From "Films Going North" to "Cinema Heading South": How Dear You Led China's Global Box-Office Wave

For some Hong Kong moviegoers, impressions of mainland Chinese cinema might still be anchored in the sweeping combat of The Battle at Lake Changjin or the sci-fi spectacle of The Wandering Earth. Yet between 2025 and 2026, a fresh "New Wave" composed of heartwarming slice-of-life films, mythological animation, and martial-arts epics is storming global theaters in a strikingly different fashion. No longer reliant solely on grand national narratives, these films are quietly redefining how Chinese cinema "goes global" through local emotional resonance, Eastern aesthetics, and genre innovation.

Dear You: How a Local Chaoshan Story Conquered Asia

In 2026, the heartwarming realist drama Dear You (《給阿嬤的情書》) became a landmark case study for Chinese cinema's overseas expansion. Rooted in the rural culture of Chaoshan and telling a story of nostalgia and familial ties among the Nanyang (Southeast Asian) Chinese diaspora, the film grossed over 2 billion RMB at the mainland box office and surpassed 100 million RMB overseas.

Using Hong Kong and Macau as its launchpad for international distribution, the film was jointly released by six major Hong Kong distributors. It grossed a combined HK$22.63 million across Hong Kong and Macau with 395,000 admissions—becoming the highest-grossing Chinese-language film in Hong Kong for 2026 and ranking third on Hong Kong's all-time mainland film box-office chart. In Singapore, the film accumulated 3.851 million SGD (equivalent to 20.34 million RMB), topping the weekly box-office charts. In Malaysia and Brunei, cumulative earnings crossed RM20.64 million (equivalent to 34.29 million RMB), making it the highest-grossing mainland Chinese live-action film in Malaysian box-office history.

Dear You grossed over 2 billion RMB, moving audiences at home and abroad. (Source: Baidu Baike)

Foreign critics noted that the film won over international audiences "through its authentic and tender storytelling," staying grounded in local life while showcasing Chinese culture. A regional story about a Chaoshan grandmother and her Southeast Asian relatives resonated across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam because it tapped into a universal emotion shared by the Chinese diaspora: nostalgia and family love. This strategy—taking root locally to move cross-cultural audiences—offers a powerful new roadmap for Chinese cinema going global.

From Ne Zha 2 to Welcome to the Dragon Restaurant: Diverse Genres Flourish

If Dear You demonstrates the global appeal of realist storytelling, Ne Zha 2 showcases the explosive international power of Eastern mythological animation. Released during the 2025 Chinese New Year season, the animated blockbuster not only set a staggering mainland record of over 15.4 billion RMB, but also delivered extraordinary overseas results—raking in more than $69 million globally, the highest overseas box-office performance on record for a purely mainland-produced film.

The film achieved an unprecedented distribution footprint, screening or securing theatrical releases in 70 countries—a dramatic jump from the 9 countries reached by its predecessor. In North America, it opened in 945 theaters and earned 20.97million,makingitthetop−grossinginternationalfilminNorthAmericaforthefirsthalfoftheyear.InSoutheastAsia,itbrokeChinese−languagebox−officerecordsinSingapore,Malaysia,andThailand—earningRM22millioninMalaysiawithinjustsixdaystobecomethecountry′shighest−grossingChinesefilm.InHongKong,cumulativeboxofficeshatteredHK50 million, claiming the top spot on Hong Kong’s all-time mainland film chart. China's iconic mythic figure Nezha is "stirring up the seas" in a whole new fashion, stunning the world once again with Eastern aesthetics.

Ne Zha 2 tops China’s all-time box office chart. (Source: Xinhua News Agency)

Wuxia action cinema also enjoyed a major resurgence abroad. During the 2026 Chinese New Year period, Blades of the Guardians: Wind Rises in the Desert—directed by Yuen Woo-ping and starring Wu Jing and Nicholas Tse—was released simultaneously across multiple countries and regions. Embodying the Eastern chivalric spirit (xia) and traditional martial arts, the film crossed $200 million in global box office, climbing to second place on the all-time global wuxia box-office chart, trailing only Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

Blades of the Guardians: Wind Rises in the Desert was released simultaneously across multiple global markets. (Source: Baidu Baike)

More recently, Welcome to the Dragon Restaurant, a unique blend of anti-war narrative and culinary culture, tackled major geopolitical events in the Middle East through a Chinese lens paired with a global perspective. The film received an enthusiastic reception during international promotional tours, leading local theater chains to compete for import rights. Released sequentially across Hong Kong, Macau, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Japan since September, distribution plans for North America, Europe, and the Middle East are also underway.

Welcome to the Dragon Restaurant sparks widespread discussion overseas. (Source: Baidu Baike)

From Exporting Content to Exporting Systems

Chinese cinema's journey abroad is shifting from mere "content exports" toward "systemic global integration." Ying Xujun, President of CMC Pictures, noted that international co-productions have become a major trend. By leveraging a model of "Chinese leadership + international resources," this new era of Chinese cinema is marked by internationalized storytelling, industrialized production, and localized distribution.

At the narrative level, a new generation of Chinese directors is expanding their horizons. No longer confined to "Chinese stories strictly for Chinese contexts," they are placing Chinese characters directly into international settings to build emotional resonance with global audiences.

This shift is quietly rewriting the landscape of Chinese-language cinema. Twenty years ago, Hong Kong filmmakers brought their expertise and star power "North" in co-productions to tap into the mainland market. Today, mainland-produced films are bringing high industrial standards and Eastern narratives "South" to Hong Kong—and onward to the world. When a tender Chaoshan story like Dear You can move audiences across Asia, and when Chinese animation can break into mainstream North American theaters with Eastern aesthetics, it proves one thing: Chinese cinema is learning to tell its own stories in a language the whole world can understand.

