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This is the Beijing Hour.
Examining the events that impact and shape China and the rest of the world.
This is the Beijing Hour, one hour of news and information brought to you every weekday.
Now, here's your host, Shane Bingham with you on this Tuesday, June 9th, 2026.
You're listening to the Beijing Hour coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
On today's program.
General Secretary Xi Jinping of the CPC Central Committee has returned to Beijing after wrapping up his two-day state visit in the DPRK.
Confirmed deaths from the earthquake in the southern Philippines have risen to 37, as rescue operations continue.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has now confirmed over 100 Ebola deaths and 550 cases.
In business, strong growth numbers for China's foreign trade.
In sports, the Spurs earn a win in the NBA Finals, snapping New York's long winning streak.
In culture and entertainment, Chinese and world experts are learning from classical civilizations.
Now the day's top stories.
General Secretary Xi Jinping of the Communist Party of China's Central Committee.
Also, the Chinese president, has returned to Beijing after wrapping up a two-day state visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Kim Jong-un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of state affairs of the DPRK, held a farewell ceremony for the Chinese leader at the airport in Pyongyang.
Earlier Kim and his wife Ri Sol-ju hosted a private lunch for Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan.
Xi Jinping said that he and Kim reached consensus on developing China-DPRK relations in the new era.
They also held discussions on safeguarding regional and world peace and stability.
They agreed to promote greater development of bilateral ties and new achievements in cooperation.
On Tuesday morning, the leaders paid homage to the China-DPRK friendship tower.
They observed a moment of silence in memory of the martyrs of the Chinese people's volunteers in front of the tower.
They agreed that the joint fighting in the 1950s is an enduring historical memory of both countries.
The leaders called on the two sides to maintain the memorial facility for the Chinese people's volunteers and carry forward their traditional friendship from generation to generation.
Also on Tuesday, Xi Jinping and Kim Jong-un visited the Central Cadres Training School of the Workers' Party of Korea in Pyongyang.
They visited a class studying the DPRK's foreign relations where a teacher was delivering a lecture on China-DPRK ties.
They also toured the campus and learned about the school's infrastructure and teaching arrangements.
The two leaders planted a fir tree, symbolizing the friendship between the two countries.
During talks with Kim Jong-un on Monday, Xi Jinping said China and the DPRK should consolidate the foundation of political mutual trust and enhance the level of cooperation.
He said a shared future and mutual support have been the defining features of bilateral relations.
He added that, no matter how the international situation changes, the The Chinese party and government stance on valuing the China-DPRK traditional friendship will not change.
Neither will the support for Kim in leading the DPRK socialist cause and the commitment to safeguarding the shared interests of the two countries and preserving a favorable strategic environment.
Xi Jinping also put forward four proposals on developing China DPRK relations.
Ho Na has more.
During the meeting, Xi put forward four proposals on developing China DPRK relations.
He said the two sides should stay guided by high-level exchanges and consolidate the foundation of political mutual trust.
He added that the strategic guidance of the top leaders of both nations is the greatest strength of China-DPRK relations and that he stands ready to maintain close strategic communication with Kim and guide China-DPRK relations to continuously reach new heights.
Noting that this year marks the 65th anniversary of the China DPRK Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, Xi said that both sides will hold grand commemorative events.
She said relations between the two parties play an important guiding role in the development of china dprk relations and he called for further expansion and invigoration of friendly exchanges at various levels and in various fields between the two parties, as well as the deepening of exchanges of experience and mutual learning on party and state governance.
She said both sides should enhance exchanges in diplomacy, law enforcement, military affairs in other areas, implement important consensus reach between the two leaders and pull wisdom and strength for the development of China DPRK relations.
Xi said the two sides should stay committed to the goal of delivering benefits to the people and elevate the level of practical cooperation.
Xi said China stands ready to work with the DPRK to strengthen the alignment of development strategies and expand practical cooperation in areas such as economy and trade agriculture construction, science and technology, as well as health care, to bring greater benefits to the two peoples.
She caught on both sides to leverage the opportunity of the full reopening of the border crossings and the resumption of civil aviation flights and international passenger trains to increase people-to-people exchanges and foster mutual interactions.
Xi said the two sides should uphold the inheritance of friendship as its driving force and strengthen the bonds between their peoples, noting that the traditional friendship between China and the DPRK, forged in blood, is a valuable shared asset of the two peoples.
He said, China stands ready to work with the DPRK to preserve and properly manage memorial facilities dedicated to the Chinese people's volunteers.
Martyrs in the DPRK carry out distinctive programs on revolutionary traditions and youth education, and pass on the red legacy and traditional friendship between the two countries.
Xi said China is also ready to work with the DPRK to make full use of each side's strength and resources, enhance exchanges and cooperation in education, culture and the arts tourism sports media, youth affairs, subnational engagement and sister city relations, and ensure that the traditional friendship between China and the DPRK takes deeper root in the hearts of the two peoples.
The Chinese president also called for upholding fairness and justice as a guiding principle to enrich the substance of strategic coordination.
Xi said that, in response to a major question of where humanity is headed, he has proposed a vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity and for global initiatives, which aims to steer global governance towards greater fairness and justice, and have won broad support and positive responses from the international community, including the DPRK, noting that Asia is the common home where regional countries, including China and the DPRK, live and thrive.
Xi said that the two countries should strengthen strategic coordination, firmly safeguard their respective sovereignty, security and development interests and jointly uphold regional peace and development.
