World Today

① Xi concludes trip to Russia. What outcomes have been obtained? (00:51)

② China’s socialist democracy outperforms American democracy in many ways: Expert. (11:34)

③ Official data show China's foreign trade is off to a good start this year. (25:55)

④ Japanese PM promises to offer unwavering support to Ukraine during a surprise visit to Kyiv. (34:37)

⑤ TikTok CEO is set to face US lawmakers to refute the data security allegations. (44:17)

① Xi says China continue to support political settlement of Ukraine crisis when meeting with Putin in Moscow. (00:48)

② New Zealand’s foreign minister will visit her counterpart in China. (13:55)

③ South Korean president’s diplomatic breakthrough with Japan receives harsh criticism at home. (25:14)

④ US President Joe Biden signs legislation to declassify certain intelligence on COVID origins. (45:19)

① Chinese President Xi Jinping pays a state visit to Russia. (00:48)

② The foreign ministry of China releases a report on the state of democracy in the U.S. in 2022. (16:54)

③ OECD lifts China's 2023 growth forecast to 5.3%. (37:26)

④ French President Emmanuel Macron faces no-confidence votes amid nationwide protests. (54:23)

It's been 20 years since the United States and coalition forces invaded Iraq without U.N. permission on March 20th, 2003. What are the broad and ongoing consequences of the war on Iraq? Did the Iraqi people get the democracy and freedom promised to them by the U.S.?

Host Ge Anna is joined by Dr. Wang Jin, Associate Professor at Northwest University in Xi'an, China; Dr. Greg Barton, Professor of Global Islamic Politics at Deakin University; Dr. Tim Anderson, Director of Center for Counter Hegemonic Studies, a Sydney-based think tank.

①Xi Jinping has proposed a Global Civilization Initiative at a political parties’ summit. What does the idea tell us about China's vision for the world today? (00:55)

②We have a conversation with Essam Sharaf, Former Egyptian Prime Minister, on global governance. (11:59)

③The Swiss central bank has agreed to lend Credit Suisse up to $54 billion to shore up the finances of the troubled banking giant. The problems in Credit Suisse once more raise the question whether this is the beginning of a global crisis. (24:31)

④Japan and South Korea are holding a top leaders' summit in a sign that the two countries are trying to improve their ties. Can the summit resolve their long-running disputes? (34:38)

⑤Former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating has described the country's agreement to buy and develop nuclear-powered submarines as “the worst deal in all history”. Does he have a point? (42:18)

①US claims a Russian aircraft collided with an unmanned US drone over the Black Sea, but Russia says the drone lost control because of a sharp manoeuver and crashed into the sea without Russian involvement. What could be the ripple effect of the incident (00:53)

②Honduras is to ditch diplomatic relations with Taiwan and open official ties with the Chinese mainland. What could be the consideration of the central American nation? (12:30)

③China's economy continued to show improvement for the first two months of 2023, as industrial production, retail sales, investment grew. (24:24)

④Shares of Chinese telecom firms surge amid digital economy’s growth momentum. (32:28)

⑤Argentina's inflation tops 100% for the first time in three decades. Is the country entering a crisis similar to what it experienced three decades ago? (43:02)

①Bank sell-off spreads to global markets after SVB collapse. (00:52)

②18 months after the signing of the Aukus pact, the US, UK and Australia unveiled details of a plan to create a new fleet of nuclear-powered. (15:13)

③In the US, the Biden administration is asking for $842 billion from the Congress for the Pentagon in the 2024 budget year. What’s behind this largest request in nearly two decades? (25:00)

④China lifts visa curbs on foreigners in the latest step of reopening. To what extent does the inflow of international travelers matter to China's economy? (34:41)

⑤In a spat with US officials, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador argues that his country is safer than the US. We explore the reasons behind the ongoing tensions. (44:25)

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for more efforts to build a community of shared future for mankind. Addressing the closing meeting of the annual session of the National People’s Congress, Xi also called for greater economic self-reliance and the need to coordinate development and security.

Meanwhile, in a press conference, Premier Li Qiang has highlighted pursuing high-quality development as a priority of the new government. The new premier pledged to strive to ensure stability in job markets, adding China will remain steadfast in reform and opening-up.

What messages do we read from Xi’s address and Li’s press conference?

Host Ding Heng is joined by Dr. Zhou Mi, Senior Research Fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation; Professor Doug Guthrie, Director of China Initiatives at Thunderbird School of Global Management; Dr. George Tzogopoulos, Director of the EU-China Program at CIFE, a France-based research organization.

Iran and Saudi Arabia have agreed to reestablish diplomatic relations and reopen embassies after seven years of tensions.

This historic breakthrough was made possible by China, which hosted the talks between the two sides.

Saudi Arabia cut ties with Iran in 2016 after demonstrators stormed its embassy in Tehran, in response to Riyadh’s execution of a prominent Shia Muslim cleric. Since then, tensions between the two nations have remained high, with each side viewing the other as a threatening power seeking regional dominance.

Chinese senior diplomat Wang Yi congratulated the two sides on taking this important step forward, emphasizing China’s support for their efforts in strengthening ties.

What has led to this significant development? For this question and much more, host Zhao Ying is joined by Einar Tangen, Senior Fellow with the Taihe Institute, and Dr. Wang Jin, Associate Professor at Northwest University in Xi'an, China.

China’s annual political season, known as the “Two Sessions,” is now underway in Beijing. This crucial event brings together thousands of national legislators and political advisors to discuss the country’s priorities for this year and beyond.

This year’s Two Sessions holds even more significance as it is the first following the 20th CPC National Congress, which set out the path for China to achieve the Second Centenary Goal of building a great modern socialist country in all respects by the middle of this century.

What are some of the highlights of this year’s Two Sessions? How will the meetings help mobilize the nation to fulfill its modernization goals?

Host Zhao Ying is joined by Prof. Joseph Siracusa, Dean of Global Futures at Curtin University, Prof. Josef Gregory Mahoney from East China Normal University, and Prof. Qu Qiang, associate director of International Monetary Institute at Renmin University of China.