German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will make his first trip to China since taking office. How will Beijing and Berlin manage cooperation and competition, especially in industrial manufacturing?

The year of 2026 marks the beginning of China's 15th Five Year Plan, a moment when economic planning meets a far more complex global environment. Slower global growth, rising geopolitical tensions and structural pressures at home are re-shaping how China thinks about development, reform and opening-up. What kind of economic roadmap is China setting for the next five years? How is policy adapting to weaker demand, greater competition and growing uncertainty? And where do opportunities lie for foreign investors as the country pushes for high-level opening up?

The Spring Festival is China's warmest cultural landmark, woven into the nation's DNA. Yet it is also a tradition quietly transforming before our eyes. The aroma of New Year's Eve dinner now travels through video calls. Financial blessings are sent through digital red envelopes with the tap of a finger. The roar of firecrackers has given way to dazzling but silent light shows. While the forms may be changing, do the deeper meanings remain the same? As this traditional holiday meets digital technology, green values, and global trends, is it being diluted — or is it finding new vitality?

Dialogue covers a wide range of topics, providing a balanced and critical perspective on current affairs and analysis within the framework of cross-cultural and multidisciplinary comparisons. Hundreds of heads of state, diplomats, business leaders and culture icons have appeared on the show.

Relations between the United States and Europe are facing a profound shift. At forums like the Munich Security Conference, European analysts have warned that U.S.-EU relations are becoming more unpredictable. European policy makers are openly discussing ideas once considered taboo - from a strategic autonomy in defense to re-calibrating economic and political ties. What is driving this widening gap? Is this a temporary rupture linked to the current Trump administration or a deeper shift in how Europe and the U.S. see each other? What might a new balance in the transatlantic relationship look like?

Japan's recent snap election has delivered a historic victory for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her ruling Liberal Democratic Party. Together with its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, the ruling bloc has secured 316 seats, more than two-thirds of the House of Representatives. This decisive result gives the government far greater leverage on security and economic policy. What drove this landslide victory? What changes might follow?

A recent ruling by Panama's Supreme Court has thrown the future of two major ports at the Panama Canal into uncertainty. The court ruled that the contract operated by a Hong Kong-based firm is unconstitutional, calling into question nearly thirty years of port operations. The decision could have far-reaching implications for foreign investors, Panama's business environment, and confidence in long-term contracts at one of the world's most important trade chokepoints.

The Jeffrey Epstein files released by the U.S. Department of Justice have raised fresh questions when crimes involve elite networks and institutional failures. What have the files revealed? Why did it take so long for the information to come out? And what consequences may follow?

With China expanding visa-free access for travelers from dozens of countries, more foreign visitors are seeing the country not just through headlines but also through daily life. Many visitors arrive with firm impressions already formed by news coverage, social media and political narratives. What happens when those expectations meet reality? What surprises them most once they're here?

As the United States and Iran prepare for talks in Turkiye, tensions are once again rising. Tehran is issuing stark warnings about regional consequences in the event of a U.S. attack, while Washington is ramping up military pressure, signaling an increasingly imminent threat. Why is the U.S. targeting Iran again at this moment? What can we expect from the upcoming talks?