China's 2026 summer box office, including pre-sales, surpassed 10 billion yuan (about 1.5 billion U.S. dollars) as of Sunday, while the year-to-date national box office exceeded 25.7 billion yuan, according to the China Movie Data Information Network.
The summer movie season, which runs from June 1 to Aug 31, has maintained strong momentum throughout, with both ticket sales and audience numbers hitting record highs for the same period.
Market watchers said the streak is still gaining traction as new releases continue to draw crowds.
Among the standout performers, the anti-war film "Once Upon a Time in the Middle East" has raked in over 800 million yuan in just six days since its release, quickly climbing to the top tier of the summer charts.
The robust box-office performance is being amplified by a broader shift in how Chinese cinemas operate.
Across the country, theaters are transforming from single-purpose screening venues into diversified entertainment and consumption hubs, rolling out a rich array of "movie-plus" activities that combine film with tourism, dining, cultural and creative products, and live experiences.
Such integration is rapidly extending the film consumption industry chain. According to industry estimates, the total output value of China's entire film industry chain has surpassed 400 billion yuan since the start of the year.
China's 2026 summer box office tops 10 billion yuan
In the immediate aftermath of the devastating 7.5-magnitude earthquake that struck Colombia, Chinese company SANY Heavy Industry deployed heavy machinery and technical teams to support rubble clearance and search-and-rescue operations.
The quake struck cities across western Colombia at 7:34 a.m. local time on Aug. 10, leaving at least 294 people dead, 3,935 injured and 320 missing, according to data released by the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD) on Sunday.
The earthquake toppled buildings and blocked major roads, with the city of Pereira among the hardest-hit areas.
Since the first day of the disaster, Chinese-built excavators and loaders have been working alongside local rescue crews to clear debris and support the search for survivors.
Among the first SANY employees to respond was José Castro, a 42-year-old after-sales manager for SANY Colombia. Based in Bogotá, Castro learned that the airport serving the disaster zone had been damaged and closed. He then drove for seven hours to Pereira to join the relief operations.
"As soon as we learned of the urgent need for heavy equipment in the affected areas, we set out from Bogotá and mobilized technicians from across the country," he said.
Local disaster management officials also highlighted the critical role of Chinese-provided machinery and international assistance in the rescue and recovery efforts.
"Machinery is crucial. Initially, it was used to search for and rescue survivors and recover the bodies of victims. It is also essential for clearing debris. International assistance has been vital to us, and we are deeply grateful for it. We have truly felt the solidarity of the international community," said Diana Ramirez, an official with the Disaster Risk Management Bureau of Risaralda.
Chinese firm assists relief efforts in Colombia after earthquake
