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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 biggum, with you on this monday, january the 5th 2026.
You're listening to the beijing hour coming to you live from the chinese capital.
On today's program, the Chinese presidents welcome leaders from South Korea and Ireland in Beijing.
China is urging the US to immediately release the Venezuelan president, forcibly seized by US forces over the weekend.
And the world's leading oil exporting group has decided to leave production levels where they are, despite the US military action in Venezuela.
In business, China's action plan for promoting green consumption.
In sports, a Chinese table tennis star claims his first overseas club title.
In culture and entertainment, China's holiday box office brought in over 100 million U.S. dollars.
Now checking the day's top stories.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has held talks with his visiting South Korean counterpart in Beijing.
Li Jieming's on a state visit to China from Sunday to Wednesday, the first one since he took office as South Korean president.
Also Monday, President Xi met with Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin in Beijing.
He called on China and Ireland to maintain friendly exchanges, enhance understanding and address each other's major concerns.
President Xi welcomed Martin as the first leader of a European country to visit China in the new year.
Although we have different histories, cultures and national conditions, both China and Ireland are peace-loving open, inclusive and self-reliant nations that are forged in the head with hard work.
The people of both countries fought their way to national independence and liberation and advanced toward modernization through the tireless efforts of generations.
The experiences of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit have proven invaluable for the long-term and steady growth of China-Ireland relations and should be upheld and carried forward by both sides.
President Xi said China welcomes more young people from Ireland and hopes to strengthen cooperation in fields such as AI and the digital economy.
He said the two countries need to work together to support a more fair and just global governance system.
As Ireland will assume the EU presidency later this year, President Xi expressed hope that Dublin would play a constructive role in advancing China-EU ties.
Martin's on an official visit to China, the first by an Irish leader in 14 years.
We recognize and acknowledge China's indispensable role in the world today and the contribution you make to the United Nations, particularly in peacekeeping.
We all depend on each other.
And I think if we can maintain that spirit into the future, our relationship will continue to grow and will continue to strengthen.
Martin said President Xi's visit to Ireland back in 2012 laid a solid foundation for the mutually beneficial strategic partnership between the two countries.
In recent years,
And he said his country is willing to work with China to maintain free trade and healthy China-EU relations.
For more about China's cooperation with Ireland and Europe.
Do Hongyu spoke with Wang Le, assistant professor at the School of Politics and International Relations at East China Normal University.
What areas of bilateral cooperation between China and Ireland do you expect after Prime Minister Michael Martin's visit?
So this visit signals continuity rather than a strategic shift.
Pragmatic, economically focused engagement balanced with airlines' commitments to EU policy frameworks and international norms.
We see airlines will seek improved market access for airways exports into China, especially agri-food products, medical devices and consumer goods.
We say Aerie Food Corporation remains a core pillar.
Expanded access for Aerie's food with beef, dairy and infant formula products, alongside strengthened regulatory and food safety dialogue, is likely outcome, given China's demand for highly quality, traceable food imports.
And also we see collaboration in research and development is expected to grow, especially in life sciences, digital technologies, artificial intelligence and clean technology.
So there are indeed many areas that we can expect.
As the first European leader to visit China this year.
What signal does the Irish prime minister's trip send about Europe's approach to engagement with China in 2026 under current geopolitical pressures?
Ireland is particularly signaling that parts of Europe still value dialogue and practical cooperation with Beijing.
In other words, Europe is not turning away from China altogether, but is instead moving towards a more managed, issue-by-issue form of engagement.
So, at the same time with Europeans facing slower economic growth, ongoing inflation pressures and growing concerns about competitiveness, this visit highlights that economic diplomacy with China remains high on the agenda.
While staying broadly aligned with transatlantic partners, European countries are also making it clear that they intend to keep their own channels open with China, especially in areas like trade, climate cooperation, education and multilateral governance.
In this context, Ireland's approach is telling.
The focus is firmly on economic ties, supply chain resilience and regulatory dialogue, while deliberately stirring clear of sensitivity, security or ideological issues.
This balance reflects how Europe is likely to approach China in 2026, protecting its economic interests but also doing with a higher degree of strategic caution.
That was Wang Le, assistant professor at East China Normal University.
South Korea's political and business communities are placing high expectations on President Lee Jae-mung's state visit to China.
Jung Yoon reports from Seoul.
President Lee Jae-mung's visit comes just two months after Chinese President Xi Jinping's trip to South Korea that left a strong impression on observers.
South Korean media see Lee's visit as a sign that that bilateral ties are entering a phase of gradual recovery.
Analysts note that South Korea's choice of China as its first diplomatic destination of the year and China's decision to host Li as its first foreign head of state in 2026 highlight the importance both sides attach to the relationship.
Hong is the former president of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy.
For China, President Lee is the first foreign head of state it hosts in the new year.
For South Korea.
The visit clearly signals that China is its top diplomatic priority this year, which is why the summit is being held in Beijing at the very beginning of the year.
Adding to the significance of the visit is a large economic delegation of more than 200 members accompanying President Lee.
