Mainland spokesperson hopes for early release of blockbuster 'Ne Zha 2' in Taiwan

A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Wednesday expressed hope that the animated blockbuster "Ne Zha 2," which has shattered multiple box office records and generated varied discussions among the global Chinese community, will be released in Taiwan soon.

Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, made the remarks in response to a media inquiry about the attention given to the film by people in Taiwan.

As some netizens in Taiwan have expressed their interest in mainland movies after the huge success of the film, Zhu expressed hope that the film will be released in Taiwan soon so that more people there can experience the charm of Chinese culture firsthand and understand the robust development and momentum of the mainland's film industry.

She also welcomed Taiwanese compatriots to travel to the mainland to watch the films and visit some of the filming locations.

The Chinese mainland-produced animation "Ne Zha 2," the sequel to the 2019 blockbuster "Ne Zha" based on ancient Chinese mythology, has become the first film to cross the 1-billion-US-dollar line in a single market and the first non-Hollywood title to join the billion-dollar club.

As of Wednesday noon, its ongoing blockbuster run has amassed over 9.2 billion yuan (US$1.3 billion) and attracted over 187 million viewers – numbers that have not only outpaced those of all other movies screened in China but also rivaled the success of some of Hollywood's biggest hits.

"The enthusiasm of the public in Taiwan for films like 'Ne Zha 2' reflects a shared historical memory and deep emotional resonance regarding Chinese culture among compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait," Zhu said.

Zhu also noted that during this year's Spring Festival period, the four direct passenger routes of cross-Strait ferry services – Xiamen to Kinmen, Quanzhou to Kinmen, Mawei to Matsu, and Huangqi to Matsu – were operating smoothly, serving 121,000 passengers between January 14 and February 5.