‘My team and I are similarly fearless’: Leader John Lee praises Chinese animation hit ‘Ne Zha 2’
Hong Kong Free Press
Chief Executive John Lee has praised mainland Chinese animated film Ne Zha 2, urging his administration to embody the “fearlessness” of the movie’s characters and “pave” its own paths.
In a Facebook post on Sunday morning, Lee said he and his wife watched the box office hit recently. The cinema was filled with “joy and laughter,” he said, adding that there were also emotional moments during touching scenes showing the mother’s “selfless love” for her child.
Lee cited what he referred to as a “memorable quote” in the movie: “If there is no path ahead, I will create one.”
He said this quote, as well as the main characters’ determination and fearless attitude when faced with difficulties, made one’s “blood boil.”
“[It’s] just like the major reforms in Hong Kong in recent years and how [the government] tackled one long-standing challenge after another,” Lee wrote in Chinese. “My team and I are similarly fearless in our breakthroughs… the spirit of Ne Zha encourages us continue to overcome obstacles and pave our own paths.”
Released in January 2025, Ne Zha 2 is the sequel to Ne Zha, which also became a blockbuster hit upon its release in 2019. The two films are based on the Chinese mythology of a young boy Ne Zha, who is born with supernatural abilities and known as a “demon child.”
Like its prequel, Ne Zha 2 broke box office records and became one of the highest grossing films from mainland China.
The movie began screening in Hong Kong last month. It has since also hit the screens in the US, Canada, Australia and other countries.
According to Chinese state media outlet Global Times, Ne Zha 2 broke into the top five films at the global box office on Saturday.
In his Facebook post, Lee said the animation showed the “rapid development” of animation production techniques in mainland China and allowed the world to feel “the charm of Chinese culture and China’s stories.”
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