Pre-sales indicate 'Ne Zha 2' off to strong start in Thailand: industry insider

The Chinese animated blockbuster "Ne Zha 2" is off to a strong start in Thailand, with impressive pre-sales and reviews set for a promising box office run after much anticipation, said a film marketing professional in the country.

Narute Jiensnong is chief marketing officer of the Major Cineplex Group, Thailand's largest operator of movie theaters. In an interview with CGTN following the official release of "Ne Zha 2" in the country on Thursday, he noted that around 6,000 pre-sale tickets were sold before the film's opening day.

"That's a good sign for that kind of movie that had a good box office prior to the opening date. Let me give you a picture for the first one that we did in Thailand. The first one has crossed about 10 million baht (about 297,400 U.S. dollars) in total box office in Thailand. We expect the second one to double at least about 20 million baht (about 594,800 U.S. dollars). That's our goal for Major Cineplex. And I think nationwide the total Thailand market maybe around like 30 million baht in total box office for this one," he said.

Having already become the 5th highest-grossing film of all time, the international appeal of Ne Zha 2 is evident. According to Narute, there are already signs it will have a particular draw for Thai audiences.

"For the movie, I think it's very appealing. And I think it's a very high-quality production. I saw the trailer, I haven't seen the whole movie yet, but I saw the trailers and I read all the comments online. Yesterday, we had about 200 YouTubers, influencers and bloggers coming to watch the movie, and all positive reviews so far. All them have a very good review toward the themes. The quality is very high in the production value. The script and the story line is very appealing to the Thai market and they think that Thai will love this kind of story line. I think it will do well in Thailand. So basically all the reviewers and YouTubers in Thailand love this movie," said Narute.

He then noted that the shared cultural values between Thailand and China contribute to the appeal of Chinese films, adding that Chinese movies have generally performed quite well in Thailand.

Available in more than 390 cinemas across the Southeast Asian country, "Ne Zha 2" has been screened in a Thai-dubbed version and the original Chinese version with subtitles to cater to different audience preferences.

Pre-sales indicate 'Ne Zha 2' off to strong start in Thailand: industry insider

The Ethiopian embassy in Beijing held an event on Thursday to mark the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Ethiopia and China.

Ambassadors from more than 60 countries attended the event.

In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Ethiopian Ambassador to China Tefera Derbew Yimam shared his views on China-Ethiopia relations and expressed the hope for further exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.

"Our bilateral relationship is deep-rooted and is based on mutual trust, respect and equality. The two countries have enjoyed their bilateral relationship over the past 55 years. Today, we are celebrating this strong, deep-rooted partnership so that we can use the existing solid foundation for further engagement, for further partnership," he said.

According to the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the relationship between China and Ethiopia has evolved since the landmark visit by Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie to Beijing in 1971. Over the past more than five decades, relations between China and Ethiopia have been strengthened on the basis of the principles of equality, non-interference and mutual benefit.

"We can see how Ethiopia is taking off through its cooperation, very productive and fruitful cooperation with China. So, we are so proud of it as Africans, but as well as friends of China, so as diplomats and Dean of the African group," said Martin Mpana, Cameroonian Ambassador to China.

Siddharth Chatterjee, U.N. Resident Coordinator in China, said he visited Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa about 20 years ago, gaining a firsthand understanding of the country's development. Speaking to the CGTN, he highlighted the relations between China and Ethiopia as a reflection of the broader relations between China and Africa.

"As a matter of fact, Ethiopia epitomizes the microcosm of the China Africa relationship. I have seen first-hand the kind of progress Ethiopia has made. And I went to Addis Ababa for the first time in 2001. I've seen the real effects of the Belt and Road Initiative, and how it's transformed the entire landscape in Ethiopia. So, in many ways, I welcome this sort of partnership that China has with Africa. As far as the United Nations is concerned, we want to see Africa progress," he said.

Ethiopian embassy marks 55 years of diplomatic relations with China