Kim Jong-un said Xi Jinping's visit once again shows how unbreakable the DPRK-China relationship is.
He said the DPRK will uphold the One China principle, support China in defending its core interests and consolidate the DPRK-China friendship in the new era.
He said the DPRK will build a model of interstate relations with China, working together to contribute to regional and world peace, stability and prosperity.
Leaders of China and the DPRK expressed commitment to further strengthening bilateral ties and cooperation in a welcome banquet in Pyongyang.
General Secretary Xi Jinping of the Communist Party of China Central Committee said the two countries will promote the high-level development of China-DPRK relations.
He said China wishes the DPRK continued progress in achieving the goals set by the 9th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea under the leadership of Kim Jong-un, and open up new prospects for the country's socialist cause.
Kim said they've reached a consensus on advancing bilateral relations, which will further promote the friendship and contribute to peace and stability.
Following the banquet, Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan watched an artistic performance accompanied by Kim Jong-un, his wife Ri Sol-ju and local people from all walks of life.
The performers expressed welcome to Xi Jinping and voiced sincere feelings for further strengthening the traditional friendly bilateral cooperation.
Coming up, rescue efforts continue following the deadly earthquake in the southern Philippines.
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It's nine minutes past the hour.
The 79 magnitude earthquake that struck the southern Philippines on Monday has killed at least 37 people and injured 500 others.
Rescue efforts are underway with over 100 aftershocks recorded ranging from 1.3 to 6.7.
Gretchen Malalad reports.
The powerful earthquake unleashed widespread destruction across parts of Mindanao, reducing buildings to rubbles, damaging roads and infrastructure and forcing thousands of residents into the streets.
This is the strongest quake to strike the Philippines this year.
It's centered at sea at a depth of 33 kilometers, about 32 kilometers southwest of Maasim town in Sarangani province, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.
It was the first day of classes for thousands of students across Mindanao after the summer break, but instead of a return to normal school routines, they were met by a powerful earthquake that sent classrooms and school grounds shaking, triggering panic among students and teachers.
Emergency crews rushed to affected areas as hospitals struggled to care for a growing number of victims.
Initial reports indicate fatalities as authorities work to determine the full scale of the disaster.
The regions most affected include regions 9 and 11, as well as the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
The quake was also felt across several provinces in Mindanao and parts of the Visayas.
Initial reports indicate that a number of buildings and bridges have collapsed.
We are still assessing the full extent of the damage and emergency response operations continue.
The powerful quake sent shockwaves far beyond the Philippines.
Tsunami waves of up to one meter were recorded along the coast of Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani, while neighboring Malaysia issued a warning for Sabah State on Borneo Island.
Across the region.
An 83-centimeter wave was measured off Indonesia's Sulawesi Island, highlighting the widespread impact of the earthquake throughout Southeast Asia.
Hours later, authorities said the tsunami threat had largely subsided, allowing many coastal residents to return home.
But the danger was far from over.
Strong aftershocks still continue to rattle Mindanao, as emergency crews now search damaged buildings and assess the destruction left by the quake.
That was Gretchen Malalad reporting.
U.S.
President Donald Trump says he's warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel could be left to fight alone if it resumes its war with Iran.
He says Israel gave Washington very late notice before the first exchange of fire between Iran and Israel since April's ceasefire.
Iran and Israel now say they're halting attacks on each other.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmail Begay, says his country decided to improve its ties with neighboring countries after Tehran launch attacks on US military bases in Gulf nations.
We are determined to repair relations with the countries of the region.
The policy of good neighborliness with all the countries of the region is a policy of stability.
We should keep in mind that the events that have occurred in these three months were not Iran's fault.
And we have already warned the neighboring countries many times to please not allow your territory and facilities to be misused by America and Israel to attack Iran.
Unfortunately, these measures and warnings were not heeded in practice.
Despite this, we have always said that, as permanent neighbors and as countries with many similar historical, cultural and religious issues, we must strive to create a safe and self-reliant region out of a sense of regional security.
And we are determined in this regard and will definitely continue this process.
That was Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Begay.
And for more on the situation in Iran, here's Ehsan Kevani in Tehran.
Monday, local officials reported that Karun Petrochemical Company in Mashar, south of Iran, was hit by an Israeli aerial attack.
Projectiles damaged parts of the facility.
Authorities issued an emergency evacuation for daytime staff, while operational personnel were ordered to remain on duty.
In response to the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps, the IRGC says It targeted similar petrochemical facilities in Haifa with ballistic missiles.
The IRGC has warned that attacks on Iran's energy infrastructures will expand the scope of regional confrontation and that the US will bear responsibility for the consequences.
According to a military source, Iran is prepared for a prolonged conflict with Israel and for striking new and plus interests in the region.
That was Ehsan Kevani reporting.
And for more on the latest in Israel, here's Jonathan Regev in Tel Aviv.
The Israeli statement says that due to the request, the personal request from U.S.
President Donald Trump, Israel will hold the fire.
I think that Israel can be relatively content with this latest round, due to the fact that Israel is the last one to fire and after the latest Israeli strike came what seems to be a pause and end to this round.
But Iran is now coming with new demands which did not exist up until a few hours ago.
Mainly the fact that Iran is now saying that not only Israeli strikes on Beirut will trigger a response from Iran, but Israeli strikes on Lebanon will trigger a response from Iran.
And that is a completely different story.
That was Jonathan Regev reporting.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has made a rare direct appeal to the Israeli government to negotiate an end of the conflict in Lebanon.
