Dialogue

This week, China pushed back against remarks by the British Foreign Secretary regarding the recent conviction of Jimmy Lai. Lai was found guilty of violating China's National Security Law over his role in the 2019 violent unrest in Hong Kong. Beijing rejected the characterization of the verdict as a "politically motivated prosecution," saying the British side is interfering in China's internal affairs and deliberately mislabeling a criminal case as a political one. Why are some Western governments so quick to label a criminal judgment as "political"? More fundamentally, who gets to define justice in Hong Kong—its courts operating under the law, or external actors applying their own political standards?

Hong Kong's High Court has found media tycoon Jimmy Lai guilty on multiple charges, including conspiring to collude with external forces and conspiracy to publish seditious materials. This marks the first case under Hong Kong's National Security Law involving the crime of collusion with foreign forces, making it a landmark verdict with legal and political implications for the city. What do we know about the ruling, and why does it matter for the city's security and stability? In the second half of the program, we'll turn to Japan where we examine Tokyo's plan for a record-high defense budget in 2026 and the ongoing tensions in China-Japan relations.

The annual Central Economic Work Conference has just concluded in Beijing with Chinese leaders deciding priorities for the economic work in 2026, the beginning of China's 15th Five-Year Plan. The message is clear: China is to boost consumption and build a robust domestic market to deal with external challenges. Meanwhile, institutions such as the IMF and the World Bank have raised their growth forecasts for China, underscoring the country's expanding global footprint. What can we learn from this key economic meeting? What do these signals reveal about China's next stage of development? How will local reforms, consumer spending, innovation and continued opening-up shape the economic landscape at home and abroad?

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has just wrapped up a two-day visit to China, the first such trip since Berlin's new government took office and one that comes amid an unusually active wave of European diplomacy in Beijing. During his meetings with senior Chinese officials, Wadephul discussed trade, investment, supply chain stability, rare-earth management and industrial cooperation. He also emphasized that "direct engagement with China" has become irreplaceable for Germany and Europe. What does this visit reveal about the current state of China–Germany relations? What issues now sit at the heart of the bilateral agenda? And as more European leaders travel to China, what can we expect from the next stage of China-EU engagement?

Hong Kong has just held its 8th-term Legislative Council election, the citywide vote that takes place every four years to choose all 90 members of the legislature. This year's election drew extra attention as it unfolded just days after the deadly fire in the district of Tai Po. Hong Kong SAR Chief Executive John Lee has already placed post-fire recovery and follow-up work at the top of the new legislature's agenda. What do the results of the election tell us about the development of high-quality democracy in Hong Kong? How will the new legislature work with the HKSAR government to build a safer and more resilient city? And how can the local government best seize the opportunities brought by China's high-quality growth?

Analysts share their perspectives on issues such as efforts to bring Chinese literature to a wider global audience and the role of literature in shaping the world's understanding of China.

China-Japan relations have worsened after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said that any conflict in the Taiwan Strait would be a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan - a legal phrase that implies Japan could intervene militarily if fighting breaks out over Taiwan. Beijing has denounced the remark as a severe violation of the one-China principle and gross interference in China's internal affairs. How has the Japanese Prime Minister triggered such a storm? What does it reveal about Japan's shifting security posture? And where might this confrontation lead?

The Communist Party of China has released a blueprint outlining the country's development path through 2030. Known as the 15th Five-Year Plan, it sets the course for China's growth and offers the world a window into its next phase of modernization. What will this next stage of growth look like? And how will China deal with rising protectionism, boost domestic demand, and manage local government debt while speeding up technological innovation to strengthen its self-reliance?

The 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference, commonly known as COP30, has kicked off in Brazil's Amazon city of Belem. The UN has warned that the world has failed to meet the goals set in the 2015 Paris agreement, limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre industrial levels, and is now calling for immediate action. In September, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced China's 2035 climate pledges to further strengthen the country's climate response. Will COP30 achieve substantial results? Is it still possible to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius by the end of the century? What does China's commitment to a green transition mean for the world? Can the Paris agreement remain strong despite U.S. withdrawal?

China's commitment to high-standard opening up continues to evolve amid major domestic transformation and a fast-changing global landscape. What will China's next stage of opening up look like as it rolls out a new Five-Year Plan? How will the drive further strengthen China's economic foundation in the years ahead? What steps can make foreign businesses feel truly at home in China?