China's first fully AI-generated feature length animation set for release

China is set to release its first fully artificial intelligence generated content (AIGC) animation film at the end of this month, marking another milestone in the country's rapidly growing film industry, with the high-tech production greatly shortening overall production times and paving the way for future creations.

Titled "The Reunion Journey," the film will hit theaters on February 28 and tells the compelling story of a pair of panda siblings overcoming challenges and hardships before finally enjoying a long overdue reunion.

Produced by the China Media Group (CMG), the movie is based on real-life giant pandas "Tuan Tuan" and "Yuan Yuan," which were gifted by the Chinese mainland to Taiwan in 2008.

The film follows the moving tale of an emotional reunion journey involving male panda Tuan Zai and his younger sister Yuan Niu, highlighting the traditional values of unity and self-reliance.

As China's first theatrical animation produced entirely with AI, the film utilizes CMG's large model for media content, shortening the production time of a conventional animated film from between three to five years down to just one year.

At a press conference and launch event for the film's release on Tuesday, a video of children from both sides of the Taiwan Strait singing the film's theme song was played, conveying the ardent aspiration for reunion of people across the Strait.

A number of film-related products were also unveiled, all of which capture the culture of reunion.

Some of the movie's box office revenue will be donated to public welfare initiatives supporting national reunification, according to producers.

China's first fully AI-generated feature length animation set for release

The Trump administration has initiated procedures to pay 725 million U.S. dollars toward U.S. arrears owed to the United Nations, according to a State Department notification to Congress on Thursday.

The payment is expected to be completed before President Trump travels to New York next month to attend the UN General Assembly and deliver an address.

However, the 725 million U.S. dollars represents less than 20 percent of the total amount the United States owes.

In May, the United Nations said U.S. arrears exceeded 4 billion U.S. dollars. The U.S. side maintains that the actual total is lower than that figure.

Under the UN Charter, a member state may lose its voting rights in the General Assembly if its arrears equal or exceed the total assessments due for the preceding two years.

The United States is the largest contributor to the UN budget. The Trump administration had previously refused to pay some mandatory assessments for the UN regular budget and peacekeeping budget, cut voluntary funding to multiple UN agencies, and withdrawn from several international organizations.

US to pay 725 million dollars in overdue UN arrears