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.
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All eyes are on Beijing as Chinese Premier Li Qiang delivers the 2026 Government Work Report during the Two Sessions. What does the new economic growth target reveal about China’s priorities? And as China deepens its commitment to opening up, what opportunities lie ahead for global businesses and trading partners?
Host Xu Yawen is joined by Andy Mok, a professor at Beijing Foreign Studies University; Liu Baocheng, director of the Center for International Business Ethics at the University of International Business and Economics; and Dr. Lee Pei May, an assistant professor of political science at the International Islamic University Malaysia, to unpack China’s Government Work Report and its new five-year plan.
① How does China’s annual government work report chart the course of the country for this year and the next five years? (00:52)
② China’s foreign minister says Beijing will send its special Middle East envoy to regional countries to mediate in the Iran conflict. What has prompted China to make the decision? (24:59)
③ The US Court of International Trade has ordered the US Customs and Border Protection to process refunds on illegal tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump. Is it realistic to expect the Trump administration to do that? (36:27)
④ The European Commission has proposed a controversial industrial act to prioritize “Made in EU” goods in public support and procurement. Why is the proposed act criticized as a misguided and protectionist approach? (46:58)
① Why will economic growth and domestic demand top the agenda of China’s national legislature at its annual session? (00:54)
② A conversation with Lu Ming, a Chinese national political adviser and a professor at Shanghai Jiaotong University, on how China can boost its service consumption. (12:51)
③ China has rolled out 20 measures to boost sci-tech insurance. How is this sector offsetting the high costs and inherent risks associated with tech innovation? (24:52)
④ Donald Trump has lashed out at Britain over its limited support for US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Has Britain learned a lesson from its involvement in 2003 invasion of Iraq? (34:19)
⑤ The United Nations has expressed deep concern following a mass killing in South Sudan. Why has the country been beset by civil war, ethnic violence, poverty since it was formed in 2011? (45:25)
① The annual session of China’s top political advisory body is set to open. In what ways are consultative politics enhancing China’s democracy? (00:52)
② China has released its first national standard system covering the industrial chain and full life cycle of humanoid robots. How will the new standards support high-quality growth across the sector? (13:15)
③ Emmanuel Macron has ordered to increase the number of France’s nuclear warheads. What has prompted him to make the decision? (24:57)
④ The US and Israel’s war against Iran has spilled over into the Strait of Hormuz. What could be the conflict’s impact on global trade and economy if it continues in the foreseeable future? (34:21)
① A top meeting in China has described the next five years as a critical period for socialist modernization. How will China focus on economic development during its 15th Five Year Plan? (00:46)
② Why is Canada putting aside the frictions over the killing of a Sikh activist and seeking to re-engage with India? (10:24)
③ Iran has vowed to use all its strength to make its enemies pay a heavy price following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes. To what extent could the conflict widen? (24:58)
It's Friedrich Merz's first official visit to China as German chancellor. What results will he bring back to Berlin? Merz is the fifth European state leader Beijing has received in less than three months amid rising economic and geopolitical uncertainty. What implications does it carry for the future of China-EU relations?
Host Tu Yun joins Dr. Hans-Peter Burghof, a professor and the Chair of the Banking and Finance Department at the University of Hohenheim, Germany, Dr. JIN Ling, a senior research fellow leading the Department for European Studies, China Institute of International Studies, and Dr. George Tzogopoulos, the Director of EU-China Programmes and a senior research fellow at the European Institute of Nice to break down the signals, the substance, and what this moment really means.
① Meeting Germany’s Friedrich Merz in Beijing, Xi Jinping calls on China and Germany to be reliable, innovative, and cultural partners. What momentum has the German leader’s China visit injected into bilateral ties? (00:52)
② US-Iran nuclear talks resume in Geneva. Is the US military threat pressuring Iran to make concessions in negotiations? (15:13)
③ India’s Narendra Modi is on a two-day trip to Israel to strengthen security and economic cooperation between the two countries. Is his visit likely to give Israel a boost of international support? (25:14)
④ The IMF is urging the US to rein in its growing fiscal deficit, warning that public debt could climb to 140% of its GDP by 2031. What risks will this trend pose to the US and global economy? (34:37)
⑤ The French government has survived two no-confidence motions in parliament that were filed after a new energy law was adopted by decree. Why are French politics divided on energy issues? (45:14)
① German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is on a trip to China for talks on trade and other issues. What can China and Germany do together to counterbalance global uncertainties? (00:53)
② Donald Trump has touted his economic record during the State of the Union address, saying he has ushered in what he calls a golden age. What’s at stake for Trump in the address? (13:07)
③ Panamanian authorities have seized two ports on the Panama Canal from Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison. Will this case have a negative impact on China’s confidence to invest in Latin America? (24:35)
④ Gold prices are surging again as global uncertainty takes center stage. Is the rally sustainable? (34:23)
⑤ James Zimmerman, Chairman of AmCham China, gives his take on the importance of the Chinese market. (44:00)
① China’s Spring Festival holiday has delivered striking economic signals. Are we witnessing a structural shift toward experience-driven, service-led consumption in the country? (00:59)
② China has announced export control measures against 20 Japanese entities involved in boosting Japan’s military capabilities. Why is China’s concern about Japan’s remilitarization and nuclear ambitions legitimate? (11:52)
③ New Zealand’s prime minister gives his take on multilateralism and free trade. (24:07)