Chinamaxxing

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If "Chinamaxxing" represents a vibrant cultural trend embraced by young people worldwide, then the global expansion of Chinese construction engineering is its most silent, hard-edged counterpart. It rarely goes viral on social media, yet its presence is unmistakable: pouring concrete for bridge piers in the Sahara, raising skyscrapers along the Red Sea, and maintaining national stadiums in Atlantic island nations. While Western capitals debate "de-risking," Chinese infrastructure giants have broken ground simultaneously in nearly one hundred countries and regions.

An "Engineering Feat" in the Sahara: A Marathon Without Spectators

In December 2025, word emerged from Algiers: the PK330 bridge, constructed by China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC), successfully completed track laying deep within the Sahara Desert. Spanning 6 kilometers in Tindouf Province, it stands as Africa's longest heavy-haul railway bridge. Local media outlet Algeria 360 hailed it as an "unprecedented engineering feat."

Panoramic view of the PK330 bridge spanning across the Sahara Desert. (Source: Xinhua)

The engineering challenges were daunting. The site terrain consisted primarily of loose sand and gravel interlayers subject to extreme heat and relentless sandstorms. Daytime pouring was impossible—scorching temperatures caused concrete to fail quality standards immediately upon application. In response, the project team shifted operations entirely to cooler nighttime hours, utilizing industrial chillers and ice-mixed batching. At peak capacity, seven drilling rigs operated simultaneously, setting a single-day record of 21 pile foundations and precasting 1,170 T-girders in five months. Beyond laying track, this 575-kilometer mining line created over 7,000 local jobs and trained 1,000 skilled technicians—effectively exporting China's comprehensive heavy-haul railway standards to the region.

The bridge snakes through the desert landscape, lined with tower cranes and heavy equipment. (Source: China News Video screenshot)

Financial metrics reinforce this global expansion: in 2025, China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) secured RMB 255 billion in new overseas contracts, representing a 15.2% year-on-year increase. Overseas construction contracts reached RMB 225.7 billion (up 6.9%), while overseas operating revenue surged 19.4% to RMB 141.7 billion—far outpacing the 1.4% growth rate of its domestic construction business.

From "Building Structures" to "Exporting Standards"

Soaring contract values tell only part of the story; the fundamental shift lies in moving from exporting labor to co-establishing industry standards. As Yang Shujuan, EY Greater China Government & Infrastructure Market Leader, observed: "As the 'China solution' deepens its global footprint, the industry is accelerating its transformation from simply exporting engineering services to co-establishing technical standards."

This paradigm shift is evident in Algeria. To accommodate mixed transit, the engineering team developed custom railway sleepers certified to allow heavy freight trains and passenger trains traveling at 160 km/h to operate safely on the same track—seamlessly integrating Chinese standards with Algerian and European railway systems. Rather than merely supplying labor and machinery, Chinese contractors are embedding technical frameworks into local soil. Similarly, in Sri Lanka, the Elahera Canal diversion tunnel project optimized blasting protocols and noise-reduction systems to secure a 24-hour construction permit, paving the way to irrigate over 70,000 hectares of farmland upon completion.

The Elahera Canal diversion tunnel project in Sri Lanka achieves breakthrough. (Source: Xinhua)

One Crew, Two Languages Beneath the Cairo Skyline

East of Cairo, a 385.8-meter Iconic Tower is undergoing final inspections. Built by CSCEC, it forms the centerpiece of Egypt's New Administrative Capital Central Business District (CBD)—a landmark development featuring 20 towers, including 10 office buildings, 5 residential complexes, and 4 luxury hotels.

The Iconic Tower and the CBD complex rise dramatically from the desert landscape. (Source: People's Daily)

Hu Yingdong, a foreman overseeing interior fit-outs, manages a mixed team of Chinese and Egyptian workers: "Our Chinese crew shares technical expertise and quality benchmarks with local workers, boosting efficiency while building brotherly bonds." Ahmed Banna, an Egyptian project director, noted that the development brought "transformative changes" through skill transfers and innovative methodologies. The introduction of Chinese chute-and-pipe concrete pumping technology allowed high-altitude concrete delivery with enhanced safety, while onsite wastewater purification and rooftop solar panels established sustainable building practices that remain long after construction ends.

Seventeen Years Guarding a National Stadium

Huashan International, a subsidiary of Shaanxi Construction Engineering Group, began its overseas operations in 1978 with the Cameroon Conference Center. Over four decades, it has completed hundreds of international projects and earned multiple overseas Luban Prizes (China's premier construction award). Yan Yongjun, Deputy General Manager, characterizes this journey as an evolution "from 'borrowing a boat to go to sea' to 'building the ship that leads the fleet.'"

The Cape Verde National Stadium exemplifies this long-term commitment. Built by Chinese crews starting in 2009 and handed over in 2013, the stadium has benefited from continuous, onsite Chinese technical maintenance ever since. When Cape Verde's national football team qualified for the World Cup stage for the first time in 2026, the venue—affectionately dubbed the "Chinese Stadium" by locals—stood as a cornerstone of their athletic journey.

Panoramic view of the Cape Verde National Stadium. (Source: CIDCA official website)

The Silent Power of "Chinamaxxing"

From Saharan railway lines to the Cairo skyline and the coastal breeze of Cape Verde’s national stadium, China's engineering footprint relies not on slogans, but on technical rigor under extreme conditions, the patience to integrate standards locally, and decades of operational stewardship. This represents the quietest dimension of "Chinamaxxing": it is not about encouraging others to imitate a lifestyle, but about Chinese construction capabilities becoming the default benchmark for global infrastructure.