It includes the heads of South Korea's four major conglomerates, along with executives from key manufacturing and high-tech firms.
This is South Korea's first large-scale business delegation to China since 2019.
Local media stressed that China remains South Korea's largest export market, making stable trade ties increasingly vital amid ongoing global uncertainties.
Presidential spokesperson Kang Youzhong says expectations are particularly high for cooperation in several key areas.
There is strong interest in cooperation on critical mineral supply chains, expanding mutual investment and achieving win-win outcomes in fields such as the digital economy and grain industries.
Business leaders in South Korea see the visit as a potential turning point for reviving bilateral trade.
Gu Kibo is a professor at Songju University.
While improving bilateral relations, South Korea should expand exports to China and work to restore its trade surplus.
Semiconductors are South Korea's top exports, and China accounts for more than half of those shipments.
Reducing restrictions and ensuring smoother trade flows are therefore essential.
President Li also reaffirmed his commitment to one China in a recent interview with China Media Group.
Observers say.
The remarks send a warm signal to Beijing, helping create a positive atmosphere for the visit and reinforcing recent efforts to improve bilateral ties.
For the Beijing Hour, I'm Zhang Yun in Seoul.
After years of focusing heavily on the US market, South Korean investors are now turning to China, with Chinese stocks quickly becoming their second largest overseas market in 2025.
Li Yunqi spoke with The Korea Herald reporter Li Zhengzhu on why China is back on the radar for investors and what it could mean going forward.
When did Chinese stocks start getting popular among South Korean investors?
So the current wave of interest for Chinese stocks among Korean investors kicked off around early 2025, with the clear inflection point being between February to March 2025, when South Koreans recorded their largest net buying of Hong Kong stocks since early 2021.
And then from there the trend kind of accelerated through mid 2025, with market data summaries repeatedly flagging China and also Hong Kong as Korea's number two overseas market by trading volume, after the United States.
South Korean investors had a reputation of putting most of their X, if not all, in the US stock market.
And what was the event that made them look toward China now?
Well, actually, it's less about like South Korean investors turning away from the US.
It's more about them diversifying where they look for returns.
So for years, US equities, especially big tech, they delivered strong performance.
So South Korean investors naturally concentrated there.
But There were several factors that came into play recently, with Chinese equities first beginning to have a rebound.
So particularly among technology and electric vehicle related stocks.
And this kind of created a sense of a catch up opportunity after years of underperformance and also valuation gaps.
They also played a pretty big role.
So many Chinese tech and manufacturing leaders were trading at much lower valuations compared to their US peers.
So that made them look more attractive to investors who felt that U.S. stocks became more expensive.
And then there is also a growing awareness of what is known as concentration risk.
And so, with portfolios that are like, heavily tilted toward US assets and the dollar, some investors especially, I guess, institutional investors they start to look toward diversification into non US markets.
China emerged as a natural alternative due to its market size and also the global supply chain relevance.
So would you say, this is a move more than a short-term opportunity, rather more like a long-term strategic shift for South Korean investors.
I think at this stage South Korean investors largely see their renewed interest in Chinese stock opportunity rather than like a full-scale long-term strategic shift.
So among retail investors in particular, the focus has been on timing the market basically, and they take advantage of rebounds in Chinese technology, electric vehicle and consumer stocks after a large period of underperformance.
This kind of makes their participation more um tactical in nature.
But that said, there are also early signs of a longer term shift among some institutional investors.
So for these players to move into Chinese equities is more about gradual diversification and reassessing China's role in global portfolios rather than chasing short-term gains.
So overall, the consensus is that this is not a replacement for US exposure, but a complementary move.
So whether this evolves into a longer-term structural shift It will, I guess, depend on China's economic recovery and policy consistency and the sustainability of corporate earnings growth.
That was Li Yunxi speaking with The Korea Herald reporter, Li Zhengzhu, on growing interest in the Chinese stock market.
Coming up, China calls on the U.S. to release the Venezuelan president from custody.
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At 14 past the hour.
China has reiterated its stance on US military operations against Venezuela, calling for the immediate release of President Nicolas Maduro.
U.S. forces attacked Caracas and forcibly seized Maduro and his wife on the weekend.
Soon Tianyuan has more on the Chinese Foreign Ministry's response.
At this regular press briefing, Venezuela was a key focus for both domestic and international media.
China's foreign ministry expressed deep concern and strong condemnation over what is described as the US'.
's use of force against Venezuela and the forceful detention of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife.
The ministry said it firmly opposes these actions and saying they violate international law and Venezuela's sovereignty and pose a threat to peace and security in Latin America and the Caribbean.
It called on Washington to respect international law and the UN Charter, to stop infringing on other countries' sovereignty and security.
The Chinese foreign ministry added that, regardless of changes in the international landscape, China will remain a good friend and reliable partner to countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
It called on all parties to respect Venezuela's rights to independently choose its own development path, support national stability and help restore local order.
The ministry also urged the US to ensure the personal safety of President Maduro and his wife and to release them immediately.
The US move is in clear violation of international law, basic norms in international relations and the purposes and principles of the UN.