④ The EU has failed to approve additional sanctions on Moscow and a key loan for Kyiv. As the war in Ukraine marks its 4th anniversary, what’s its outlook? (32:35)
⑤ Cuba is grappling with fuel shortages as the US moves to choke off the country’s oil supplies, but Canada says it plans to provide assistance to Cuba. Is this generating another rift between Washington and Ottawa? (43:23)
① After the US Supreme Court declared the Trump administration’s unilateral tariffs illegal, China has called on the US to lift its tariffs. How can China safeguard its legitimate interests when Washington’s trade policy faces domestic political setbacks and uncertainties? (00:43)
② India and Brazil have signed a mining pact, and they are targeting $20 billion in two-way trade in five years. What are the two sides’ strategic calculations in deepening their trade? (12:05)
③ China has issued draft rules that would target the potential psychological and emotional risks of AI-powered chatbots. Why is China seriously paying attention to this field? (25:00)
① Trump gives Iran a 10-15 day ultimatum on the nuclear deal. Will diplomacy avert ‘bad things’ or is a crisis looming? (00:37)
② China sees a cross-border travel surge under the visa-free policy. (11:58)
③ Why does China aim for a "reasonable price recovery"? (24:10)
① China warns Japan over the Taiwan question: How should the world view Japan's growing militarism? (00:37)
② China celebrates a golden day at the Winter Olympic Games — what's behind its double triumph? (17:04)
③ Rise of the Humanoids: China's Robot Revolution. (25:35)
① Robots ignite a sales frenzy after the Spring Festival Gala show. What does it reveal about China’s structural industrial breakthrough? (00:40)
② China’s Spring Festival holiday kicks off strong, with box office and travel surging. What’s behind the holiday spending boom? (12:58)
③ China’s space economy: from launchpads to markets. (25:00)
① What new trends are emerging in China’s 2026 Spring Festival? (00:40)
② Hungarian State Folk Ensemble joins CMG’s 2026 Spring Festival Gala for cross-cultural celebration. (15:07)
③ Why is "Becoming Chinese" going viral overseas? (24:30)
① Dialogue or destruction? Chinese FM Wang Yi calls for cooperation as Munich warns of a fracturing world. (00:40)
② How GGI shape cooperation and redefine international engagement? (26:32)
The American think tank Council on Foreign Relations has ranked the ten best and worst decisions in U.S. foreign policy history. Now, as Washington grows more skeptical of multilateralism, reassesses alliances more transactionally, and returns to tariffs and sanctions, history feels closer than ever. What lessons—and what warnings—does America’s diplomatic past hold for today?
Host Ge Anna is joined by Zoon Ahmed Khan, Research Fellow at the Center for China and Globalization; Josef Mahoney, Professor of Politics and International Relations at East China Normal University; and Dr. Liu Kuangyu, Researcher at the Institute of Taiwan Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
① China’s foreign minister has met Hungary’s Viktor Orban in Budapest, with the two sides vowing to deepen all-round cooperation. Why has the Hungarian government led by Orban pursued a long-standing friendly policy towards China? (00:55)
② China has successfully completed a launch test of its new-generation heavy-lift rocket and manned spacecraft. We explore why the test marks a key step forward for the country’s lunar program. (16:17)
③ Lithuania’s prime minister has signaled potential change in Vilnius’s stance on Taiwan. Why was the 2021 opening of the so-called “Taiwan Representative Office” in the Lithuanian capital a strategic mistake? (24:25)
④ What has made the US House of Representatives break with Donald Trump and pass a resolution to terminate the US president’s Canada tariffs? (34:19)
⑤ Is Washington’s rhetoric fundamentally eroding transatlantic trust? Professor Adam Tooze from Columbia University gives his thoughts. (44:11)
① A senior CPC official has stressed supporting patriotic pro-reunification forces in Taiwan and striking hard against separatists. Why is the Chinese mainland justified to do so? (00:55)
② We analyze China’s provincial GDPs for 2025 and explore why “how fast” the economy grows becomes less important than “how well” it grows. (13:37)
③ South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed support for Russia's efforts to end the Ukraine war in a call with Vladimir Putin. How are the two sides developing their ties amid global uncertainties? (25:02)
④ Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse are renewing their calls for the full release of files tied to Epstein’s sex-trafficking network. What have led to their deep sense of frustration? (35:21)
⑤ Donald Trump has threatened to block the opening of a new US-Canada bridge, demanding that Canada turn over at least half of the project’s ownership and agree to other US demands over cross-border trade issues. Does the threat make sense? (44:20)
① During a visit to an information technology innovation park in Beijing, President Xi Jinping stressed self-reliance in science and technology. How can China achieve this strategic goal? (00:53)
② What is China’s vision for this year’s APEC Leader’ Meeting that will be held in Shenzhen? (15:15)
③ We explore how Epstein files are raising questions about US elite ties. (24:53)
④ Indian farm unions and opposition parties have called for nationwide protests against a new trade framework between India and the United States. Will the agreement put India’s farmers at a disadvantage? (32:03)
⑤ In China, winter sports were traditionally concentrated in Xinjiang and the northeast. Why are they gaining traction in the country’s south nowadays? (42:12)
① Hong Kong’s high court has sentenced Jimmy Lai to 20 years in prison. Why does he deserve it? (00:56)
② The US Justice Department is under scrutiny for revealing information about many of Jeffrey Epstein’s victims and concealing the details of individuals who may have aided the convicted sex offender. What systemic problem is it pointing to? (13:48)
③ Canada has announced a new EV strategy, stressing the importance of a strategic partnership with China. How big is the room for China-Canada EV cooperation? (24:54)
④ Israel’s president is in Australia to mourn the deaths of last year’s anti-Semitic attack at Bondi Beach. Many Australians have protested against his visit, condemning Israel’s military actions in Gaza. How is fury over Gaza dividing Australians? (34:14)
⑤ Saudi Arabia has announced a major investment package in Syria spanning energy, aviation, real estate, and telecommunications. What are Riyadh’s economic and strategic considerations? (44:22)
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