China's summer box office exceeds 1.6 billion yuan

China's total box office revenue for the summer season has exceeded 1.6 billion yuan (about 235.5 million U.S. dollars), as of Tuesday, according to data from online platforms.

Nearly 80 Chinese and foreign films are set to hit theaters during the summer season, which runs from June 1 to August 31, spanning a wide range of genres from revolutionary history and sci-fi to comedy and animation.

Currently leading this year's summer box office is the revolutionary history film "Crossing," which tells the story of the Red Army's four crossings of the Chishui River in southwestern China during the Long March in 1935. It has topped the daily box office chart on the Chinese mainland since its release on June 26, with its total box office revenue exceeding 100 million yuan as of 7:00 on Tuesday.

Other hits include comedy "The Thrifty Angel," which centers on an extraordinarily frugal ordinary man, unfolding humorous stories from everyday life; "It's My Time," a comedy inspired by a true story of an elderly woman who unexpectedly discovers a passion for solving the Rubik's Cube in a nursing home; "West By Northwest," a drama interweaves three RV (recreational vehicle) travel stories across China that explore themes of family connection, generational conflict, and the search for closure among characters from different age groups as they face life's emotional and existential challenges.

More domestic and foreign films are scheduled for release next week, including the sci-fi comedy "Keep Real" and the animated film "Minions and Monsters."

Industry insiders are optimistic about a box office revenue growth in the coming weeks, as more films hit theaters and students enjoy their summer vacation.

China's summer box office exceeds 1.6 billion yuan

Fertilizer and food-related costs are expected to rise significantly, with fertilizer prices projected to increase by between 15 and 20 percent, while food costs could rise by around 8 percent, given Malaysia's heavy reliance on imported inputs, Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said on Monday.

This is in part due to 63 percent of the country's fertilizer being imported, leaving the country's agricultural sector particularly exposed to global disruptions, Akmal told parliament.

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have been identified as highly vulnerable due to limited financial buffers, with cash flow pressures expected to intensify as input costs rise sharply, he said, adding that the government is working to ensure the security of essential goods, control the prices of basic goods and improve the efficiency of distribution channels in order to reduce the impact of price increases.

Akmal said the government has set out a broad policy response to what it describes as a prolonged global supply crisis. Current rice stocks, including buffer reserves, are sufficient for five to six months, while supplies of essential food items such as chicken, eggs, fish, milk and fruit are adequate for at least one month.

The government's strategy is structured around four pillars: protecting citizens, stabilizing supply and prices, supporting SMEs and industry, and strengthening long-term economic resilience with targeted cash aid and fuel subsidies expected to continue.

Malaysian food prices expected to rise by 8 pct, says Malaysian official