World Today

①Nick Chan, a lawyer and Hong Kong deputy to China’s National People’s Congress, give his views on China’s move to amend its legislation law. (00:58)

②We hear from a senior Xinjiang official about the region's economic development plan. (13:26)

③CGTN’s exclusive interview with Seymour Hersh, the veteran American journalist who has published an investigative report suggesting that the US Navy was behind the Nord Stream attacks. (24:56)

④Latest in tech war: The Netherlands is to restrict semiconductor exports after US pressure over the so-called China threat. (30:03)

⑤The UN refugee agency warns that the UK's asylum bill introduced this week will undermine international law if it is passed. We look at the controversies of the bill. (42:50)

①Professor Radhika Desai from the University of Manitoba in Canada gives her views on China’s path to modernization and its socialist democracy. (00:51)

②We discuss China’s proposal to restructure its science, technology and finance regulators. (12:08)

③US Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell warns of returning to bigger interest rate hikes. (24:33)

④Ukraine denies involvement in Nord Stream pipeline blasts after a New York Times report. (35:18)

⑤Days before the 20th anniversary of US invasion of Iraq, US defense chief Lloyd Austin made a surprise visit to Baghdad to reaffirm the claimed US commitment. (42:59)

①China's new foreign minister has hailed the China-Russia ties and warned of potential conflict with the US during a press conference on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People's Congress. We look at some highlights of the press conference. (00:54)

②China's foreign trade dips at the start of 2023. (24:35)

③Huawei has reportedly shelved a plan for a 1-billion-pound Cambridge research campus in the UK. What does the project’s expected failure tell us about the obstacles facing the UK's tech ambition? (34:40)

④Canada has announced a probe into alleged Chinese interference in the country's recent elections. Does that make sense? (44:16)

①Andrew Yao, a Hong Kong deputy to China's National People’s Congress, gives his views on this year’s government work report. (00:54)

②China will increase defense spending this year by 7.2%. Is Beijing re-weighting towards security over development? (12:08)

③South Korea has announced a plan to resolve a long-running wartime labor dispute with Japan. To President Yoon Suk-yeol’s government, why is seeking common interests with Japan more important than taking care of the grievances of forced labor victims? (24:32)

④British chip giant Arm has chosen New York listing. How big of a blow does its decision deal to London? (32:39)

⑤Italy's Giorgia Meloni is defending her government's actions before a deadly migrant shipwreck late last Month. Is it fair to blame the Italian authorities for the tragedy? (42:37)

China has set a growth target of “around 5%” for 2023. Premier Li Keqiang announced the target on Sunday as he delivered a government work report to the opening session of the National People’s Congress, China’s top legislative body.

In the meantime, the report sets a goal of 3% for the consumer price index, a 5.5% urban unemployment rate, among other economic targets. The report says spurring domestic demand will be one of this year’s priorities for economic policy.

The report has also reviewed China’s achievements in the past year and past five years in areas such as poverty alleviation, infrastructure construction and environmental protection.

Host Ding Heng is joined by Yao Shujie, Chueng Kong Professor of Economics with Chongqing University; Sultan Hali, a retired Air Force officer in Pakistan, and author of the book "Hundred Years of Communist Party of China".

It looks a debt crisis is looming in the developing world. The International Monetary Fund estimates 60% of low-income countries are in, or at high risk of, debt distress, double the 2015 level. During the pandemic, government debt ballooned by almost $2 trillion in more than 100 developing countries. 25 developing economies are currently spending over 20% of their government revenues on debt servicing. Apart from economic turmoil, the possibility of a wave of sovereign defaults is giving rise to concerns of political instability in these economies.

Can there be a realistic solution to the crisis?

Host Ding Heng is joined by Professor Liu Baocheng, Director of the Center for International Business Ethics at the University of International Business and Economics; Dr. Lauren Johnston, Associate Professor at the China Studies Center, University of Sydney; Keith Pilbeam, Professor of International Economics and Finance at City, University of London.

①China and Belarus pledge to develop exemplary relations of all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership in the new era. (00:59)

②Foreign Minister Qin Gang urges stronger cooperation to promote multilateralism and global development at the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting. (12:14)

③China's PMI came in at 52.6 in February, the fastest growth rate in more than a decade. (24:35)

④A US House panel advances legislation to ban TikTok over security concerns. However, questions have been raised about whether the bill could infringe on the free speech rights of millions of Americans. (33:20)

⑤We take a closer look at the concerning rise in child labor violations in the US and explore the factors contributing to this trend. (41:36)

①20th CPC Central Committee 2nd plenary session issues communique. What are the main takeaways? (00:51)

②Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is paying a state visit to China. What issues will be on top of his agenda? (13:44)

③A newly formed US House committee on China sees the rivalry between Washington and Beijing as "existential struggle." How will it impact the Biden administration's China policy? (24:35)

④Nigeria's ruling party candidate Bola Tinubu has been declared the winner of the presidential election. What challenges lie ahead? (33:40)

⑤The reality of the US job market (42:13)

①Foreign Minister Qin Gang elaborates on China's proposal on global human rights, saying there's no single model for human rights that fits all. (00:47)

②China's economy in 2022 continued to grow despite pressures. (12:48)

③Emmanuel Macron has pledged to reduce French military presence in Africa ahead of his trip to the continent. Will this help ease anti-French sentiment in some of its former colonies? (20:41)

④Egypt's top diplomat has visited Syria for the first time in a decade. Does this signal a re-engagement between Damascus and the rest of the Arab world? (34:41)

⑤Canada bans TikTok on government devices. What's behind this move? (44:06)

①EU approves fresh round of sanctions on Russia. What impact might they have on the ongoing crisis in Ukraine? (00:43)

②US Commerce secretary lays out Biden administration's vision for implementing the CHIPS act over the next decade. What will this mean for China and the global semiconductor ecosystem? (12:18)

③Rishi Sunak is set to unveil Northern Ireland Brexit deal with the EU. What to expect? (24:23)

④G20 nations recognize the urgency to address debt vulnerabilities in low and middle-income countries. (33:00)

⑤Pacific leaders say science should guide Fukushima wastewater release plan. (43:26)