The Agenda Podcast

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China has now set out its plans for the next 5 years. The blueprint for development from 2026-2030 covers guiding principles for economic and social development -  everything from new technology to agricultural advancement, job creation to high-quality growth. 

So what does this all actually  mean for China? And indeed the rest of the world?

On this special edition of The Agenda, Juliet Mann gets the thoughts of Dr. Palitha Kohona  - Former Sri Lanka Ambassador to China and now CEO of AsiaAdvisors, Janusz Wojciechowski, Former European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, Qian Jun, Professor of Finance and Executive Dean at the International School of Finance at Fudan University, Heiwai Tang, Victor and William Fung Professor in Economics at the University of Hong Kong and Margit Molnar, Head of the China Desk at the OECD Economics Dept

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While China discussed the details of its next five year plan in Beijing – this week Juliet Mann went to Nicosia where an incredible mix of politicians, academics and broadcast experts gathered for the China-Cyprus-Europe Media Forum – an event designed to consider how increasing media exchanges and cooperation can shape a better future for relations between China and Cyprus, and indeed the rest of Europe.

And as at the 4th Plenum in Beijng, technology was at the forefront of the event – especially how AI is changing the economic and media landscape.

So in this special edition of The Agenda, from the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation Headquarters in Nicosia, Juliet Mann is joined by Thanasis Tsokos, Director General of the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation, Liu Zhen, Vice President of Kuaishou Technology, Rita Fatiguso, China expert and former Beijing Correspondent of the Italian channel Il Sole 24 Ore,  Professor Fu Xiaoguang from the Communication University of China in Beijing, and Elli Kotziamani, Chair of the Cyprus Media Ethics Committee and Director of the News Department at the Greek network, Ant1.

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The United Nations is now celebrating its 80th anniversary. Set up in the wake of the Second World War, it was designed to maintain peace across the globe, fostering friendly relations between nations.

But eight decades on, with the world a markedly different place, what does the organization need to do to maintain its position at the heart of 21st century geopolitics?

In this editon of The Agenda, Juliet Mann travels to Madrid to speak exclusively to Maria Fernanda Espinosa – who served as the President of the 73rd General Assembly – one of only five women in history to have held that position.

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Despite Donald Trump’s claim that “Europe is in serious trouble” over illegal immigration, UN data shows arrivals have actually fallen sharply. Yet migration remains one of Europe’s most divisive issues, shaping politics, fuelling populism, and driving tough new border policies.
 
 On this edition of The Agenda, Juliet Mann explores whether Europe’s approach to migration is working and if the continent is being fuelled by fear rather than facts with Heaven Crawley, Former Director of the Migration for Development and Equality Hub, Klaus Jurgens, Director of EconomyFirst and Dr Paolo Novak,  Senior Lecturer in Development Studies and Co-Director of Centre for Migration and Diaspora Studies at SOAS

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The rise of AI is set to send the semiconductor industry skyrocketing to a value of over $1 trillion by 2030. But as the market expands, so too does the battle for global control. 

So who's really leading the way? Just where do chips fit in to the current global trade tensions? And is the race to sign up a new generation of tech talent the next vital battleground?
 

On this edition of The Agenda, Juliet Mann speaks to Dr Steven Hai, Assistant Professor in Tech-Innovations at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University & Affiliate Fellow at King's Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Malcolm Penn, founder and CEO of Future Horizons and Christopher Thomas, Chairman of Integrated Insights.

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As populations age and birth rates fall, the so-called silver economy is becoming one of the biggest forces shaping our future.
 
On this edition of The Agenda, Juliet Mann asks whether longer lives will bankrupt the global economy or spark a new era of growth. From Europe’s pension protests to China’s booming elder-care market, retirement no longer looks the way it used to and governments are scrambling to adapt.

Joining Juliet to discuss the risks and opportunities  Du Peng, Dean of the School of Population and Health at Renmin University, Nicholas Barr, Professor of Public Economics at the London School of Economics, and Haleh Nazeri, Longevity Economy Lead at the World Economic Forum.

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New UK Business Secretary Peter Kyle has had to hit the ground running. Just days after being promoted to the job he was off on a whistle-stop tour to Washington, and then to Beijing, where he helped to reboot the UK-China Economic and Trade Commission (Jetco) - which hadn’t met in seven years. 

But what does this really say about the state of the UK’s trade relationships? And where are the mutually beneficial opportunities for trade with the world’s second largest economy? 

Joining Juliet Mann on this edition of The Agenda are Dr Gerard Lyons, Economist and Senior Independent Director, Bank of China, Yin Zhiguang, Professor of International  Politics, Fudan University and Michael Mainelli, Chairman of Z/Yen Group

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The eyes of the world have been firmly focused on China, as leaders from across the globe gathered for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting in Tianjin, and then moved on to Beijing for a huge military parade to mark 80 years since the end of the Second World War.

So what have we learned from last week's events? And what might President Xi Jinping's Global Governance initiative mean for the future?

On this edition of The Agenda podcast, Juliet Mann speaks to Political commentator and author of “When China rules the world”, Martin Jacques, Josef Gregory  Mahoney, Professor of Politics at East China Normal University and Zoe Reed, Chair Emerita of the Society for Anglo-Chinese Understanding.

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80 years after the end of the Second World War, the roles of the UK, US and the then Soviet Union are rightfully celebrated. But the crucial role played by China in the conflict is too often forgotten.

So in this special programme, Jamie Owen talks to a panel of experts to consider just why that is, and also to see whether the lessons learned and institutions founded 80 years ago remain relevant today.

At a unique event in Liverpool, Jamie is joined by Professor Yangwen Zheng from the University of Manchester, historians Dr Frances Wood and Dr Robert Lyman, Spain’s former Foreign Minister Ana Palacio, and ex-Prime Minister of Hungary, Peter Medgyessey.

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2025 marks 80 years since the end of the Second World War.

After eight decades, the exploits of the UK, US and then Soviet Union are justly well remembered.  But the role of China, remains largely overlooked in the West. 

On this episode of The Agenda, we find out why China’s pivotal role has often been dismissed with world-renowned historian Rana Mitter.