Aoun says Lebanese people are being killed to serve Iran's interests.
Lebanon's in US-mediated talks with Israel to reach a peace deal, despite opposition by the Hezbollah armed group.
Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed more than 3600 people and more than a million Lebanese are now displaced.
Sarah Aldeeb has more from Beirut.
Lebanon has been going through different phases of this ceasefire, with spikes in violence and fighting, based on the negotiations and the different tracks taking place, whether in Washington or in Islamabad.
The Lebanese government was giving us jarring numbers today about the cost of this war.
3,500 strikes since April 17th.
That's almost 67 or 70 strikes a day.
We have 3,500 people or more who were killed, including army officers, civilians, women and children. paramedics, journalists, and even UNIFIL, the Washington negotiations between the Lebanese government and Washington and Israel, which Hezbollah, the fighting party in the south, does not accept or has rejected the outcome of.
So caught in the middle is the best way to describe it.
And I think also in retaliating for what happened over the weekend in Dahia, was kind of deepening that kind of left Lebanon to see how the new arrangements will translate on the ground.
Israel deeper in Lebanon than it's ever been in 25 years, occupying a strategic hill and demolishing a number of villages, with a million or so people who are not able to return home, and a city, the capital, and other cities packed with People have been displaced from the south, so caught in the middle and waiting for the next new spike or for an agreement that involves all the parties to the fighting, which has not happened yet.
That was Sarah El-Deeb in Beirut.
Conflicts in the Middle East have driven fuel prices higher across Europe.
As a result, the fishing industry in France is coping with growing pressures.
Zhu Shui-Song visited a fishing port in western France to find out more.
Before dawn breaks, trawlers set out from the harbor.
Just a few hours later, their catch is sold at auction.
This is the daily rhythm of life in Giovinac, one of France's busiest fishing ports.
But soaring fuel costs are beginning to take a toll.
For fishermen in Western France, the size of the catch is only part of the equation.
Rising fuel costs is putting increasing pressure on the industry, making every trip to sea more expensive than before.
As conflicts continue in the Middle East, concerns over energy costs are reaching fishing ports like this one across Europe.
Since tensions escalated in the Middle East, fuel prices have surged across Europe.
In France, marine diesel costs nearly doubled within weeks.
For many fishing operators, staying profitable is becoming increasingly difficult.
In a fishing company.
Fuel accounts for around 30 of operating costs, alongside the wages paid to crews.
As soon as fuel prices rise, the pressure becomes unbearable for businesses.
For France's deep-sea fleets operating across the Indian Ocean, the difficulties faced are more than few prices alone.
Today, because all these forces are occupied in Hormuz Straits And in the Persic Gulf, there is less protection in Somalia, and that means that the piracy is rising again.
So that's a consequence of the conflict.
In southern Brittany, catches fell 12 during the first four months of the year, according to French government data.
The decline has tightened supply and driven up auction prices, but not enough to offset soaring fuel costs.
Fishermen have no way of passing the fuel cost increase on to consumers.
They are the first link in the chain.
They have no choice but to absorb it directly from their own cash flow.
Fishing more is not an option either.
We have no solution today.
We are obliged to fish.
We need to fish.
The goal could be to fish more, but we have quota, we have regulation in the fishing, so we cannot fish more.
Consumers are feeling the effects as well.
According to France AgriMore, French households bought 21 less fresh cold in the first two months of the year, while purchases of fresh safe fell 13.
As prices rise, more shoppers are turning to frozen and canned alternatives.
Fuel prices have gone up so much.
Everything is connected.
Fish prices, business costs, the cost of living, it all moves together.
Some ship owners are trying to adapt.
Jean-Baptiste Goulard invested in diesel-electric hybrid vessels nearly a decade ago.
Today, that decision is paying off.
We've been working with this boat for nearly five years now and we estimate we're saving around 20 on fuel.
For most operators, however, replacing aging vessels remains financially out of reach.
France has introduced a few subsidies, but industry representatives say the support is insufficient to offset rising costs.
As a result, modernizing the fleet is expected to be a long-term challenge.
We hope this conflict in the Middle East won't last for months, because if it does, we cannot see how we will survive in the long term.
For now, staying afloat is the primary goal.
That was a report on the impact of the Middle East conflicts on France's fishing industry.
Coming up, the DRC has now confirmed over 100 deaths from Ebola.
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22 past the hour.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has confirmed 101 Ebola deaths and 550 cases since the start of the outbreak last month.
On Monday, authorities said they confirmed 35 new cases, including 10 deaths, in the previous 24 hours.
The DRC says armed rebel groups in the hard-hit provinces of Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu have hindered the government's response to the outbreak.
Health authorities have been struggling to contain the Bundabugio virus, which initially went undetected, for weeks.
Mistrust and resistance by residents have led to attacks on burial teams and treatment centers, hampering the response.
A UN report warns the ocean is under severe and accelerating stress from climate change, pollution and human activity.
Launched on World Oceans Day, the third World Ocean Assessment finds these pressures are causing widespread biodiversity loss and harming ecosystems that support fisheries and coastal protection.
Stephen Hill is UN Assistant Secretary General for Legal Affairs.
He urged immediate action to protect the world's stressed oceans.
The planet's oceans are under bounding stress and increasing pressure.
The time to act is now.
Guided by science and working together, we can steer the ocean towards a sustainable future, enabling its health and resilience for people today and the years ahead.
The report noted that sea levels rose from under 2 millimeters per year before 2015 to 43 millimeters in 2023.