Charter.
China calls on the US to ensure the personal safety of President Maduro and his wife, guarantee their immediate release, stop toppling the government of Venezuela and resolve issues through dialogue and negotiation.
That was a report on China's response to Washington's forcible seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
U.S.
President Donald Trump has threatened a second military strike on Venezuela if the remaining members of the administration do not cooperate.
On Saturday, U.S. forces attack Caracas and forcibly seize the president and his wife.
The Venezuelan government, led by acting President Delcy Rodriguez, has convened a cabinet meeting and vowed a unity behind Maduro.
Jesus Rodriguez has more from Caracas.
The Venezuelan government is functioning, despite this crazy US operation launched against Venezuela.
And effectively, yesterday there was this, you know, opening of the National Security Council that was led by acting President Delce Rodriguez.
A cabinet meeting happened yesterday.
And it was announced first that a commission was created to negotiate to push for the liberation of President Maduro.
And also a letter, was information about a letter sent to the ward from the Venezuelan government asking I mean letting know the US that Venezuela is willing to find ways for, you know, peaceful coexistence with the US, which is something that Venezuela has been saying for several years already.
There is consternation.
There is outrage seeing the president that many Venezuelans, the majority of the Venezuelans voted for, being incarcerated and treated as a criminal.
And that consternation and outrage is common in both sides of the political divide.
Actually, today there were massive demonstrations in Caracas and in other places of the country demanding the return of President Maduro.
Actually, these attacks by the US and the kidnapping of President Maduro, in my humble opinion, have created this sense of unity amongst Venezuelans opposing the US imperialist attacks.
That was Jesus Rodriguez reporting.
U.S.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has slammed President Donald Trump's actions in Venezuela, calling them illegal.
There is no authority to go.
They did not just do ships off the water.
They went inside Venezuela, bombed civilian as well as military places.
And it's a violation of the law to do what they did without getting the authorization of Congress.
New York City Mayor, Zoran Mamdani, also condemned Trump's actions, saying attacking a sovereign nation is an act of war and a violation of federal and international law.
Protesters have held rallies in many major US cities against the military action, calling it outrageous and a violation of international law.
Yesterday, we saw the United States government taking a completely illegal action against Venezuela, bombing different parts of Caracas and illegally kidnapping the president, Nicolas Maduro.
Again, this is against all international law.
I don't think we've seen such a brazen violation of international law and a violation of U.S. law.
So we're here to say no more in Venezuela.
The people of the United States do not support these unilateral military actions and that we're going to be protesting them.
I'm here because I think it's outrageous what the U.S. government did in Venezuela.
But the US government has no right to go into a sovereign country and basically openly say we're going to take the oil, we're going to take the gold, we're going to exploit the resources.
This has nothing to do with defending the working people of Venezuela.
And this isn't the first time.
You know there's a whole history of the US intervening in Latin America and around the world to defend the interests of the US ruling class.
I think what President Trump has done is illegal, and it's a shame.
It's a shame on the U.S.
I call for them to stop.
Let the Venezuelans govern themselves.
Countries around the world have also condemned the U.S. actions in Venezuela.
Leaders from Spain Brazil Chile Colombia, Mexico and Uruguay have jointly rejected external control of Venezuela.
The Colombian president said the U.S. action lacks any legal basis.
The Cuban foreign minister has condemned the US attacks, calling them a flagrant violation of Venezuela's sovereignty.
The European Union issued a joint statement urging all parties to avoid escalation.
Russia has denounced the operation.
The Philippines expressed concern.
Other countries voicing concerns include South Africa Serbia Namibia Singapore, Oman and Pakistan.
Military intervention often leaves scars that endure long after the fighting ends.
In 1983, the United States launched Operation Urgent Fury against the small Caribbean nation of Grenada.
While Washington described the invasion as a mission to restore order, many Grenadians remember it as a period of deep loss, not only of lives, but of national identity and professional dignity.
It's how Schwan reports.
Dr Terence Marischal is now a respective physician, but his path to medicine was nearly cut short by events over four decades ago.
In the late 1970s he was one of 10 Grenada students sent to Cuba on scholarship, part of a national effort to address a severe shortage of doctors.
When he returned home, he found himself barred from practicing medicine for four years.
Punished, he says, simply for speaking out against the US invasion.
I was sent to Cuba by the revolutionary government of 1979.
After the triumph of the revolution, a number of Canadians were selected to go to Cuba to study after relations were established between Grenada and Cuba.
In my case in particular, I was one of 10 students that were selected to study medicine.
The whole objective and my heart and my desire was to return to serve my people.
And because we didn't have enough doctors and Cuban doctors were filling the void that existed at the time.
Dr. Marichaud's experience was not unique.
Between 1979 and 1983, More than 300 Grenada students started in Cuba to help build the island's healthcare system and infrastructure.
After the invasion, many faced professional exclusion.
The damage extended far beyond individual careers.
In the heart of San Jorge stand the ruins of what was once Grenada's only mental health hospital.
During the invasion, US airstrikes hit the facility, killing 16 patients.
