World Today

① China gears up for its next development blueprint—15th Five-Year Plan—as President Xi calls for high-quality policymaking. (00:45)② The Chinese economy held firm in April, showing resilience amid pressure and maintaining steady growth. (14:32)③ Beijing pushes back against U.S. restrictions, denouncing unjustified curbs on Huawei’s AI chip development. (24:21)④ Putin says military op in Ukraine aimed at long-lasting peace after direct talks: media. (35:54)⑤ UK and EU strike post-Brexit reset deal. (43:53)

Pedro Steenhagen, a PhD candidate in International Politics, Cao Ting, a director at Fudan University’s Latin American Studies Center, and Fernando Munoz Bernal, founder of Media Without Means, delve into China's growing ties with Latin America and the Caribbean. They discuss how Latin American nations view China as a partner for sovereignty and investment, the implications of the Belt and Road Initiative, and the quest for sustainable development. The conversation highlights concerns about economic dependency and the necessity for transparency in these evolving relationships.

① Delegations of Russia and Ukraine meet in Istanbul for peace talks. President Vladimir Putin is not on Russia’s list of negotiators. What could be the thorny issues on the negotiating table? (00:54)② Iran has signaled willingness to accept far-reaching curbs on its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. What could this message bring to the Iran-US nuclear talks? (12:56)③ Australia’s prime minister is in Indonesia as part of his first international visit since re-election. Why is Jakarta one of the priorities of Canberra’s foreign policy? (24:28)④ There is a temporary cooling of trade tensions between the US and the EU, but key questions remain. We talk to a German professor on if the two sides could resolve their disputes. (35:53)⑤ We look at China’s latest move to cut the portion of deposits commercial banks must hold in reserves and how much fresh liquidity it will inject into markets. (43:20)

① President Xi Jinping and his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva have reaffirmed their commitment to upholding multilateralism and building a stronger China-Brazil Community with a Shared Future. How should we characterize China-Brazil cooperation? (00:54)② Sri Lankan analyst: the Belt and Road Initiative is a strategic stabilizer amid global trade turbulence. (11:54)③ We explore how medium-to-long-term pressure on the US economy is mounting despite its seemingly low inflation in April. (24:53)④ US President Donald Trump has announced plans to lift sanctions on Syria. Is this a significant win for the Syrian government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa? (36:25)⑤ China has slammed its Taiwan region’s leader for calling for a so-called “non-red supply chain” for global semiconductors that excludes the mainland. What could be the consequences if Taiwan’s DPP authorities continue to bow to and flatter Washington? (45:38)

① Addressing a China-CELAC Forum in Beijing, President Xi Jinping called on China and Latin America to further align their development strategies and jointly safeguard a multilateral trading system. How can the two sides elevate their cooperation to a new level? (00:50)② We take a look at China’s first white paper on national security and why China’s national security in the new era promotes high-quality development. (16:12)③ What’s behind the robust growth in China’s auto sector, especially EV production and sales, in this year’s first four months? (24:51)④ US President Donald Trump is in the Middle East to strengthen economic and trade ties with the Gulf States. Will he achieve his goals during this trip? (35:57)⑤ In Turkiye, the Kurdistan Workers Party militant group has announced that it will end its armed struggle. What has prompted the PKK to make this decision? (45:04)

① Following a high-level meeting in Geneva, China and the US announced tariff modification measures to ease their trade tensions. What does this breakthrough mean to the two sides? (00:49)② Earl Bousquet: China’s global initiatives appeal to CELAC as a break from US doctrines. (11:23)③ What has driven China’s bumper exports in April? (24:50)④ Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Ankara is ready to host peace talks between Russia and Ukraine again. If peace talks take place, what should be our expectation of the outcome? (36:09)⑤ We explore what’s at stake in the Philippines’ midterm elections. (45:06)

As the world closely watches President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Russia and his participation in the events marking the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory in the Great Patriotic War, deeper questions come into focus: What does this visit reveal about the evolving nature of China-Russia relations? And how have their shared wartime experiences helped forge the emotional and strategic foundations of the political trust we see today?Host Ge Anna is joined by Dr. Yao Shujie, Chueng Kong Professor of Economics, Chongqing University; Dr. Joseph Mahoney, Professor of Politics and International Relations at East China Normal University; And Dr. Timo Kivimäki, Professor of International Relations at University of Bath.

In this discussion, Chen Jiahe, Chief Investment Officer at Norvamaki Technologies, and Zhou Mi, Senior Research Fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade, delve into the evolving China-Russia partnership. They explore Xi Jinping's call for cooperation to support developing countries and dive into Colombia's plans to join the Belt and Road Initiative. The conversation also highlights China’s new law promoting its private sector, and how the manufacturing hub of Yiwu continues to defy challenges posed by U.S. tariffs, showcasing resilience in global trade.

①Chinese president Xi Jinping has called for efforts to preserve history and look ahead to development ahead of his state visit in Russia. What to expect from this trip? (00:49)②China and the US will hold talks on economic affairs in Switzerland. (13:30)③China launches broad financial package to stabilize market and shore up economic momentum. (24:25)④India has launched missile strikes on Pakistan two weeks after a deadly militant attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir. Are the two countries on the brink of war? (35:21)⑤Friedrich Merz becomes German chancellor after surviving a historic vote failure. What does this rocky start mean for his leadership moving forward? (44:23)

①Tuesday marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union. How has the relationship evolved over the past five decades? (00:41)②China saw a travel boom during the May Day holiday. What does it reveal about consumer confidence and the country's economic recovery? (12:38)③Six US states invite Canadian provincial leaders to discuss Trump's tariffs. (24:49)④European industry insiders say the latest US tariff hikes have negatively impacted local industries. (33:22)⑤Iran says its stance on nuclear talks with US remains constant. (44:41)