World Today
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With in-depth panel discussions on domestic and global news and current affairs, World Today gives you the story behind the headlines.
2016 Episodes
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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 holiday, up 6% from a year ago. What has driven the growth? (24:54)
④ Volodymyr Zelenskyy is on a Middle East tour. How does Ukraine hope to develop ties with the region amid its own conflict with Russia and the Iran war. (36:07)
⑤ Congo says it will receive some deportees from the US as part of a new deal. What’s controversial about the Trump administration’s third-country program? (45:16)
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 Group, also a senior fellow at the Center for China & Globalization, to explore these questions.
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)
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? (42:11)
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)
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. How long will the US and Brazil be deadlocked over e-commerce duties? How does the prospect of broader WTO reforms look like? (44:03)
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 the forces driving China's token boom and explore how AI is powering the rise of a new "smart economy."
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 prospect of the talks look like? (45:04)
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 policies could have ripple effects elsewhere. Does he have a point? (33:56)
⑤ Humanoid robot maker Unitree has filed for an IPO application on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, looking to raise over $610 million. How could capital markets help China’s humanoid robotics industry to develop? (42:36)
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 any time soon? (34:48)
⑤ Australia and the European Union have finalized a free trade agreement following years of negotiations. What has enabled the two sides to make the breakthrough? (44:29)
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. Is it realistic to have a dialogue between Cuba and the US on the basis of mutual respect? (33:17)
⑤ A new report of the World Meteorological Organization says the climate of the Earth is now more out of balance than at any point in recorded history. Is it coincidence that humanity has just endured the hottest decade on record? (43:21)
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.
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 development? (36:08)
⑤ Is eastern Congo closer to peace after a Washington meeting between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda? (45:50)
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? (30:46)
⑤ Nvidia resumes high-performance chip production for China. But does China still need them? (41:43)
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)
④ AI toys and robots boom in Yiwu. What does this reveal about China’s consumer tech surge and global market potential? (33:17)
⑤ The Spanish king acknowledges colonial abuses. How could this influence Spain–Latin America relations today? (43:43)
① China US hold trade talks in Paris. What to expect? (00:47)
② China's industrial output up 6.3 pct in first two months. What does this tell us about China’s economic momentum and structural strengths as growth pressures persist globally? (13:44)
③ Key allies have been holding back after Washington urged help to secure the Strait of Hormuz. What do these reactions tell us about the bigger picture of U.S. influence over its allies? (24:16)
④ How does the war on Iran impact the US economy? (34:50)
⑤ China has become the first country in the world to approve a brain‑computer implant for commercial use. What does this milestone mean for the future of neurotechnology? (44:26)
China has adopted three major pieces of legislation — the Ecological and Environmental Code, the Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law, and the National Development Planning Law — at the closing meeting of the fourth session of the National People's Congress. The passage of these landmark laws has drawn widespread attention. Why move forward with them at the very start of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan period?
Host Ge Anna is joined by Muhammad Ali Nasir, Professor of Economics, the University of Leeds, currently a visiting professor at Peking University; Einar Tangen, Senior Fellow, Center for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), a Canadian Think Tank; Dr. Zhou Mi, Senior Research Fellow, Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation.
① China’s annual government work report has named embodied AI as one of the emerging industries that the country will nurture. What mechanism should be put in place for this effort? What could be the ultimate value of embodied AI? (00:52)
② Iran’s president has outlined three conditions to end the war with the US and Israel. What do they tell us about Tehran’s current mindset on the war? (15:19)
③ The International Energy Agency has announced a historic release of 400 million barrels of emergency oil. To what extent can it ease supply shocks from the disruptions at the Strait of Hormuz? (24:56)
④ Jose Antonio Kast has been sworn in as Chile’s new president. What challenges will he face? (35:09)
⑤ In China, both supportive policies and risk warnings have emerged in response to the release of OpenClaw. How might the open source AI agent reshape China’s AI eco-system? (42:36)
① What has enabled China’s exports to sharply beat expectations in this year’s first two months? (00:55)
② China has set a target to increase average life expectancy to 80 years by 2030. What will it take to achieve this goal? (12:42)
③ Opposition has outweighed support in the US public opinion about Washington’s military action against Iran, according to polls conducted since the war began. Why is the war unpopular from the beginning? (23:51)
④ Speaking at the second Nuclear Energy Summit in Paris, a Chinese vice premier says China stands ready to work with countries on a more inclusive nuclear governance. What can China contribute to promoting solutions for the safe and sustainable development of civil nuclear power? (31:29)
⑤ The UK has introduced a new advisory definition of anti-Muslim hostility. What is behind a record surge in reported hate crimes against Muslims in the country? (42:10)
① China has set a target of boosting the digital economy to account for 12.5% of its GDP by 2030, which would be a significant increase from the 10.5% share achieved in 2025. What does it take to achieve this goal? (00:53)
② A conversation with Dr. Henry Tan, a political adviser from Hong Kong and CEO of Luen Thai Group. (15:03)
③ Why did China’s consumer inflation hit a three-year high in February? (24:58)
④ More than a week after the US-Israel war with Iran began, how has the conflict affected global energy supply? (35:09)
⑤ European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called on Europe to adopt a more realistic and interest-driven foreign policy. What does it tell us about the EU’s view on world order? (44:59)
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