The size of China's artificial intelligence (AI) industry was estimated to exceed 1.2 trillion yuan (about 176.7 billion U.S. dollars) in 2025, up 40 percent year on year, according to a research institute under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
The China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) noted on Monday that China was home to more than 6,600 AI companies as of June 2026, representing 15 percent of the global total. The country has developed a complete industrial system spanning foundational infrastructure, models and frameworks, and sector-specific applications, CAICT said.
The application segment accounted for 55 percent of the entire AI industry chain in 2025, up 22 percent year on year. The foundational segment accounted for 38 percent and grew 59 percent, while the segment covering models and frameworks made up 7 percent and grew 189 percent.
The industry is highly concentrated in just a few regions, with Beijing, Guangdong, Shanghai, Zhejiang and Shandong accounting for more than 80 percent of the national total, the academy said.
Large AI models, AI agents and AI chips are evolving rapidly, while AI products are diversifying and their use is expanding across traditional industries.
CAICT has led the drafting of two industry standards on defining the AI sector and identifying AI companies, aimed at providing unified standards for industry statistics, policy-making and business practice.
China will continue to advance its "AI Plus" initiative to promote the extensive and in-depth integration of AI into various sectors and fields of the economy and society, said CAICT.
China's AI industry tops 1.2 trln yuan in 2025, up 40 pct
Chinese box-office hit "Dear You" premiered in Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday ahead of its nationwide theatrical release, warming the hearts of numerous local viewers.
The premiere was jointly organized by Vietnamese distributors Mockingbird Pictures and Galaxy Studio, with the support of the China Cultural Center in Hanoi.
Nearly 1,000 guests, including representatives of Vietnam's film industry, cultural scholars, members of the overseas Chinese community, representatives of Chinese enterprises in Vietnam and media organizations, attended the event.
Shot entirely in the Chaoshan (Teochew) dialect, the low-budget film became a massive box-office phenomenon in China this summer, with its global box office revenues surpassing 2.1 billion yuan (about 310 million U.S. dollars) since its April 30 release.
Known in Chinese as "Love Letters to Grandma," the movie centers on remittance letters used by overseas Chinese to stay connected with their families back home from the 1940s to 1970s. Through these letters, the characters uncover memories, love and interconnected family bonds in a simple yet deeply genuine narrative.
Even before its premiere, "Dear You" had generated significant buzz across Vietnamese social media platforms.
Doan Thi Trang Anh, deputy CEO of Mockingbird Pictures, said securing the distribution rights for "Dear You" in Vietnam was a special opportunity for the company, hoping that it could bring more Chinese films to Vietnamese audiences in the future.
"We consider it a remarkable piece of work full of new and creative touches. We can see that it is more than just a movie -- it carries deep cultural and historical significance for China, while also offering a moving portrayal of the true emotional connection between a husband and wife," Doan Thi Trang Anh told China Media Group (CMG).
After the premiere, the audience responded with great enthusiasm and offered glowing reviews.
"I feel that this movie speaks to the hearts and minds of Vietnamese audiences as well," said Nguyen Tuan, an audience member.
"There are many scenes in the film that remind me of my own grandparents. it really struck a chord with me," said Thu Thuy, a Vietnamese singer who also attended the premiere.
The film is set to hit cinemas nationwide in Vietnam beginning Wednesday. It will be available in three language versions: Mandarin Chinese, Chaochan dialect, and Vietnamese to cater to different viewing preferences.
The movie has also hit the screens in several other Southeast Asian countries, including Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Thailand and Indonesia.
Chinese film 'Dear You' resonates with Vietnamese audience at premiere