Each year, 52 million tons of plastic waste enter the oceans, affecting over 4,000 marine species.
Only 27 percent of the seafloor has been mapped.
Experts urge urgent collaboration to protect the ocean.
Australia is experiencing a surge in the use of rooftop solar and home battery storage.
Abundant sunshine and government rebates are driving the country's renewable energy transition.
Greg Navarro reports from Sydney.
Rinmayan put solar panels on her Sydney home six years ago.
She decided against including a battery storage system.
They're too expensive.
They're not good enough yet.
That changed about six months ago, when she heard about government rebates and improvements in the technology.
Go for it.
Yep, just have it done.
It's quite a bit of learning, but I think it's really worth it.
Mayan is part of a rapidly growing trend.
According to industry figures, Australia has installed more than 420000 home battery systems, making it one of the world's fastest growing household battery markets.
To put that into perspective, a year ago, one in every 500 Australian households had home battery systems.
Today, it's one in every eight households.
That growth is significant in a country where one third of the households already generate electricity from rooftop solar panels.
There's two factors at play, I think.
Firstly, a government subsidy scheme.
That's a relatively generous government subsidy scheme trying to drive this.
Secondly, I have to pay tribute, I think, to Chinese innovation and investment that has driven down the cost of batteries significantly over the last few years.
Australia has long relied on coal-fired power generation, giving it one of the highest per capita emission rates in the developed world.
The solar boom here is lowering the country's emissions without relying on large scale renewable energy projects.
A small system on a house requires two people with relatively low skills to install the solar and the battery system and they do it in one day with no need for planning, no one getting upset in the broader community, no need for upgrades of huge power lines.
The impact is becoming increasingly visible.
Renewables now account for about half of Australia's electricity generation, driven largely by rooftop solar.
For many consumers the appeal is about saving money.
I don't use the grid at all.
I use my solar, my battery, the free electricity I get.
It's now by far and away the cheapest form of energy, which is why people embrace it.
And it's why it's a model, I think, that we're rolling out in Australia, that I think the rest of the world should look to.
Because Australia's experience suggests part of the answer to lowering emissions while keeping electricity affordable may already be sitting on the rooftops of ordinary homes.
That was Greg Navarro reporting.
A delegation of global media leaders and social media influencers are visiting Chongqing.
The visit offers them a first-hand look at how the southwestern Chinese city is bridging the gap between its ancient heritage and a high-tech future.
Gong Meng has more.
More than 30 journalists from Central and Eastern Europe in Latin America began their trip by exploring Chongqing's UNESCO World Heritage Dazhu rock carvings.
To bring these ancient relics to life, the delegation first experienced a 360-degree dome film.
This immersive cinematic experience reconstructs the thousand-year history of the carvings and reveals delicate, high-tech restoration work underway to preserve them.
I've been really struck by how y'all combine tech, high quality tech experiences with the preservation of actual artifacts from so long ago.
Watching all of these statues in that movie, everywhere you look, there's great detail.
It made it a century, a fully century experience. it actually made me a little bit emotional.
That emotional connection came alive as the journalists stepped out of the theater and stood face to face with the actual cliffside carvings.
It's very revolutionary because as we saw first in the movie, it looked gigantic.
It looked amazing.
And it was the same energy when we came here, but it was twice better.
This place with a lot of history, with a lot of cultural heritage that can pass to everyone, to show how amazing China it is.
The delegation next ventured into Western China's largest all-in-one virtual filming studio in Yongchuan District.
Here, history made a way for futuristic imagination.
The journalists witnessed a real-time film production, where AI-powered technology enables instant scene switching and seamless integration of real actors into virtual environments.
The studio is awesome because it's so big.
It has more technology that permits the evolution of the cinema.
It's a crazy thing, because Chongqing combines technology and history and that is so attractive for the tourists.
Technology is amazing, very impressive.
They use some AI that's the most advanced.
So the mix, human action and AI, I think is great.
Through the eyes of international journalists, Chongqing offers a window into China's high-quality development.
By integrating cutting-edge tech into cultural heritage and film industries, this city is showing how smart technology is empowering industrial upgrading and a future-ready Chinese economy.
That was Gong Ming reporting.
We're at 29 past the hour checking the forecast and Beijing will be cloudy tonight and tomorrow.
A low of 16 expected.
It's up to 25 on Wednesday.
Shanghai will see showers this evening becoming overcast tomorrow.
A low of 19.
The high is 30.
Chongqing will be overcast through tomorrow, a low of 19 and a high of 27.
Nanchang will see thundershowers tonight, becoming sunny with a low of 18 and a high of 29.
Lassa will be cloudy tonight and tomorrow, a low of 14 and a high of 25 degrees.
It's time for a short break.
So far this hour.
General Secretary Xi Jinping of the CPC Central Committee has returned to Beijing after wrapping up his two-day state visit in the DPRK.
Confirmed deaths from the earthquake in the southern Philippines have risen to 37 as rescue efforts continue, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo has now confirmed over 100 Ebola deaths and 550 cases.
Shane Bigham with you.
Stay with us here on The Beijing Hour.
From the refreshing cup of tea that starts your morning to the paper that you write on.
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Shh, listen up.
Can you hear the heartbeat of our world?
It's vibrant and pulsating with the essence of life itself.
From the stem of trees to the gurgle of rivers.
From the silent strength of mountains to the icy whispers of glaciers.
Even the solid ground beneath our feet.