For a country with a population of just 110,000, the loss was devastating.
The invasion also dealt a heavy blow to Grenada's economy.
Dorian Thompson, who runs a travel agency in the capital, says years of development were wiped out.
They destroyed all of the supports, the equipment and so forth that we need.
I was doing well economic wise.
But if these factories are still here, we would have had the means in which we are able to actually see our economy do much better.
But Dr. Marichal says the most lasting damage may have been psychological.
He argues, the invasion was accompanied by a campaign of psychological warfare aimed at dismantling the country's stance of unity and national pride.
They destroyed a lot.
They destroyed, first of all, from a purely philosophical point of view.
The whole unity that we had during the revolution, the sense of national pride and patriotism that is gone.
Unlike Nicaragua, which successfully brought a case against the United States as an international court of justice in the 1980s, Grenada never pursued legal action.
Law professor Paulo Borba Cacera at the University of São Paulo says seeking justice now would be extremely difficult.
And it was proven that they were causing damage, both military and monetary, to the government of Nicaragua.
They managed to get a decision stating that there were violations committed by the United States.
So in this case you mentioned a few years before, as the country did not take measures, It is hard to bring it now, more than 40 years after these events occurred.
Today, the ruins of the bombed hospital and the memories of sidelined professionals remain powerful reminders.
For Grenada, the US invasion wasn't just a brief military episode.
It was a traumatic pivot that continues to shape the nation's struggle for dignity and self-determination.
For the Beijing Hour, I'm Cao Xuan.
Coming up.
The OPEC Plus group maintains oil production levels where they are, despite the US military action in Venezuela.
The Beijing Hour, your window on China and the rest of the world.
At 26 past the hour.
The world's biggest group of oil exporters has decided to keep its output unchanged.
OPEC Plus' decision came despite the US attacks on OPEC member, Venezuela and the closure of some of its oil fields.
The bloc's eight members held a virtual meeting on Sunday to review global market conditions and economic outlook.
Oil prices fell more than 18% in 2025, the steepest drop since 2020, fueling concerns of oversupply.
Johannes Plushberger has more from Vienna.
OPEC and its allies reportedly did not even discuss Venezuela during Sunday's meeting, which came as a surprise considering the attack on the OPEC member just a day before.
Though in the past we've seen a tendency by OPEC to react slowly or not at all when geopolitical crises escalate, keeping a cool head.
So it remains to be seen what will actually happen to OPEC member Venezuela.
The country holds the world's largest oil reserves, though today it produces just a small fraction of the world's output.
Still, the U.S. trying to take control over these oil fields means OPEC could lose some influence.
But it would take some time for the US to actually modernize and boost oil production in Venezuela.
So on OPEC's part, right now, no apparent need to rush decisions.
If the US goes through with its plan to seize control of Venezuela's oil industry, exports from the South American country could grow, with sanctions lifted and the return of foreign investment.
What does this mean for OPEC?
In the long term, increased production in Venezuela could further bring down global oil prices, which OPEC key member, Saudi Arabia, surely wants to avoid.
So it is likely that OPEC will rather decrease than increase its oil output this year if Washington continues to intervene in Venezuela.
We will know more in four weeks when OPEC Plus members are set to meet again.
That was Johannes Plushberger reporting.
Police say gunmen have attacked a market in Nigeria, killing at least 30 people and abducting several others.
Police spokesperson said the gunman stormed Kasuan Daji Market in Dimo Village over the weekend, burning stalls and looting food items.
Witnesses said the violence was part of a series of raids that began on Friday in nearby villages.
The attack came weeks after gunmen seized more than 300 children and staff from a Catholic school in central Nigeria.
Authorities later secured their release after nearly a month in captivity.
A heavy snowstorm has descended on central parts of Bosnia-Herzegovina on Sunday, causing havoc across many regions and its highways.
In Sarajevo, more than 70 centimeters of snow fell within hours, bringing traffic to a standstill right across the city.
The storm also cut electricity to some remote villages.
More snow is forecast in the coming days, with temperatures plunging to minus 14 degrees Celsius in Sarajevo and other central regions of the country.
We're at 29 past the hour.
Checking the forecast ahead of the break, and Beijing's down to minus 5 this evening.
It'll be cloudy and 7 degrees on Tuesday.
Nanchang's cloudy and down to plus 3 tonight, then sunny and 13.
Also in Asia.
Islamabad's cloudy and 7 degrees this evening overcast and 17 degrees in the forecast for Tuesday.
Vientiane will be cloudy overnight and tomorrow.
It's down to 15 and then 28 degrees for a high.
Phnom Penh will be overcast tonight and tomorrow, a low of 20 and a high of 31.
In Africa, Nairobi's getting overcast skies in 25 on Tuesday.
Kampala will see light rainfall overnight and tomorrow, a low of 19 and a high of 27.
Juba's overcast in 26 in the evening and then cloudy in 38.
Finally to Oceania, Port Vila, a light rainfall tonight and tomorrow, a low of 23 and a high of 31.
It's time for a short break.
