the cats are out of the bag and it isn't just a PR, but also a good business, as the wandering earth proved with its box office. NASA will make a launch of anything from China as a big threat to the US, that's how they got their budget from their gov. If tomorrow China send a potato to the space, NASA will say that China is looking to colonize the moon to grow potato.
What China need now is partners and market to sell its tech. Good scify movies can change the perception of made in China goods and give confidence to others.