And right there, in the midst of all, beats the heart of humanity.
What if those other heartbeats were to stop?
Would ours keep on ticking?
Examining the events that impact and shape China and the rest of the world.
This is the Beijing Hour, one hour of news and information brought to you every weekday.
Now here's your host.
I'm Shane Bingham with you on this Tuesday.
Still to come.
In business, strong growth numbers for China's foreign trade.
In sports, the Spurs earn a win in the NBA finals, snapping New York's long winning streak.
In culture and entertainment, Chinese and world experts are learning from classical civilizations.
To contact us, you can email radio at cgtn.com or follow our X account at cgtnradio.
Now checking the day's headlines.
China and Georgia have agreed to upgrade ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
This came as the two presidents exchanged congratulatory messages on the 34th anniversary of diplomatic relations.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has since said the establishment of a strategic partnership in 2023 will has meant that political mutual trust has grown stronger, cooperation has accelerated and multilateral coordination has become more effective.
His Georgian counterpart said the elevation of ties will create more opportunities for cooperation.
Chinese President, Xi Jinping, has congratulated Louise Arbour on her assuming office as Governor General of Canada.
President Xi said the sound and steady development of China-Canada ties not only serves the common interests of both countries, but is also conducive to world peace stability, development and prosperity.
He said he stands ready to work with Governor General Arbor to advance a new strategic partnership.
China has begun construction on a massive new waterway project on the Yangtze River at the Three Gorges Dam.
The 772 billion yuan project will add the world's largest inland ship lock, nearly doubling the annual cargo capacity to 336 million tons.
Engineers say the design includes fish passages to protect aquatic life.
The current lock exceeded its design capacity 19 years ahead of schedule, handling over 170 million tons last year.
The new lock will ease shipping delays and cut trade costs, connecting inland regions to global markets.
Construction is set to take roughly nine years.
Chinese marine engineers are closely monitoring coral reefs in the South China Sea to protect marine ecosystems.
A team from the Ministry of Natural Resources recently surveyed waters near Yongxing Island, part of the Xisha Islands.
Despite forecasts of fine sea conditions, the team faced a bit of rain.
After that rain stopped, engineers like Zhang Yuanzhou quickly began their tasks.
The first task is to conduct a coral reef survey and the second is to do some maintenance on a set of underwater equipment.
Divers had to navigate sharp reefs, avoid poisonous marine life and watch for dangerous currents, all while coordinating with colleagues on board.
Despite the risks, the team completed their work successfully.
The efforts are paying off.
According to a bulletin in 2025, five key coral clusters in China have shown recovery.
A U.S.
Army Apache helicopter gunship has crashed near the Strait of Hormuz.
It went down on Monday.
The New York Times reported that the two crew members were rescued.
The report said the cause of the crash remains unclear and an investigation is underway.
Local media has cited U.S.
President, Donald Trump, saying that the pilots are fine and a report will be issued later on the incident.
United Nations has paid tribute to a record number of its personnel killed in the line of duty.
Secretary General, António Guterres, said 136 UN staff members died in 2025, and among them are 80 people who served with the UN aid agency in Gaza.
Moriwen.
Colleagues have been killed in Gaza than in any other conflict or disaster in the history of the United Nations.
Some died alongside their families in their homes, in the places they sought refuge.
Others were killed while carrying out their duties in offices, in shelters and in communities they served.
These tragedies weight heavily on us all and should be remembered by the entire world.
Let me be clear.
UN personnel must never be targeted.
The secretary general honored their courage, compassion, and commitment.
He said these workers chose to serve in the most dangerous places because they knew the world does not improve unless someone strives to improve it.
He added that, despite attacks on multilateralism, the fallen staff proved that unity is not a pipe dream.
Sand has become a major environmental crisis.
As a UN report warns, it's now the world's second most overexploited resource after water.
Globally, nearly 50 billion tons of sand are mined each year, enough to build a wall around the earth.
But with demand growing for construction and tech, The supply of high quality sand is shrinking.
Experts warn that excessive mining destroys riverbeds and coastlines, increasing flood risks and harming marine life.
Sand also acts as a natural barrier against rising sea levels, and its loss threatens coastal nations.
The UN is urging governments to classify sand as a strategic resource, improving monitoring and promoting recycled building materials.
Analysts say the lack of global awareness on the issue remains a serious concern.
You're listening to the Beijing Hour.
Coming up in business strong growth numbers for China's foreign trade.
The beijing hour, your window on china and the rest of the world 37 pass now.
Stock markets on the chinese mainland close higher on tuesday the shanghai composite was up nearly 13 percent, the shenzhen component gained over three percent.
Component and energy metal shares were among the top gainers.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index declined almost four-tenths of a percent.
Japan's Nikkei increased nearly 2.2 percent.
China's foreign trade maintained solid growth momentum in the first five months of the year.
Total trade in goods surged 15.3%, to nearly 21 trillion yuan, roughly $3.1 trillion.
Exports rose nearly 12%, and imports jumped 20.5%.
Monthly imports and exports have exceeded 4 trillion yuan for three consecutive months, with trade increasing 17 in May alone.
Strong global demand for AI and green products helped drive an 184 rise in exports of mechanical and electronic goods.
Trade with other APEC economies accounted for nearly 60% of China's total foreign trade.
Meanwhile, the National Development and Reform Commission says the nationwide port equipment utilization rate increased approximately nine points on a yearly basis last month, ranking first among all types of construction machinery.
