Chinese box-office hits are making waves overseas, with animated feature "All Wishes Come True" premiering in Australia and the sports comedy "Kung Fu Soccer" making its international debut in Malaysia on Monday to enthusiastic audiences.
In Sydney, Australia, the event site of the story inspired by the legend of the Eight Immortals was transformed into a mystical "Penglai Wonderland," with many moviegoers posing for photos alongside characters. The film is scheduled for a wide release across multiple Australian cities this Thursday.
"It's such a typical Chinese storytelling, really funny, really fast, full of action, but there's a moral story being told there, which slowly unravels. I love the movie," said David White, an Australian sound editor.
On the same day, another Chinese film, "Kung Fu Soccer", held its premiere in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Distributors said Chinese films have long enjoyed broad popularity in the southeast Asian country, and the strong box-office performance of the movie in China has raised their expectations for its Malaysian run.
The film will hit 138 cinemas across Malaysia starting this Thursday.
"Actually, I was kind of impressed with how Stephen Chow directed his movie before. We watched like since we were young, CJ7 and then Kung Fu Hustle. So this could be another trilogy of him. So that's why we wanted to see it and the comedy of the soccer as well inside it, it was really engaging for us. That's why I want to watch it," said a moviegoer.
"Like Kung Fu or Shaolin things, it's just unique to me, it's very cool to me," said another moviegoer.
In recent years, a number of outstanding Chinese films, including Ne Zha and Dear You, have gained notable acclaim in Malaysia following their releases. The growing overseas presence of Chinese audiovisual works continues to foster mutual understanding and has introduced a wider Malaysian audience to Chinese culture.
Chinese box-office hits light up screens in Australia, Malaysia
The small gold-mining town of Mongbwalu in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues its fight against the country's worst Ebola outbreak on record, a health crisis that has claimed nearly 2,000 lives since May.
The current outbreak, initially confined to the Mongbwalu health zone, has spread over the past two months to 49 health zones across five provinces: Ituri, home to Mongbwalu Town, and North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele and Tshopo.
Local health authorities stated that the highly mobile mining workforce, large numbers of people displaced by violence, and inadequate health infrastructure in Mongbwalu have fueled the spread.
Deogratias Kasereka, the first Ebola patient to recover in Mongbwalu, is one of dozens of people who have recovered in Mongbwalu health zone.
"I was declared cured and discharged. I was the only patient to recover among all the confirmed Ebola cases that day. Sadly, all the others died," he said.
Kasereka now travels to local communities, raising awareness about prevention and encouraging people with symptoms to seek immediate medical care.
Insecurity, poor health and transport infrastructure, and funding cuts by some Western donors have hampered operations. Healthcare workers have also faced attacks from hostile crowds.
"There are challenges in the health zones, particularly related to limited mobility and security issues. So far, we have 12 health areas. There is also a health zone located in the Mambasa territory, about 50 kilometers from here, to which access remains difficult," said Ruben Dedja Denyo, chief medical officer of Mongbwalu health zone.
Against this backdrop, DRC Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka visited Mongbwalu to evaluate ongoing containment efforts and announce additional state resources.
"We are considering the sustainability of the Ebola response to ensure that the health system does not collapse after the pandemic. But for the public, my message is simple: without community engagement, we cannot eradicate this disease," she said.
The DRC officially declared outbreaks of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus on May 15. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) stated on Monday that the Ebola outbreak in DRC may have begun as early as February, according to genetic sequencing studies.
According to the latest figures released by local authorities, the DRC had recorded 4,209 confirmed cases, including 1,916 deaths, as of Aug. 7.
Town in DR Congo continues fight against Ebola amid steep challenges