So far this hour, the Chinese presidents welcome leaders from South Korea and Ireland in Beijing.
China's urging the US to immediately release the Venezuelan president, forcibly seized by US forces over the weekend.
The world's leading oil exporting group has decided to leave production levels where they are, despite the US military action in Venezuela.
Shane Begum with you.
Stay with us here on the Beijing Hour.
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.
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?
Ever wondered what's actually going on in Africa through the perspective of an African?
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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 Begum with you on this Monday.
Still to come.
In business, China's action plan for promoting green consumption.
In sports, a Chinese table tennis star claims his first overseas club title.
In culture and entertainment, China's holiday box office brought in over $100 million.
To contact us, you can email radio at cgtn.com or follow our ex-account at CGTN Radio.
Now checking the day's headlines.
Chinese President, Xi Jinping, is calling on China and Ireland to maintain friendly exchanges, enhance understanding and address each other's major concerns.
President Xi met with Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin in Beijing.
He welcomed Martin as the first leader of a.
Although we have different histories, cultures and national conditions, both China and Ireland are peace-loving open, inclusive and self-reliant nations that have forged ahead with hard work.
The people of both countries fought their way to national independence and liberation and advanced toward modernization through the tireless efforts of generations.
The experiences of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit have proven invaluable for the long-term and steady growth of China-Ireland relations and should be upheld and carried forward by both sides.
President Xi said China welcomes more young people from Ireland and hopes to strengthen cooperation in fields such as AI and the digital economy.
He said the two countries need to work together to support a more fair and just global governance system.
As Ireland will assume the EU presidency later this year, President Xi expressed hope that Dublin would play a constructive role in advancing China-EU ties.
Martin's on an official visit to China, the first by an Irish leader in 14 years.
We recognize and acknowledge China's indispensable role in the world today and the contribution you make to the United Nations, particularly in peacekeeping.
We all depend on each other.
And I think if we can maintain that spirit into the future, our relationship will continue to grow and will continue to strengthen.
Martin said President Xi's visit to Ireland back in 2012 laid a solid foundation for the mutually beneficial strategic partnership between the two countries.
In recent years,
He said his country is willing to work with China to maintain free trade and healthy China-EU relations.
South Korean citizens have expressed expectations for President Lee's state visit to China.
I have high hopes for this meeting between our country's leaders.
About 200 to 300 South Korean corporate executives are traveling with him.
I have high hopes for this.
If this visit helps strengthen relations between the two leaders, I believe it could lead to a win-win outcome and bring South Korea and China closer together.
The leaders' meeting can spark dynamic exchanges in economy and culture.
More exchanges between the two countries would boost the two economies.
I am full of hope for a strong cooperation between President Lee Jae-myung and President Xi Jinping.
Also expressed hope for strengthened people-to-people exchanges with China.
President Li is making his first visit to China since assuming office in June of 2025, with the state visit scheduled to run until Wednesday.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army has launched its New Year military training program, with all services moving into intensive combat-oriented drills to sharpen battlefield readiness.
Units from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Rocket Force and the Armed Police took part.
Naval forces staged live-fire drills in the Yellow Sea.
Officer Feng Wanhao with the PLA Navy said current drills emphasize system-wide coordination.
Now there's more combat-oriented training that involves the full process and all elements aligning with future naval warfare.
Whether it's basic training or coordinated training, it is no longer single subject, single ship or single platform.
It is testing the combat effectiveness of the ships under complex conditions.
Meanwhile, the Air Force organized joint exercises involving aviation, surface-to-air missiles and radar units to improve combat skills.
The Rocket Force deployed units across multiple positions for drills such as cross-regional maneuvers and rapid-fire assault.
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson says China supports a United Nations Security Council emergency meeting on the US military action against Venezuela.
Lin Jian said China backs the Security Council in fulfilling its due role in accordance with its own responsibilities.
He said China is ready to work with the international community to firmly uphold the UN charter, defend the bottom line of international morality and safeguard international fairness and justice.
The UN Security Council will hold the emergency meeting on Monday.
Acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez has formed a committee to work for the release of President Nicolas Maduro.
National Assembly head Jorge Rodriguez will be leading that committee.
The acting president has said her priority objective is to advance towards a balanced and respectful international relationship between her country and the US, and between Venezuela and the countries of the region, based on sovereign equality and non-interference.
She also invited Washington to work together on a cooperation agenda which is oriented towards shared development within the framework of international legality and strengthens lasting community coexistence.
U.S. forces seized Maduro on the weekend.
Coming up in business, China's action plan for promoting green consumption.
The Beijing Hour, your window on China and the rest of the world.
37 past the hour.
Turning to business, and stock markets on the Chinese mainland closed higher on Monday, the first trading day of 2026.
The Shanghai Composite was up nearly 1.4% to close above 4,000.
The Shenzhen component gained over 2.2%.
Insurance and gaming were among the top gainers.
Timothy Pope has more.
It was a cracker of a start to the year for the Shanghai and Shenzhen markets.
We had the Shanghai Composite Index up 14 to close comfortably above 4000 points for the first time since mid-November.
