World Today

Chinese defense chief says China will "fight to the very end" if anyone dares to split Taiwan from China. What message is he sending with this strong warning? (00:52)

US inflation hits 40-year high of 8.6%. (13:00)

US senators reach bipartisan gun control deal after recent mass shootings. Is this a first step in the right direction? (24:00)

The UK pushes ahead with plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda. We look at the human rights implications of this policy. (32:55)

Video of women being brutally attacked at Tangshan restaurant sparks public outrage in China. (41:46)

The U.S.-hosted Summit of the Americas has been held in Los Angeles under a cloud of controversy and a notable absence of several key regional leaders.

Will the U.S. be able to salvage the remnants of the Summit of the Americas? What does this growing open opposition to the US mean for its influence in the region?

Host Ge Anna is joined by:

Fiona Edwards, A member of the Organizing Committee of the “No Cold War” international campaign and editor of Eyes on Latin America;

Prof. Ted Goertzel, Emeritus Professor in the Sociology Department at Rutgers University in the U.S.;

Prof. Alessandro Teixeira, Former Brazilian Minister of Tourism and Former Executive Minister of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, and currently a professor of Public Policy at Tsinghua University.

①China's exports rebound while imports also beat expectations in May, adding to signs that China’s economy is recovering from COVID-19 outbreaks. (00:57) ②Iran is criticized by IAEA over nuclear activity. Will it damage diplomatic efforts to save the 2015 nuclear accord? (12:23) ③The US House of Representatives has passed a sweeping gun reform package, but does the bill stand any chance in the evenly divided Senate? (24:24) ④Latest in the Ukraine war: UN warns of hunger risk as talks over Ukraine grain blockade fail to break a deadlock. (33:09) ⑤Belgium's king regrets wounds of colonial past in his visit to DR Congo. What needs to be done to achieve a full reconciliation in the relations between Belgium and DR Congo? (41:24)

①China’s foreign minister is visiting Kazakhstan and has attended a China-Central Asia Foreign Ministers' meeting. What’s at stake in his trip? (00:53) ②Latest in the Ukraine war: Volodymyr Zelensky’s military adviser calls on the West to provide more rocket launchers. (14:34) ③India scrambles to contain fallout over insulting comments about Islam. Is Hindu nationalism damaging India's relations with important international partners? (25:00) ④South Korea and the US have staged a joint air power demonstration during a visit to Seoul by US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman. (34:07) ⑤The World Bank cuts the 2022 global growth forecast to 2.9%, 1.2 percentage points below its January forecast. (43:13)

①Migrant caravan in Mexico heads for US border as Americas Summit starts. Can the summit find ways to solve the migration crisis on the southern border of the US? (00:58) ②Boris Johnson survives a damaging no-confidence vote, but does this mean his political troubles are over? (12:53) ③China's Covid-era students sit for Gaokao, the annual college entrance exam, in record numbers. 45 years after the resumption of the Gaokao system, what has changed and what has not? (24:32) ④Mexico's opposition loses ground to the ruling Morena in state governor elections. Why do Mexicans support President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and his party? (34:14) ⑤We look at Apple’s worldwide developer conference where the tech giant has unveiled its latest software for iPhone, its M2 silicon chips for the new MacBook Pro, and much more. (42:56)

①China has launched another manned mission to its new space station. What’s the mission's role in the construction of the station? (00:53) ②Why is the Summit of the Americas being held in Los Angeles overshadowed by arguments over who should be invited and who might boycott the event? (12:33) ③Latest in the Ukraine war: Putin warns the West against delivering longer-range missiles to Ukraine. (24:30) ④Why has Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD seen its total sales soar 350% in the first five months of 2022? (34:02) ⑤We take at a look at World Environment Day 2022. (42:51)

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Australian counterpart Penny Wong are touring the South Pacific this week.

At a virtual meeting, foreign ministers from eight Pacific Island nations agreed to cooperate with China in five areas, including health, disaster management, and agriculture. But Wang said more discussion was needed on the Beijing-proposed China-Pacific Island Countries Common Development Vision.

Canberra has been trying to thwart that plan by sending Foreign Minister Penny Wong to the region. In a speech to the Pacific Islands Forum in Fiji, Wong positioned her country as a reliable partner “that doesn’t come with strings attached”.

So, is this a battle for influence between China on one side and the U.S. and its allies on the other?

Host Zhao Ying is joined by Dr. Iati Iati from Victoria University of Wellington, Prof. Joseph Siracusa at Curtin University in Australia, and Prof. Zha Daojiong from School of International Studies at Peking University.

①Russia may agree to OPEC+ compensating current drop in oil production. How will that potentially influence the global oil market(00:49)? ②The on-going Ukraine crisis has been having major impact on global food supplies. We talk to an economist to unravel the details(10:33). ③Elon Musk tells employees to return to office for 40 hours a week, or leave the company. Are more companies ready to embrace work-from-home(45:08)?

①China unveils a package of 33 policy measures to support the economy. What are the details? ②Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's South Pacific tour continues in Vanuatu. What are the latest? ③And we take a look at the top 10 most searched undergraduate majors among students who are getting ready for this year's college entrance exam in China.

①EU nations reach partial ban on Russian oil. What are the details? ②Shanghai is set to ease COVID control measures. What are the latest? ③Israel and Saudi Arabia are on their way to mend ties. How will that influence geopolitics in the Middle East?