Port logistics demand remained robust, indicating continued strengthening of foreign trade resilience.
And for more on China's trade performance.
Lincoln Humphrey spoke with Hong Hao, managing partner at Lotus Asset Management.
So what is the single most important takeaway from China's May foreign trade figures here, and how sustainable is the momentum we're seeing?
Yeah well, I think one of the most important takeaways is that you know, the momentum continues to grow uh accelerate, going into the month of may.
Uh, in april, i think, the?
Uh chinese exports has has been going double digit and many of us has been thinking that wow, you know, going into the next month, you know you, the growth may not be as high.
But you know, surprisingly I think, this one's once again repeating expectation and registering very high, double-digit exports growth.
And also people notice that you know the high value-added component of the Chinese exports as the percentage of total exports also increasing.
I think well over 50% of the Chinese exports now is in the high-valued industries.
So I think as a result we're seeing semiconductor exports And also other electronic equipment exports has been surging.
And some of the items, the export growth has been more than double.
So I think the momentum is good and also the composition is well beyond expectation as well.
So I think the market is responding to this set of numbers very positively.
This double-digit export growth is in despite of intense geopolitical headwinds at the moment.
Where does the core resilience of China's foreign trade actually lie today?
Is it in that integrated industrial ecosystem that's been achieved over many decades, the diversification into emerging markets, or this AI-driven tech upcycle?
Yeah, I think.
On one hand, it is the well-integrated supply chain system that China has been able to build over the past few years.
China has now a very complete set of industry ecosystem in the semiconductor industry and also in the energy industry and also the new energy industry uh.
So i think it's very.
You know, even if you allow foreign investments to come in to china, it's very difficult to penetrate and market share uh from chinese manufacturers.
And also chinese manufacturers are starting to invest overseas uh to to uh to be better uh well suited to the local market's needs.
Secondly, in the first half of the year we're seeing overseas AI-related CapEx investment has been going very rapidly as well.
So I think as a result, the demand for AI equipment, semiconductors has been surging all over the world.
So we're expecting this trend to continue in the second half, and that would benefit many of the Chinese high-tech industries.
I was managing partner Hong Hao at Lotus Asset Management talking about China's latest trade figures.
Yiwu's foreign trade is surging, further cementing the city's reputation as a global sourcing hub.
In 2025, imports and exports of the world's largest wholesale market for small commodities surpassed 800 billion yuan for the first time.
That's around 118 billion U.S. dollars.
Trade value reached over 836 billion yuan yesterday. a yearly increase of over 25%.
And growth is carried on into this year.
In the first quarter alone, trade exceeded 209 billion yuan, up 25%.
EWU now trades with over 220 countries and regions with particularly strong growth, to ASEAN Belt and Road Partners and Africa.
China's investment in cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence and humanoid robotics increased approximately five-fold on a yearly basis in May.
In infrastructure projects related to computing power, data and networks.
The value of contracts doubled compared with the same period last year.
Last month, the country saw a 197 yearly increase in the number of patents granted in strategic emerging industries, with the growth rate accelerating by 22 points from the previous month.
The country's top economic regulator says innovation outcomes are moving more swiftly from laboratories to production lines, becoming tangible drivers of productivity.
Shanghai's launched the latest series of nighttime events to boost spending and create a vibrant atmosphere, adding fresh momentum to the city's nighttime economy.
The Shanghai Night Series is part of the latest installment of a broader shopping festival which kicked off last month.
Running through to September, Shanghai will launch nearly 200 special nighttime events, bringing vibrant nightlife to more neighborhoods, parks and communities.
This summer, the city has revitalized its nighttime spaces with a 5 plus 5 model focusing on five popular landmarks and five nightlife hotspots.
Some districts have also taken further measures to attract consumers through nighttime coupons, encouraging shopping malls to extend business hours and offering free parking.
Industry data shows that in 2025, Shanghai's nighttime consumption scale remained among the highest in the country, growing 66 on a yearly basis.
In recent years, Anhui province has been at the forefront of China's new tech revolution and industrial upgrading.
With rapid growth in advanced manufacturing and future-focused industries.
The eastern province has become a leader in electric vehicles, artificial intelligence and the low-altitude economy.
Shui has more on the province's cutting-edge industrial landscape.
In recent years, Enhui has been forging ahead in high-tech fields like new energy AI, quantum technology and low-altitude economy.
In 2025, it became China's first province to rank top nationwide in passenger car output, EV production and auto exports, emerging as a new leader in the country's automotive industry.
Earlier this year, NIO rolled out its one millionth vehicle in Hefei, hitting a new milestone.
NIO has also advanced battery swap technology.
A full battery change takes just three minutes now.
By late May 2026, more than 3,800 battery swap stations had been built nationwide.
China's auto sector is booming, and we work closely with industry leaders like Cherry, BYD, and JAC.
Anhui's cluster of more than 3,000 component enterprises strongly supports NIO.
This year, we strive for new breakthroughs in output, exports, and battery swap networks.
And when I arrived at Cherry Automobile, another automotive giant, everything here was far beyond my expectations.
I'm now at the headquarters of Cherry, the largest exporter of vehicles in China.
But the first thing I've got here is not the car.
It's about...
Robot, this traffic robot place is so cool.
For passenger vehicles and robots to bring computer interfaces.
This automaker, China's top auto exporter for 23 consecutive years, is rapidly expanding its global footprint and advancing future-focused industries.
In fact, today's vehicles, especially smart cars, are essentially mobile robots.
