China's box office in 2026 hit the mark of 2 billion yuan (about 287.7 million U.S. dollars) as of 15:26 Sunday, according to online box office data trackers.
With the 2026 Spring Festival approaching, the film market continues to heat up. To date, six domestic films have announced their release dates during the festival: Pegasus 3, Scare Out, Blades of the Guardians, Boonie Bears: The Hidden Protector, Per Aspera Ad Astra, and Panda Plan: The Magical Tribe. These films cover a variety of genres including martial arts, action, suspense, fantasy, comedy, and animation, catering to diverse audience preferences.
According to past experiences, the period between the New Year holiday and the Spring Festival holiday is typically a low season for box office revenue. However, in the first 10 days of January 2026, the country's cinema box office increased by more than 10 percent compared with the same period of 2025, which indicates that the off-season is not as lackluster, showcasing the robust momentum and significant growth potential of the Chinese film market.
A diverse lineup of domestic and imported films spanning comedy, action, suspense and romance has helped sustain strong audience turnout early in the year.
China's box office in 2026 hits 2-bln-yuan mark ahead of Spring Festival
Rawalpindi, the garrison city neighboring Pakistan's capital Islamabad, is on high security alert ahead of the expected second round of U.S.-Iran talks.
Rawalpindi is not only an important transport hub for Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, but is also home to Nur Khan Air Base, where the U.S. delegation landed during the first round of U.S.-Iran talks.
More than 600 checkpoints were set up in the city, and local business activities were also reduced, local media reported.
Footage from a China Media Group (CMG) reporter showed that many shops in major commercial districts in downtown Rawalpindi were closed, and more police were visible on the streets.
U.S. President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post on Sunday that U.S. representatives were going to Islamabad for negotiations. Sources say advance teams from the U.S., including security personnel, have arrived in Islamabad to coordinate arrangements for the expected talks.
Meanwhile, Iran's official news agency IRNA said on the same day that the country had rejected taking part in the second round of talks.
On Feb. 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities, killing Iran's then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with senior military commanders and civilians. Iran responded by launching waves of missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and U.S. bases and assets in the Middle East, and exercising tight control over the Strait of Hormuz.
A ceasefire was achieved between the warring parties on April 8, which was followed by lengthy talks between the Iranian and U.S. delegations in Pakistan's capital Islamabad on April 11 and 12.
Security strengthened in key city near Pakistan's capital ahead of expected U.S.-Iran talks
