China-themed film, cultural exchange event kicks off in Malaysia

The launch ceremony of "UPanda Cinema" and the China-themed Program Showcase Season in Malaysia was held in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, bringing together more than 100 representatives from government departments, cultural institutions and the film and television industry from both China and Malaysia.

As the first ever showcase season featuring Chinese programs in Malay, the activity will last until the 2026 Chinese New Year holiday season in February, airing Chinese TV series, documentaries, and animated series with a total length of over 100 hours on Astro Group Malay Language TV channels.

During Saturday's event, the China Intercontinental Communication Center signed agreements on micro-drama production and China-Malaysia cultural exchange cooperation in the film and television industry respectively with Malaysia's Mango Media and Juxta Films.

The program, "UPanda Cinema," was officially launched in 2021. It has worked with mainstream local media in over 20 countries and regions, including Russia, France, South Africa, India, and Central Asia, reaching a cumulative overseas audience of more than 130 million.

Tehran was hit by a barrage of airstrikes on Tuesday, with thick smoke rising in many parts of the city, according to a China Media Group (CMG) reporter stationed in the Iranian capital.

Video footage shot by the reporter showed smoke and dust engulfing nearby buildings after one airstrike.

Airstrikes also threw up thick columns of smoke in western, eastern, and far northeastern Tehran, with all the explosions occurring within minutes of each other, according to the reporter.