That's why we integrated our platforms on both sides.
AI MOGA is also Anhui's first platform and lab for in-vehicle and robot collaboration.
Our core RD focus now is to connect vehicles and robots.
Over the past three decades, leveraging our global presence and RD strengths, we have expanded into the smart industry.
Cherry robots are now present in more than 30 countries, including Malaysia, Indonesia and South Africa.
And home to seven automotive OEMs, Anhui boosts over 3,000 major auto parts firms.
Leading suppliers, including Fuyao Glass, Goshen Hightech, have settled here, forming a robust industry cluster.
As we all know, Anhui's auto industry has grown rapidly and now ranks among the nation's best.
That's the main reason we chose to build our plant here.
The province has built up a complete supporting industrial chain.
Waves of innovation are sweeping across this land along the Yangtze and Huaihe rivers.
Leveraging its central location linking east west, south and north in China, Enhui is accelerating industry upgrading and planning for future industries, powering China's modernization drive.
That was Shui reporting.
You're listening to the Beijing Hour and coming up in sports.
The Spurs earn a win in the NBA Finals, snapping New York's long winning streak.
Sideline Story brings you all things sports related.
The hottest topics, latest events, juiciest stories, all with a very personal take.
Subscribe to Sideline Story podcast for heated sports discussions covering events that are happening in China and around the world.
Thank you, Shane.
In a must-win game three of the NBA Finals, San Antonio fought back on the road to defeat New York 115-111.
Young star, Victor Mbanyama, led the Spurs with a dominant performance, helping his team avoid a dreaded 3-0 deficit, a hole no NBA team has ever climbed out of.
After dropping the first two games at home, San Antonio showed their resilience at Madison Square Garden.
They built a double-digit lead early, but the Knicks stormed back to go ahead by seven at halftime.
The back-and-forth battle continued into the second half, with both teams trading big plays.
In the end, a late mid-range jumper sealed Wayne for the Spurs, snapping New York's 13-game playoff winning streak.
Game 4 remains in New York on Wednesday with the Knicks still holding a 2-1 series lead.
In football.
Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen's condition is said to be improving and he could be released from hospital following his collapse during the friendly against Ukraine.
The 34-year-old clutched his chest in the 65th minute of Denmark's friendly against Ukraine in Odense on Sunday.
After dropping to the ground, he received medical attention before walking off the field by himself.
The Wolfsburg midfielder underwent more tests in hospital.
Eriksen has a history with heart-related incidents on the pitch.
He suffered a cardiac arrest while representing Denmark at the Euros in 2021 and had a pacemaker fitted afterwards.
The Denmark team physician has said he is doing well.
Eriksen has made six appearances this year for Denmark who didn't qualify for the World Cup.
Michael Alisi from the French national football team made a powerful statement ahead of the World Cup.
The Bayern Munich forward scored a hat-trick to lead France to a 3-1 victory over Northern Ireland.
The match also marked Didier Deschamps' final home game as head coach of the French national team.
France broke the deadlock just before half-time with Alissi finding the net from close range.
He struck again early in the second half to double the lead.
Northern Ireland pulled one back with a fierce finish, but Alissi completed his hat-trick in the 75th minute with a stunning cutting shot to the far corner.
Deschamps praised a hat-trick hero.
No, Michael is in great form thanks to the season he's had at Bayern.
With us as well, he's done some very good things and he's full of confidence.
He's so decisive and, on top of that, when taking play, his ability to put in the effort is quite remarkable.
So we need Michael at that level, along with others too.
But credit to him.
He arrived in the national team after very good Olympics and took a little while at the start, the first three four, five minutes for him to really loosen up, because I'm not telling you anything new when I say he's not an expressive character.
He's rather introverted, but he's very endearing.
The two-time World Cup winners now turn their attention to the tournament where they will open their Group.
I campaign against Senegal on June 16.
Meanwhile, the Netherlands continued their preparations without Arsenal defender Jurgen Timber, who will miss the tournament with a groin injury.
The Dutch edged Uzbekistan 2-1 in a behind-closed-doors friendly on Monday.
Uzbekistan, head coach and former World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro, reserved his post-game praise for Man City defender Abdoukhodiy Kousanov.
The Italian also raised questions about why his team was subjected to a check from sniffer ducks before the match.
They said to me, it's the rules.
But in the end, the check was only for us.
Of course, Kuzanov is a good player.
He can improve a lot.
He's one of the most important players.
At the World Cup, Uzbekistan will compete in Group K alongside Colombia, Portugal and the DR Congo.
And finally, the FIFA Arena has been inaugurated in Central Park in New York City, with the announcement of a huge free watch party for the World Cup final.
1995 Ballon d'Or winner George Weir, who was in attendance, called the project significant for the growth of humanity, adding that football gave him a path from the streets of Liberia to the world stage.
If I look at my story, it's a great impact that football or sports does for humanity.
I was in the streets of Liberia.
Look at me today.
So this is a proof.
So I think it's important, because football and sports as a whole give young people the opportunity to live the bad things and become honorable people.
That's what sports does.
Football as a whole, those that believe in it, that train very hard to be successful, is one goal.
Everybody is to be a better person in society, and that's what sports gives you.
The free watch party will be able to accommodate up to 50,000 fans for the World Cup final.
Thanks.
That's Yang Guang with sports.
You're listening to the Beijing Hour and coming up in culture and entertainment.
Chinese and world experts are learning from classical civilizations.
The best military commander is not he who fights a hundred battles and wins every one of them.
