Ne Zha 2. So I'm confident that animated films will once again rank among the highest-grossing releases globally this year," Hu said.
Animated films set to dominate 2026 global box office with strong lineup
