World Today

① Tens of thousands of people have gathered at the parliament building in Tokyo to protest constitutional revision spearheaded by Japan’s Sanae Takaichi. Why is a remilitarized Japan a threat to regional peace? (00:55) ② Iran says there is no plan for a second round of talks with Washington. How is the US seizure of an Iranian-flagged cargo ship complicating the situation? (15:35) ③ A humanoid rob...

The disruption around the Strait of Hormuz has posed a great threat to global energy security. The crisis is once again drawing our attention to renewable energy. According to energy think tank Ember's research, solar power growth in 2025 alone could displace gas-fired electricity equal to all liquified natural gas exported through Hormuz in the same year. Are renewable energy's benefits such as p...

① China's GDP grew by 5% in the first quarter. What's behind the growth? (00:40) ② Hong Kong market ranked first in Q1 IPO fundraising. What unique advantages does the city offer? (13:01) ③ A conversation with the speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives (25:17) ④ French lawmakers approve a bill to ease the return of looted artworks. What's the significance of it? (33:07) ⑤ Artemis II b...

① Chinese, Vietnamese top leaders hold talks in Beijing. What's the significance of the meeting? (00:42) ② China put forward a four-point proposal on promoting peace and stability in the Middle East. What does it mean to the Middle East situations? (13:07) ③ Israel and Lebanon lay out different expectations in their first direct talks in Washington. What will come next? (25:14) ③ IMF cuts 2026 glo...

① China is witnessing a new wave of high-level visits. We explore the purposes and potential outcomes of the visits. (00:44) ② China's foreign trade recorded strong growth in the first quarter. What's behind the growth? (25:31) ③ A conversation with an official of Uruguay's National Meat Institute about the China market (32:48) ④ China plans to launch an "AI Plus Education" initiative to integrate...

① The Spanish PM is on an official visit to China. What to expect? (00:43) ② Mainland has unveiled a package of policies and measures to boost cooperation across the Taiwan Strait. What does it mean to cross-Strait relations? (12:42) ③ U.S. and Iran have failed to reach an agreement following talks in Pakistan. What will come next? (24:53) ④ China's PPI returned to growth in March. What's behind t...

A global poll has found that China surpassed the United States in approval ratings of leadership in 2025, and by the largest margin seen in nearly two decades. What's driving this change? How are global attitudes toward these two major powers evolving? And what could this shift mean for policymakers, and for the future of the global order? Host Dou Hongyu is joined by Chen Weihua, former Chief Was...

① The United Nations has condemned Israel’s strikes across Lebanon. Are the strikes posing a grave risk to the fragile US-Iran ceasefire? (00:55) ② Donald Trump has renewed his criticism of NATO after a meeting with the alliance’s secretary general Mark Rutte. What could happen to NATO next? (14:54) ③ Alibaba has cooperated with China Telecom to launch a new data center featuring the tech giant’s...

① Xi Jinping has called for demand-driven growth and creating more recognizable brands in China’s services industry. We explore how this sector can strive to break new ground? (00:54) ② China’s premier has held a phone call with his Australian counterpart, calling for expanding two-way trade. Is global turbulence prompting the two sides to further strengthen cooperation? (13:02) ③ The US and Iran...

① Why is Iran rejecting a ceasefire and calling for a permanent end to its conflict with the US and Israel? (00:51) ② The White House has proposed boosting defense spending to $1.5 trillion in its 2027 budget, the largest such request in decades. What could be the consequences when the US federal government emphasizes military investments over domestic programs? (13:54) ③ How will China’s new guid...

① China’s foreign minister has held a call with his Russian counterpart to discuss the Iran war. Can Beijing and Moscow jointly push for a ceasefire and renewed diplomacy? (00:54) ② China has surpassed the US by its largest margin in 20 years in a new Gallup global approval report. Is it surprising? (14:23) ③ China estimates over 840 million passenger trips during its three-day Qingming Festival h...

From RV camping and cruise tourism to low-altitude flights, many Chinese people are not just traveling, they are traveling differently. What is driving this change? Is it simply a rebound in consumer confidence, or does it point to a broader shift in how people choose to spend? And what could it mean for local economies and China’s long-term growth? Host Dou Hongyu is joined by Professor John Gong...

①Trump addressing nation on Iran war: Is US really "winning big"? (00:45) ② Russia says Japan's missile deployment could be "more than tragic". How neighbors guard against a revival of militarism in Japan? (23:54) ③ China's high-tech industries record robust growth in Q1. What explains its economic resilience amid global uncertainty? (33:39) ④ 210 million worldwide learning Chinese as Education Mi...

