World Today

China is intensively sending a message that it remains committed to opening up no matter how the external environment may evolve. According to China’s Ministry of Commerce, three wholly foreign-owned hospitals have been approved as part of a pilot program launched last year to expand access in health care, telecommunications, and biotechnology sectors. In the same program, 13 foreign companies have gained approval to provide telecom services, and more than 40 foreign-funded biotech projects have been launched.Why are China and foreign investors staying committed to each other? Host Ding Heng is joined by Professor Liu Baocheng, Director of the Center for International Business Ethics at University of International Business and Economics; Harvey Dzodin, Senior Fellow of the Center for China and Globalization; Zhou Sili, Associate Professor of Economics and Finance at University of Macau.

① Chinese president inspects Lijiang in Yunnan Province, stresses sustainable, healthy growth of cultural, tourism industry. (00:48)② Trump, Zelensky agree to "partial ceasefire" in Ukraine. (14:57)③ EU has launched a new initiative to reduce security dependence on the United States. (24:34)④ US Fed Chair says Trump tariffs could delay progress on the inflation fight. (34:29)⑤ New data reveals 17 EU member states still rely on Huawei and ZTE for 5G equipment. (43:06)

① Chinese President Xi Jinping's inspection in Guizhou highlights China's commitment to high-quality development. (00:48)② Trump, Putin agree on a ceasefire for energy infrastructure in Ukraine. (14:32)③ OECD raises 2025 forecast for China's economic growth to 4.8 percent. (25:03)④ Canada PM Carney announces a deal with Australia to boost the Arctic radar. (36:09)⑤ NASA astronauts return to Earth after 9 months stuck in space. (47:24)

① Israel carries out deadliest attacks on Gaza since the Jan. ceasefire. (00:44)② Indian PM Modi calls for strengthening ties with China. (11:49)③ Chinese cities strengthen policy efforts to help stabilize real estate markets. (24:20)④ New Canadian PM picks France over U.S. for his first foreign visit. (34:40)⑤ U.S. consumer sentiment declined following economic uncertainty and inflation concerns. (44:28)

① China's economy maintained steady growth in the first two months, supported by strong performances in the industrial and service sectors. (00:50)② China unveils a plan featuring special initiatives to boost consumer spending. (13:14)③ China’s central authorities have identified key figures of Taiwan cyber-attacks. (26:50)④ U.S. launches large-scale airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. (37:24)⑤ OpenAI attacks its fast-rising Chinese competitor, DeepSeek. (44:12)

Three months after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, Syria's interim President has been struggling to unite the country.In a landmark breakthrough, the government struck a deal to merge the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces into state institutions.While Syrian Kurds celebrate the deal, residents on the northwestern coast remain wary after days of sectarian violence that killed over 1,000 people. The government blamed pro-Assad groups for instigating the violence, and said the security threats had already been neutralized, but will the fragmented country be able to achieve peace and unity after 13 years of civil war?Host Zhao Ying is joined by Wang Jin, Associate Professor with Northwest University in Xi'an, China; Joseph Siracusa, Professor of Global Futures with Curtin University; Steven Wright, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Hamad Bin Khalifa University.

① China has announced a meeting with Russia and Iran in Beijing to discuss Iran’s nuclear program. We explore how it might create conditions for the resumption of nuclear talks? (00:51)② How is Lao Foreign Minister Thongsavanh Phomvihane’s visit to China cementing bilateral ties? (12:56)③ How should we understand China’s statement that it has never exported fentanyl-related medications to North America? (24:23)④ Why is Ukraine losing ground to Russian forces in Kursk region? How might the battlefield situation in the region play a role in determining if Moscow will accept the US ceasefire proposal? (33:13)⑤ We take a look at a legal case in China where the court has ruled that an AI-generated image should have copyright protection. Can China’s legal system keep pace with AI’s development in the digital era? (43:32)

① US President Donald Trump’s additional tariffs on steel and aluminum have taken effect after prior exemptions and duty-free quotas expired. How will they hurt the US itself? (00:54)② We explore how Trump’s move to plow ahead on tariffs has made US equities lose trillions of dollars in value. (13:55)③ The US has agreed to resume military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine after Kyiv showed readiness to accept a 30-day ceasefire with Russia. Does Ukraine genuinely share Trump’s vision for peace? (25:00)④ We take a look at Greenland’s elections which have been dominated by independence and Trump’s interest. (34:43)⑤ Angola has announced a plan to act as a mediator in the conflict between Congo and the rebel group M23. What leverage does Angola hold? (44:06)

① We take a look at China’s newly announced high-tech fund and how it can help the country’s emerging industries grow. (00:54)② SDF, a Kurdish-led militia alliance, has agreed a deal to integrate all military and civilian institutions into the Syrian state. How big of a step forward does the deal represent in Syria’s political process? (13:15)③ We explore why Citi analysts have upgraded their recommendation for China equities from “neutral” to “overweight”. (26:00)④ Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a visit to Mauritius, with a major issue at stake: New Delhi’s stance on Mauritius’ claims over the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean. (34:42)⑤ Data compiled by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute shows that the war in Ukraine has helped grow US dominance of the global arms industry. Will this finding alter President Donald Trump’s thinking on whether to withdraw military support for Ukraine? (45:07)

Dr. Yao Shujian, an economist focused on employment in China, discusses how China plans to stabilize its job market amid growth targets. Dr. Joseph Syracuse examines Canada's new political landscape under Mark Carney as he prepares for trade battles with the U.S. Dr. Zhang Chuchu analyzes the escalating violence in Syria and its political implications. Meanwhile, Dr. Yan Liang highlights the Eurozone's economic challenges from U.S. tariffs. Lastly, Chen Xi critiques the impact of U.S. funding cuts on Australia's anti-China narrative.