The Hub with Wang Guan

All eyes are on Chinese Premier Li Qiang as he delivers the Government Work Report. The important document is about the overall direction for economic, social, and foreign policy for the year 2024. As China is focusing on new quality productive forces, what will be some of this year's main growth drivers? How will China navigate through domestic and international challenges? Robert Ross, professor of political science at Boston College and an associate at the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies at Harvard University, shares his views.

China's annual national meetings, known as the "Two Sessions," are scheduled to be held next week in Beijing. The government work report is expected to announce Chinese government's growth target and overall direction of its economic, social, and foreign policies development for 2024. What will be some of this year's main growth drivers? And what will it say about China's path to modernization? Professor Michele Geraci, former Undersecretary of State in the Italian Ministry of Economic Development, responsible for International Trade and Investment, shares his view.

It's been five months since the October 7th attack and Israel's offensive on Gaza, but there is still some hope as truce efforts are now picking up pace. Mediators have met in Paris last Friday to negotiate a potential deal for a pause in the fighting in Gaza. Israeli negotiators are set to travel to Doha, Qatar, in the coming days to continue discussions on a captive release and a truce agreement. A panel of experts join us to take stock of the current situation in the Middle East.

The Chinese New Year holiday saw a record upsurge in travel and consumption with more than 13 million in-and-outbound trips, over 632 billion yuan of domestic tourism spending and a record 8 billion yuan of box office revenue. The Spring Festival has just offered a window on China's economic growth and vibrancy. What signs can we read from these data? Is it heralding certain structural change and an upward momentum of growth?

The 37th Assembly of the African Union summit has just wrapped up in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This gathering brought together leaders from across the continent, providing a crucial platform for dialogue, collaboration, and the exploration of new paths. The agenda covered a spectrum as diverse as the African continent itself, addressing peace, development, and the ever-pressing matter of security. How might the outcomes of this summit reshape the organization's policies, and what lies ahead for the nations of Africa? Erastus Mwencha, former deputy chairperson of the African Union Commission, joins us to shed some light.

This month marks the second anniversary of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, and it also coincides with the year of sports exchanges between China and Russia. With time, hundreds of events between Chinese and Russian cities have taken place, in terms of joint competitions, joint researches, and events promoting Chinese and Russian sport exchanges. And we are about to witness exactly that today, when some of the world's finest figure skaters from Russia join hands with their Chinese peers on ice.

Guatemala, the most populous country in Central America, has for decades opted for so-called “diplomatic ties” with Taipei. Some see the inauguration of newly-elected President Bernado Arévalo as an inflection point for Guatemala to consider the question of “Beijing or Taipei”. What's the reality on the ground? With the recent reestablishment of diplomatic relations between China and Nauru, could a diplomatic shift be expected in Guatemala?

While the Gaza conflict continues, the Houthis have been launching attacks on vessels in the Red Sea for two months, saying they act in solidarity with Palestinians. In response, U.S. and British forces have launched joint strikes targeting Houthi militants in Yemen. Washington has also carried out a series of unilateral air raids, but the Houthis say counter-attacks will continue. Will tensions in the Red Sea veer into a wider conflict in the Middle East? And what's fueling these tensions?

The 2024 U.S. election is considered historic by many as a Biden-Trump re-match seems to be on the horizon. A pandemic later and three years after the January 6 attack on the Capitol, will this presidential election be more polarized than ever? What key issues will decide the outcome?

Just two days after the recent election in China's Taiwan region, Nauru, an island country in the South Pacific, severed ties with Taipei. Its parliament has swiftly approved motion to restore diplomatic relations with Beijing. While Taipei and Washington regretted the unstoppable shift, China and Nauru are now planning for future cooperation. How will the bilateral relationship evolve going forward between China and Nauru? What lies ahead for the China-Pacific Island Countries community of shared future, especially given Nauru's participation?