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Episodes from World Today
Inside China's new trends of leisure spending
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 from the University of International Business and Economics, Assistant Professor of Economics Li Lun with the School of Economics at Peking University, and Mario Cavolo, Founder and CEO of M Communications Gr...
The Iran war: Is the U.S. really "winning big"?
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 Ministry launches new global language center online. (44:40)
China, Pakistan unveil Gulf peace proposal. What does it signal?
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 future of jobs in the age of AI? (31:38) ④ World’s largest unmanned cargo drone completes maiden flight in China. How could this breakthrough reshape logistics, and what does it reveal about China’s position in next-generation aviation? (4
Spain closes airspace to US warplanes – growing NATO rifts over U.S.-Israeli actions?
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 warplanes. Does this reveal growing NATO divisions over U.S.-Israeli unilateral actions? (34:04) ⑤ World reacts to Israel passing death penalty law. Could the law escalate tensions and undermine prospects for peace? (42:27)
What’s the key to peaceful development of cross-Strait ties?
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 new report has ranked China at the 9th in the world in innovation capability. We explore the specific fields where China is doing well and the areas where China is still playing catch-up. (34:29) ⑤ WTO members have concluded their meeting in Cameroon. H...
Beyond the tokens: China's AI push is shaping a "smart economy"
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 University, Andy Mok, Professor at Beijing Foreign Studies University, and Liu Baocheng, Director of the Center for International Business Ethics at the University of International Business and Economics, to unpack...
Will long-term care insurance alleviate China’s aging challenges?
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 for a second straight week and overtaken their US counterparts? (25:00) ④ We talk to a senior manager of a leading Chinese enterprise software builder about the future of intelligent systems. (35:31) ⑤ Trade ministers are in Cameroon for discussions on reforming the World Trade Organization. How does the...
China’s ten major scientific breakthroughs in 2025
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 Force officer broke into the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo. To what extent is the intrusion related to the current trajectory of China-Japan relations? (24:57) ④ Ghana’s president has criticized the US government for normalizing the erasure of Black history, warning such policie...
Is Xiongan New Area becoming a model of China’s high-quality development?
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 year’s first two months? (24:57) ④ Iran has denied having negotiations with the US, reversing Donald Trump’s earlier claim that Washington had reached major points of agreement with Tehran. Is Tehran willing to engage in serious talks with Washington...
The Earth’s climate is more out of balance than ever
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 considered legitimate targets if the US attacks Iran’s power facilities. What stage is the war entering? (25:27) ④ The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States has adopted a declaration calling for an end to the economic blockade against Cuba...
Unfolding China's space roadmap
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 Normal University; Zhou Mi, Senior Research Fellow with Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, to unfold China's space roadmap.
Elevating China-Turkmenistan cooperation to a new level
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 cross-Strait exchange and cooperation during its 15th Five-Year-Plan period. (25:00) ④ AstraZeneca says it will build a cell therapy base and an innovation center in Shanghai. As biomedicine becomes an emerging pillar industry in China, how could rising foreign investment help accelerate the sector’s develop...