We had the Shenzhen component up 2.3% and the Chinex board adding more than 2.8%.
If you look at where the gains came from, it was the new growth sectors, primarily chips and AI.
There was a sub-index tracking semiconductors rising 56 to a more than three-month high, and another one covering AI, which gained 32.
In Shenzhen, we also saw some strong gains for a lot of biomedical companies.
Now, these were the big growth engines for the market in 2025 and seems they're likely to remain so in 2026.
The Hong Kong stock market was up over a tenth of a percent.
In Japan, the Nikkei increased nearly three percent.
China's released a nationwide action plan aimed at promoting green consumption as part of the country's broader efforts to accelerate the green transition of consumption and support high-quality development.
The plan outlines 20 policy measures across seven key areas.
It covers sectors such as agricultural products, home appliances, and accommodation services.
The plan prioritizes improving quality supply in essential livelihood-related sectors, calling for increased availability of green agricultural products and wider adoption of energy-efficient home appliances.
It incentivizes the purchase of new energy vehicles and strengthens the automotive industry chain, while fostering RV camping, drive-in cinema experiences and road travel.
The initiative also emphasizes deeper integration of artificial intelligence with green consumption, thereby supporting the development of smart products and appliances.
Major commercial districts across China also saw a surge in consumer traffic and spending during the New Year holiday.
According to the Commerce Ministry.
In Wuhan.
The city's first park-style super-commercial complex was bustling with visitors during the holiday.
On New Year's Day alone, customer traffic at the complex exceeded 120,000 visits.
The newly opened business district in central China features a wide range of immersive activities, including live bands.
In Beijing's Wukesong Commercial District.
A combination of trendy cross-industry collaborations and technology-driven innovations created fresh experiences for consumers.
New Year countdown concerts and robot performances inside shopping malls added excitement.
Meanwhile, the newly opened Pink Street Commercial Complex in Shenzhen featured nearly 40 flagship stores featuring intangible cultural heritage experiences, and creative dining and avant-garde lifestyle brands.
Duty-free shopping in Hainan surpassed 700 million yuan roughly 100 million US dollars over the three-day New Year holiday, and that's an increase of 130.
The rapid growth follows a new duty-free policy that started in November, expanding the range of eligible goods.
It was part of Hainan's push to build itself into a world-leading free trade port.
Lynn Watt reports.
Throughout the New Year holiday, duty-free stores in Hainan continue to attract large numbers of shoppers.
On the first day of the New Year holiday, around 20,000 people visited our store.
During the holiday, we had promotions on selected items and additional discounts.
Consumers also benefited from the government-issued shopping coupons.
During the New Year holiday, food traffic increased by about 135 compared to last year and sales also saw growth.
Following the latest adjustments to the duty-free policy, the range of available products has expanded to 47 categories.
At the same time, more diversified pickup options have further enhanced shopping convenience for consumers.
It's even cheaper than online stores and the deals are great.
The items can be directly shipped to my home, which is really convenient.
The prices are very reasonable and all the staff are incredibly friendly.
It's a great experience.
To strengthen the regulatory services and enhance the consumer experience, Haikou Customs has implemented a smart supervision system featuring a one-item, one-code traceability chain for duty-free goods.
Before duty-free products are sold, each item is taxed with a traceable code.
Currently it only takes about two hours from the goods' customs clearance to being available for sale.
For low-risk processes like duty-free goods release, we use a fully automated order review system.
According to Haikou Customs statistics, a total of 442000 duty-free items were sold under customs supervision during the New Year holiday, representing a year-on-year increase of about 52.
The number of shoppers reached 83500, also posting year-on-year growth, while total sales hit 712 million yuan, marking a significant increase compared with the same period last year.
That was Lin Wa reporting.
China's bulk commodity price index continued its upward trend in December, marking the eighth straight month of gains and the highest level recorded since June of 2024.
According to the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing, the index stood at 1179 points and was up 32 from November.
Of the 50 major types of bulk commodities monitored by the Federation, 31 saw price rises on a monthly basis.
Lithium carbonate, refined tin, and apples registered the strongest gains.
The subindex for non-ferrous metals prices rose nearly 5 on a monthly basis, while the subindex for agricultural product prices saw an increase of 25.
The subindexes for mineral prices, ferrous metals, and chemical prices also edged up slightly.
China's mutual visa exemption policy with South Korea has triggered a surge in tourism.
Zhang Songwu followed a group of tourists at a popular destination in Hunan province.
Home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Zhangjiajie, in central Chinese Hunan province captivates visitors with astounding natural scenery, attracting more than 400000 tourists from the Republic of Korea in 2025 alone.
We're seeing a surge in visitors from the Republic of Korea, and even heavy snow can't stop them.
And basically, it's the breathtaking natural landscapes that draw them here.
But equally important is the welcoming and attentive service they receive, making their journey more comfortable and awe-inspiring.
Hello.
Hello.
In November 2024, China introduced a 15-day visa-free entry for ordinary ROK passport holders.
