World Today

①In a phone call with his US counterpart Antony Blinken, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang called on the US to respect China's core concerns. Who should bear the responsibility of the new difficulties that the bilateral relations have encountered this year? (00:54)

②In a White House meeting, neither US President Joe Biden nor NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg offered clarity on who is likely to lead the alliance after Stoltenberg departs later this year. (15:30)

③We look at China's latest policy rate cut and whether it signals possible stimulus. (25:14)

④Donald Trump blasts “evil and heinous abuse of power” after his second indictment. Is he seeking to turn his legal woes into political gains heading into the 2024 election? (34:59)

⑤We explore how billions of dollars in COVID-19 relief aid in the US ended up being stolen or wasted. (43:41)

①Palestinian President Abbas has arrived in China for a state visit. What key issues are expected to be high on his agenda? (00:48)

②NATO begins its largest-ever air exercise. What impact might it have on the on-going Ukraine crisis? (11:55)

③Four years on, STAR Market supports tech enterprise development. (23:54)

④Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson engage in a heated dispute over the honours list. Why does a list trigger such chaos? (33:37)

⑤What factors have contributed to the steady decline in the marriage rate in China? (41:54)

①Honduran President Xiomara Castro is on her first visit to China after the two countries established diplomatic ties. We discuss the future of China-Honduras relations.(1:00)

②Saudi Arabia announces billions of dollars in investment deals at the Arab-China summit. What factors have contributed to the growing economic and diplomatic ties between China and Middle Eastern countries? (13:53)

③The Biden administration considers rejoining UNESCO six years after Trump withdrew from it. What's behind the decision? (24:31)

④Donald Trump has been indicted on 37 criminal counts tied to his handling of classified documents. Could he go to prison? (31:58)

⑤What to expect from the Fed's June meeting? (43:12)

In recent weeks, a glimmer of hope has emerged as Chinese and American officials engage in a flurry of meetings, aiming to mend the cracks in their strained relations. Will there be a thaw in China-US relations, as predicted by US President Joe Biden at the G7 summit? What are the main obstacles hindering effective communication and trust-building between the two countries? Moreover, with prominent business leaders such as Elon Musk and Tim Cook receiving high-profile treatment in China, can trade relations continue to serve as the bedrock of bilateral ties?

Host Zhao Ying is joined by Prof. Qu Bo from China Foreign Affairs University, Einar Tangen, Senior Fellow at Taihe Institute, and Harvey Dzodin, Former Vice President of ABC TV network and Senior Fellow of the Center for China and Globalization.

①Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. Xie Feng calls for stabilizing bilateral ties. What are the details of his speech? (00:42) ②Honduran President is set to make her first visit to China. What should we expect? (13:38) ③U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits Saudi Arabia.(25:08) ④Survey shows most Europeans want to remain neutral in U.S.-China rivalry.(34:00) ⑤China is to hold first nationwide village basketball tournament.(43:00)

①Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for sustained efforts to create new miracles in tackling desertification.(00:47) ②The World Bank lifts world economic outlook, raising China's 2023 forecast to 5.6%. What are the details? (14:30) ③Russia and Ukraine are blaming each other for the destruction of a dam in the Kherson region.(25:30) ④China has strongly criticized Japan's plan to release nuclear-contaminated water into the sea, calling it "extremely irresponsible." (33:56) ⑤Apple enters mixed reality race with Vision Pro headset. What's special about the new gadget? (43:48)

①China's first domestic-built cruise ship has left its dock for the first time. What's the significance? (00:46) ②France has reportedly rejected a NATO proposal to set up an office in the Japanese capital of Tokyo. What are the details? (11:45) ③Diplomats from China and the United States have held discussions in Beijing on refining ties and properly managing differences.(25:30) ④Iran and Saudi Arabia move to further improve ties, with Tehran reopening embassy in Riyadh.(35:50) ⑤Turkey's new finance minister has pledged a return to rational economic policy.(43:30)

①Chinese Defense Minister stresses one-China principle on the Taiwan question and elaborates on China's Global Security Initative at the 20th Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. (00:56) ②The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership has come into full implementation after taking effect in the Philippines. What's the significance? (14:30) ③India's railway minister says an error in the electronic signaling system caused the fatal train derailment on Friday. What are the latest? (26:00) ④Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Oman will form a joint navy alliance for security protection in the Persian Gulf. (38:20) ⑤Oil prices have jumped after Saudi Arabia announced it would cut production by another one million barrels per day. (46:00)

China has successfully launched a fresh crew into orbit. The Shenzhou-16 spacecraft transported three taikonauts, including China's first civilian space traveler, to the Tiangong space station this week. It marks the first manned mission since the space station entered its application and development stage. How does the mission set the stage for the future objectives of China's space program, particularly the goal of sending humans to the moon by 2030? As multiple nations and organizations increasingly engage in space exploration, how can we safeguard the pursuit of knowledge and foster international cooperation in this evolving landscape?

Host Zhao Ying is joined by Xu Yansong, Director of International Cooperation at China National Space Administration; Zhang Fan, Associate Professor of the Astronomy Department at Beijing Normal University; and Professor Quentin Parker, Director of the Laboratory for Space Research at the University of Hong Kong.

①Responding to reports that China has rejected a US proposal for a defense chiefs’ meeting, China urges the US to create conditions for military dialogue. Why, from China’s perspective, does the responsibility for the current communication difficulties lie with the US? (00:51)

②NATO foreign ministers meet in Norway to debate Ukraine’s status and Sweden's accession. (13:25)

③IAEA team in Japan for final review before the country dumps 1.3 million tons of treated radioactive water into the sea. (26:44)

④China’s foreign ministry criticizes India for giving unfair treatment to Chinese journalists based in India. Does this episode mark further worsening of the bilateral relations? (37:31)

⑤In the US, the House of Representatives has passed a bill to raise the US debt ceiling. (46:58)