The best military strategy does not lead to the desiccation of the enemy's capital city.
Decoding the Art of War will help you understand why there's no art in war and how Sun Tzu stayed undefeatable using the science of war, with fun stories and insightful breakdown of famous battles.
Find Decoding the Art of War wherever you listen.
53 past the hour.
In culture and entertainment.
As the Greek capital hosts the second World Conference of Classics this week, experts say learning from classical civilizations remains relevant to the modern world.
Wang Mengjie spoke to Chinese and foreign scholars from Beijing-based universities to find out more.
What do we mean when we talk about classics?
Are they simply the study of ancient Greece and Rome through literature and history?
To explore these questions, I spoke with experts from China and around the world.
After nearly a year of work, Professor Huang Weiwei completed the translation of the Aristophanes comedy into Chinese.
The work is very close to real life.
The latter half of it shows us that good people can easily become bad once they have money, but isn't it true that bad people will become better just because they don't have money?
It's actually not like that.
Huang said literature from 2500 years ago does not feel distant because one thing has remained unchanged human nature.
Returning to classical and ancient times, we will see that ancient wisdom has a profound understanding of the world and humanity.
It can provide us with infinite wisdom, and at this point classical is connected to modern.
They are all dealing with human problems.
We learn about the world and human nature through the classics, but how can we apply that knowledge to shape and influence the world today?
Classical is the first time that human spiritual civilization created classics that have been preserved by history.
In fact, it is a primitive expression of each culture's own survival, experience and civilization ideas.
I think this original expression is not replicable and will never be outdated.
Throughout world history, the creation and development of spiritual civilization has seen every innovation as new era where cultural practitioners constantly return to the starting point of civilization, extract resources from it and promote the development of civilization.
Describing it as an eternal shuttle run.
Chen said development of spiritual civilization requires us to return to the starting point at every turn, drawing renewed wisdom from the past.
And when it comes to applying philosophy to real life, China has its own answer.
World hunger.
All of these different problems that are facing the next generation require cooperation.
And so when you look at the fundamental Confucian values, they are inclusion.
They are getting the most out of the human experience.
From my conversations with experts, I learned that classics are not just about language and history.
They serve as a bridge between the ancient and modern world.
That's also a key focus of the Second World Conference of Classics exploring how classical wisdom can help address contemporary challenges and contribute to the progress of human society.
That was Wang Mengjie reporting.
The 10th edition of an international opera film exhibition is opened in Beijing, bringing world-class performing arts to cinema screens and cultural venues across China.
The National Center for the Performing Arts and China Film Group Corporation co-organized the event.
This year's exhibition will showcase 22 world-class stage productions over nearly six months.
The opening film Rodgers and Hammerstein's 80th anniversary concert, recorded in London, offers the audience iconic musical theatre selections.
NCPA Vice President Ma Rongua says the exhibition has set some records.
This year's edition involves the highest number of participating countries and the largest selection of films in the event's history.
The screenings will span cinemas and universities nationwide.
Through this platform, we hope to showcase charisma and performance of Chinese artists.
Over the past decade, the International Opera Film Exhibition has successfully broken boundaries between live stage performances and the silver screen.
Since its inception, the project has brought over 100 classic stage titles to more than 30 cities across China, reaching over 350000 people across 4500 screenings.
We're at 57 past the hour.
Beijing cloudy overnight and tomorrow, a low of 16 and the highest 25 for Wednesday.
Shanghai will see showers tonight.
It becomes overcast tomorrow, a low of 19, the highest 30.
Chongqing will be overcast tonight and tomorrow, a low of 19, a high of 27.
Nanchong will see thundershowers tonight, becoming sunny tomorrow, a low of 18 and a high of 29.
Lassa will be cloudy tonight and tomorrow, a low of 14 and a high of 25.
Elsewhere in Asia, Islamabad will be clear tonight.
It's becoming overcast tomorrow.
The low is 26 degrees.
It's up to 41 on Wednesday.
And that's it for this edition of the Beijing Hour.
Making news today.
General Secretary Xi Jinping of the CPC Central Committee has returned to Beijing after wrapping up his two-day state visit in the DPRK.
And confirmed deaths from the earthquake in the southern Philippines have risen to 37, as rescue efforts continue.
On behalf of the staff, Shane Biggum, in the Chinese capital, hoping you'll join us for the next edition of the Beijing Hour and open a window to the world together.
Find The Beijing Hour at precisely 6 p.m.
Beijing time.
We meet you on podcast and on air every weekday.
The Beijing Hour, your window on China and the rest of the world.
He can't live without the Yellow River in his eyes.
The Yellow River is so noble and elegant.
Both my grandpa and dad made a living from the river.
Would you like to move away from the Yellow River?
I don't think I will.
I love it so much.
The Yellow River, the second longest river in China, is regarded as a shaping force in the history, economy and culture of northern China.
Today, about 100 million people live within its water basin, making up nearly 9 of the country's population.
How is climate change felt at its headwaters?
And what are the locals doing to cope with it?
What are the descendants of the boatmen doing?
What has kept some people from leaving their home village by the river?
And what has drawn others back?
Could the fading fishing community revive in a time of digital transformation?
From 2021 to 2024.
Our reporters visited the upper, middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, talked to the herders farmers boatmen, fishermen and eco-activists who share a close bond with the river, and present their stories in pictures, podcasts and videos.
All in our 12-part series, The Yellow River Mosaic, available only on CGTN Radio.