The policy, originally set until December 31, 2025, has now been extended to December 31, 2026.
I've always wanted to travel to China and now, with the 15-day visa-free policy, it feels much more convenient.
Snow isn't something you see often, but here in Zhangjiajie, seeing the snowy landscape truly made me feel like I was rising into the sky, and listening to local singers perform for us on the lake was so wonderful.
Every mountain here is the kind of scenery we don't get to see in our country.
It's truly amazing.
And the food was also much more to my taste than I expected.
And our tour guide took such good care of everything.
It was just wonderful.
Beyond the visa-free policy, Zhangjiajie's decades-long market development has also contributed to the influx of tourists from the ROK.
Its Korean restaurants are even more authentic than those in the ROK, as the tourist said.
To better serve Korean tour groups, young Korean speakers from northeast China have been certified as tour guides here.
President Lee Jae-myung's visit suggests our relations could enter a honeymoon phase.
I also hope the visa-free policy will be further extended or even lengthened.
Flourishing cultural and tourism exchanges between China and the Republic of Korea are bringing the people of the two nations closer together.
That was Zhang Songwu reporting.
You're listening to the Beijing Hour.
Coming up in sports, a Chinese table tennis star claims his first overseas club title.
Sideline Story brings you all things sports related.
Thank you, Shane.
Manchester United has sacked head coach Ruben Amorim.
The Portuguese boss departed after 14 months in charge with his final game, the 1-0 draw at Leeds United on Sunday.
Amarim's dismissal comes after growing tensions between him and Old Trafford hierarchy, including director of football Jason Wilcox.
Darren Fletcher will take interim charge with the United next in action at Burnley on Wednesday night.
Chinese table tennis star Fan Zhendong has claimed his first overseas club title.
He led Saarbrücken to a 3-1 victory over Ron Spruder in the German Cup final on Sunday.
Fan, who joined Saarbrücken in June 2025, won all of his four matches on Sunday.
Earlier in the day, Saarbrücken defeated Oxenhausen 3-1 in the semi-finals.
Since fans' arrival in June last year, Saarbrücken has achieved positive results across all competitions, including the Bundesliga, European Champions League and the German Cup.
Saarbrücken will play the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals in mid-January.
In the Spanish La Liga, Real Madrid delivered a 5-1 victory over Real Betis, trimming their deficit to leaders Barcelona to four points.
21-year-old forward Gonzalo Garcia had a night to remember as the Spaniard scored the perfect hat-trick for Real.
Garcia, who started due to Kylian Mbappe's knee injury, opened scoring with a far post header in the 20th minute and doubled lead with a volley early in the second half.
Raul Asensio was left unmarked to make it 3-0 with the header before Cucho Hernandez pulled the goal back for baddies.
Garcia then completed his hat-trick with a backflip and Frank Garcia scored fifth in injury time.
Real Madrid coach Xavi Alonso praised the hat-trick hero after the dream match.
Obviously, it was a dream match for Gonzalo.
Playing the Bernabeu during the first season with the first team and scoring a hat-trick.
I was very eager to score at the stadium and very happy for him.
Because all the work he puts in on a daily basis, no matter if he plays or not, his attitude is amazing.
He's a great example of what it means to come from the youth team of Real Madrid.
In another game, Atlético Madrid dropped two points in the title race after a one-all draw to Real Sociedad, whose new coach, Pellegrino Matarazzo, was making his debut.
Alexander Solot put Atlético ahead after 15 minutes, but Takifusa Kubo set up Gonçalo Guedes to level just five minutes later.
Atlético currently sits fourth in the standing, seven points behind Real Madrid and 11 behind Barcelona.
To the English Premier League.
Chelsea's Enzo Fernandes scored deep into stoppage time to earn a 1-0 draw at Manchester City.
The result cost the City a couple of precious points in the Premier League title race.
Man City manager, Pep Guardiola, said his team will send a solution for key players' absences and they will continue to play with spirit.
Aston is missing for I don't know how many months and Ruben will be out and Josco will be out.
And Nathan, all we know is Nathan cannot play regularly.
So a situation but in the same time will happen last season.
So stay strong and we'll find the solution.
Spirit will be there.
Spirit is there and will be there.
The draw left the city in second place, with 42 points ahead of Aston Villa on goal difference and six behind Arsenal.
The new coach of China's men's national football team has called for restoring faith in Chinese football.
Xiao Jiayi made his first public appearance since Chinese Football Association appointed him on November 5th.
When I received the news of my appointment as head coach of the national team, it was an overwhelming moment of excitement and nerves.
Becoming head coach is just one step toward larger goal.
Our real aim is to build a national side, to play with the spirit and earn the results to make our country proud, ultimately achieve the long-held dream of our people.
The first step is restoring faith in Chinese football.
That's not just words.
It means rigorous training, high-quality preparation and taking it game by game, step by step, toward our vision.
Following an eight-game or eight-day training camp in Guangdong, Xiao's squad will depart for the United Arab Emirates to play a series of training matches there.
And finally, in tennis, Chinese veteran Zhang Shuai has advanced to the second round at the Brisbane International.