① China and Pakistan unveil joint peace proposal for the Gulf and Middle East. What role can China and Pakistan play? (00:54) ② European Parliament delegation visits China for the first time in eight years. Will this visit help EU lawmakers gain a more objective understanding of China? (21:58) ③ U.S. tech giants cut jobs while doubling down on massive AI investments. What does it mean for the futu...

① World Data Organization opens in Beijing. What’s next? (00:45) ② China launches countermeasures against Japanese lawmaker for undermining China's sovereignty. How far will Japan’s far-right go in undermining regional stability? (13:35) ③ OECD warns U.S. inflation could hit 4.2% this year. How might this reshape U.S. monetary policy and recession risks? (23:01) ④ Spain closes airspace to US warpl...

① Cheng Li-wun, leader of the Kuomingtang Party, will pay a visit to the Chinese mainland. What role can Taiwan’s main opposition party play in promoting the peaceful development of cross-Strait ties? (00:53) ② Can Pakistan and a few other nations push for a negotiated settlement between the US and Iran? (13:45) ③ Why have China’s industrial profits accelerated at the start of 2026? (25:00) ④ A ne...

China's daily AI token calls, a key measure of how intensively AI is being used, have hit an unprecedented level. What's behind the surge? How is China weaving AI into the fabric of factories, hospitals, and even our homes? And as the country's economy goes "smart," what could that mean for the rest of the world? Host Dou Hongyu is joined by Li Lun, Assistant Professor of Economics at Peking Unive...

① A conversation with Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, a senior UN official, on Boao Forum for Asia and regional economic integration. (00:56) ② China has issued a set of guidelines to accelerate the establishment of a nationwide long-term care insurance system. How will this move help alleviate the country’s aging challenges? (12:43) ③ Why have Chinese-developed AI models led global weekly token usage...

① China has released a list of its ten major scientific breakthroughs in 2025. What do they tell us about the focus of the country’s scientific research? (00:56) ② A conversation with Jonathan Choi Koon-shum, Chairman of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, on cooperation between Hong Kong and Hainan. (14:18) ③ China has lodged a protest with Japan after a Japanese Self-Defense Fo...

① Xi Jinping has called for efforts to build China’s Xiongan New Area into an innovation hub and a model of high-quality development. How can China nurture an innovative business environment in Xiongan? (00:56) ② A conversation with Eduardo Pedrosa, Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat. (12:17) ③ Why did China’s Yiwu, a hub for small commodities, see a more than 50% increase in trade in this...

① It’s time for the annual China Development Forum. Amid global turbulence, will China serve as a cornerstone of certainty for the world? (00:50) ② Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng has met a delegation of the US-China Business Council. What opportunities will China’s 15th Five Year Plan offer to American companies? (13:46) ③ Iran has warned that power plants in countries hosting US bases would be co...

China says it will turn aerospace into a pillar industry that improves lives and promotes industrial development. What are included in this goal? How close are these ambitions to reality, and what could they mean for you and me? Host Dou Hongyu is joined by Quentin Parker, Director of Laboratory for Space Research, University of Hong Kong; Zhang Fan, Associate Professor of Astronomy with Beijing N...

① Turkmenistan’s national leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov is on a visit to China. How can the two sides align their development strategies and promote multilateralism? (00:54) ② Tehran is intensifying attacks on the Gulf region’s energy facilities after Israel hit Iran’s gas field. Does this mark a further escalation in hostilities? (13:24) ③ We explore the Chinese mainland’s plans to facilitate...

① China has launched a Party-wide campaign to reshape how officials correctly view governance performance. (00:44) ② JP Morgan and UBS boost Chinese asset holdings. What’s attracting global capital to China? (14:02) ③ Top U.S. security official resigns over Iran threat assessment. Does this expose cracks in Washington’s war logic? (24:19) ④ Takaichi’s U.S. gamble: Can Japan afford Trump’s price? (...

① China–U.S. trade talks are constructive. What does this signal for future economic cooperation and global market stability? (00:46) ② China and Vietnam launch 3+3 strategic dialogue. How could this mechanism boost regional stability and bilateral coordination? (14:52) ③ Iran refuses a ceasefire, vows to keep fighting. What impact might this have on Middle East security and U.S. strategy? (24:00)...