World Today

① China's GDP grew by 5% in the first quarter. What's behind the growth? (00:40)

② Hong Kong market ranked first in Q1 IPO fundraising. What unique advantages does the city offer? (13:01)

③ A conversation with the speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives (25:17)

④ French lawmakers approve a bill to ease the return of looted artworks. What's the significance of it? (33:07)

⑤ Artemis II breaks record for farthest distance traveled from the Earth. What does that mean to the human beings? (41:38)

① Chinese, Vietnamese top leaders hold talks in Beijing. What's the significance of the meeting? (00:42)

② China put forward a four-point proposal on promoting peace and stability in the Middle East. What does it mean to the Middle East situations? (13:07)

③ Israel and Lebanon lay out different expectations in their first direct talks in Washington. What will come next? (25:14)

③ IMF cuts 2026 global growth forecast to 3.1%. What's dragging it down? (31:57)

⑤ A conversation with a senior business consultant about the transformation of Hainan, China's pilot free trade zone (44:03)

① China is witnessing a new wave of high-level visits. We explore the purposes and potential outcomes of the visits. (00:44)

② China's foreign trade recorded strong growth in the first quarter. What's behind the growth? (25:31)

③ A conversation with an official of Uruguay's National Meat Institute about the China market (32:48)

④ China plans to launch an "AI Plus Education" initiative to integrate AI into classrooms. What does it mean to education and future careers? (42:46)

① The Spanish PM is on an official visit to China. What to expect? (00:43)

② Mainland has unveiled a package of policies and measures to boost cooperation across the Taiwan Strait. What does it mean to cross-Strait relations? (12:42)

③ U.S. and Iran have failed to reach an agreement following talks in Pakistan. What will come next? (24:53)

④ China's PPI returned to growth in March. What's behind the rebound? (35:05)

⑤ Hungary's opposition party Tisza has won parliamentary elections. What changes will happen under the new government? (45:36)

A global poll has found that China surpassed the United States in approval ratings of leadership in 2025, and by the largest margin seen in nearly two decades. What's driving this change? How are global attitudes toward these two major powers evolving? And what could this shift mean for policymakers, and for the future of the global order?

Host Dou Hongyu is joined by Chen Weihua, former Chief Washington Correspondent of China Daily, Wang Zichen, Deputy Secretary-General at the Center for China and Globalization, and Lee Pei May, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the International Islamic University Malaysia, to delve into these questions.

① The United Nations has condemned Israel’s strikes across Lebanon. Are the strikes posing a grave risk to the fragile US-Iran ceasefire? (00:55)

② Donald Trump has renewed his criticism of NATO after a meeting with the alliance’s secretary general Mark Rutte. What could happen to NATO next? (14:54)

③ Alibaba has cooperated with China Telecom to launch a new data center featuring the tech giant’s own AI chips. We explore Chinese firms’ accelerating efforts to build domestic alternatives to advanced American AI chips. (24:43)

④ We look at how software updates are giving Chinese EV makers a new edge in global competition. (34:10)

⑤ A report indicates China’s small and medium-sized companies are increasingly satisfied with their development environment. How has China improved its business environment for smaller companies? (44:24)

① Xi Jinping has called for demand-driven growth and creating more recognizable brands in China’s services industry. We explore how this sector can strive to break new ground? (00:54)

② China’s premier has held a phone call with his Australian counterpart, calling for expanding two-way trade. Is global turbulence prompting the two sides to further strengthen cooperation? (13:02)

③ The US and Iran have agreed to a provisional ceasefire, with Tehran saying it will reopen the Strait of Hormuz. What uncertainties are lying ahead? (24:57)

④ Initial public offerings on China’s A-share market surged 56% in the first quarter from a year earlier. What has driven this remarkable growth? (35:25)

⑤ For the first time in over five years, a business delegation from India has made a visit to China with an eye on EV cooperation. How could China help India become more competitive in emerging technology sectors? (46:18)

① Why is Iran rejecting a ceasefire and calling for a permanent end to its conflict with the US and Israel? (00:51)

② The White House has proposed boosting defense spending to $1.5 trillion in its 2027 budget, the largest such request in decades. What could be the consequences when the US federal government emphasizes military investments over domestic programs? (13:54)

③ How will China’s new guidelines on e-commerce help advance its real economy? (24:53)

④ Battery giant CATL is looking to bring its electric vehicle success to the high seas, developing battery-powered ships. How does the prospect of this direction look like? (35:01)

⑤ France has sold off its last remaining gold reserves held in New York, and all of its gold reserves are now in Paris. What has prompted its central bank to take this move? (45:12)

① China’s foreign minister has held a call with his Russian counterpart to discuss the Iran war. Can Beijing and Moscow jointly push for a ceasefire and renewed diplomacy? (00:54)

② China has surpassed the US by its largest margin in 20 years in a new Gallup global approval report. Is it surprising? (14:23)

③ China estimates over 840 million passenger trips during its three-day Qingming Festival holiday, up 6% from a year ago. What has driven the growth? (24:54)

④ Volodymyr Zelenskyy is on a Middle East tour. How does Ukraine hope to develop ties with the region amid its own conflict with Russia and the Iran war? (36:07)

⑤ Congo says it will receive some deportees from the US as part of a new deal. What’s controversial about the Trump administration’s third-country program? (45:16)

From RV camping and cruise tourism to low-altitude flights, many Chinese people are not just traveling, they are traveling differently. What is driving this change? Is it simply a rebound in consumer confidence, or does it point to a broader shift in how people choose to spend? And what could it mean for local economies and China’s long-term growth?

Host Dou Hongyu is joined by Professor John Gong from the University of International Business and Economics, Assistant Professor of Economics Li Lun with the School of Economics at Peking University, and Mario Cavolo, Founder and CEO of M Communications Group, also a senior fellow at the Center for China & Globalization, to explore these questions.