On Monday, she beat Aisling Kruger of the United States in three sets.
Zhang defeated 49-ranked American 6-4 5-7 6-4 in two hours and four minutes in the warm-up event for the Australian Open.
The 36-year-old broke Kruger's powerful serve in the opening game, which would prove to be the only break in the first set.
Also in Australia, China's hopes of reaching the United Cup quarter-finals suffered a major setback after a 3-0 defeat to second-seeds Canada.
Zhang Zhijun and Zhu Lin both lost their singles matches, leaving China's last eight chances hanging by a thread.
Having beaten Belgium 2-1 on Saturday, China remains in contention for quarterfinal spots, with the result between Belgium and Canada set to decide their fate.
Thank you very much.
That was Yang Guang with sports.
Coming up in culture and entertainment.
China's holiday box office brought in over 100 million US dollars.
From north to south, east to west, people in China are chasing their dreams and leaving their mark.
Want to know how they beat the odds and made a difference?
Footprints brings you the true life stories of their journeys.
53 past the hour.
In culture and entertainment.
China's New Year holiday box office has surpassed 730 million yuan, or over 100 million US dollars, highlighting robust demand across the nation's cinemas.
Cultural researcher Sun Jiaxian said the robust holiday performance reflects the vitality and expanding global role of China's film industry.
China's high-quality and high-level opening up is reflected in the film sector.
In terms of industrial impact, box office contribution and commercial scale.
China's contribution to the global film landscape is becoming increasingly substantial.
The cinematic lineup during the holiday featured a robust mix of new releases and holdovers from the 2025 year-end season.
The market featured Zootopia 2, Avatar 3 and the domestic film Fire Raven, which rounded out the top three films of the period.
Meanwhile, domestic productions stood out for their focus on realism and emotional resonance.
The Fire.
Raven, a suspense thriller centered on the survival dilemmas of ordinary people, drew widespread attention, while Escape from the Outland explored themes of peace and respect for life through a realistic narrative.
In addition, Back to the Past, tapped into nostalgia, to revive youthful memories and comedy Unexpected Family, which portrays the bond between elderly people with Alzheimer's disease and a temporary family, became a popular choice for family audiences.
The Ningxiu Palace Garden at Beijing's Palace Museum has opened two courtyards to the public, better known as the Qianlong Garden, named after the famous Qing emperor.
It features exquisitely crafted architecture.
A young man spoke to a representative of the World Monuments Fund to find out more.
The Qianlong Garden is nestled in the northeast corner of the Forbidden City.
Emperor Qianlong commissioned it as his dream retreat for when he retired.
Its restoration was a joint effort by the World Monuments Fund and the Palace Museum.
The Qianlong Garden, restored with the support of the World Monuments Fund, opened to the public in September.
Could you share with us the collaboration process and the significance?
From 2000 to 2003, the foundation, the palace museum and international conservation experts began with a thorough assessment of the Qianlong Garden, studying its microclimate and all key issues related to the conservation of historic buildings.
Based on this detailed data, we established three core standards.
First, all work had to follow internationally accepted conservation principles.
Second, we prioritized reviving traditional Chinese craftsmanship, making its rediscovery and renewal a central goal of the project.
And third, we aimed to set a model for effective collaboration between Chinese and international institutions.
In the end, I believe we achieved all three.
Though small in scale, the garden is a masterpiece laid out in four courtyards running south to north, weaving together the finest traditions of northern and southern Chinese garden design.
It blends scholarly refinement with imperial splendor, standing as a jewel in the history of classical gardens both in China and worldwide.
This place is really fascinating.
It's the restored Juanqing Zhai in the Qianlong Garden.
One particularly interesting feature is the illusionistic panoramic painting on silk covering the ceiling.
It was created using Western linear perspective techniques which are fundamentally different from traditional Chinese landscape painting principles.
In this sense, the Qianlong Emperor was a remarkably creative curator who brought the most advanced artistic ideas and painting methods from around the world into his own design.
The Qianlong Gardens opening unlocks a hidden gem of the Palace Museum's centuries-old heritage.
That was Yang Yan reporting.
57 past the hour.
Checking the forecast before we go.
Beijing down to minus 5 this evening.
It'll be cloudy and 7 degrees on Tuesday.
Nanchang's cloudy overnight and 3 degrees, then sunny and 13.
Also in Asia, Islamabad's cloudy and 7 degrees overnight, overcast and 17 tomorrow.
Vientiane will be cloudy overnight and tomorrow.
A low of 15, a high of 28.
But on Penelope, overcast overnight and through the day tomorrow, with a low of 20 and a high of 31 degrees.
In Africa, Nairobi's overcast and 25 degrees on Tuesday.
And that's it for this edition of the Beijing Hour.
Making news today, Chinese presidents welcome leaders from South Korea and Ireland in Beijing.
And China's urging the US to immediately release the Venezuelan president detained by US forces over the weekend.
On behalf of the staff.
This is 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 the 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, or in our 12-part series, The Yellow River Mosaic, available only on CGTN Radio.
