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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 Bigham, with you on this Wednesday, June 11, 2025.
You're listening to The Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
On today's program, China and the U .S. have agreed, in principle, on a framework for trade talks following meetings in London.
China says it's ready to begin zero -tariff treatment for almost all of Africa.
Clashes between protesters and law enforcement over immigration raids are ongoing in Los Angeles.
In business, many banks are upping their growth forecast for China in sports, Asian qualifying action for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
In culture and entertainment, China is building a heritage route on the ancient Silk Road.
Now check in today's top stories.
Chinese Vice Premier Holy Feng has urged the United States to resolve trade disputes with China through equal dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation.
He made the remarks during the first meeting of the China -US Economic and Trade Consultation System in London.
The vice premier called on the U .S. to work with China to jointly safeguard the outcomes of the dialogue.
Vice Commerce Minister Li Chenggang says China and the United States have agreed in principle on a framework for trade talks.
The China International Trade Representative described their exchanges over the past two days as professional and candid.
He also expressed hopes that the progress made at the London meeting will be conducive to strengthening bilateral trust and further promoting the steady and healthy development bilateral and economic and trade ties.
The U .S. also said it reached a framework with China to implement the consensus reached by the presidents of the two countries.
Ray Addison has more from London.
They have reached a framework for an agreement on trade which will be taken back now to the respective presidents and for their approval they hope after hours and hours of negotiations here in London.
First up to speak was China's chief trade negotiator Li Chenggang.
He made a brief statement.
He said that the two sides had reached that framework for an agreement on trade.
He described it as a consensus on the Geneva meeting of around a month ago, and that now that will be taken back to President Xi from the U .S. side would be taken back to President Trump.
He described the communication during the negotiations here in London at Lancaster House as professional, rational, in -depth and candid.
He also said that he hoped that progress achieved here in London could be conducive for enhancing trust between China and the United States.
He also said he hopes that it injects positive energy into world economic developments to and of course we have seen how very avidly the markets have been watching these negotiations taking place as well.
Now we heard from US Commerce Secretary Looknick who came out and made a similar statement alongside Ambassador Greer they've been involved in these negotiations and Secretary Looknick saying that the framework of this agreement is based actually on the telephone call which took place last Thursday between President Trump and President Xi, that one and a half to two hour long phone call which President Trump described as being very good.
And he said that that call had really changed the likely outcome of the relationship between the two countries.
So seemingly having a massively significant impact of course then we saw within four days those talks, those negotiations, arranged right here in London at very short notice.
And Secretary Lutnik confirming that once the president's have approved the framework he said we will seek to implement it as soon as they possibly could.
He said they're moving as quickly as they can.
That was Ray Addison reporting.
The latest framework reach between China in the US in London follows the consensus they reached at their high -level economic and trade meeting in Geneva in May.
Asunya has more on the agreement that they reached in the Swiss city.
The two sides for the London talk have said that agreed in principle for the framework to implement the consensus reached by two heads of state on June 5 in the phone talk.
And in that phone talk, Chinese President Xi Jinping has said that only cooperation and dialogue is the only correct choice for the two countries.
Now, in that phone talk initiated by the U .S. President, Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping also said for the two countries to re -collaborate the direction of the two countries' relations, both must be putting into effort at the same time.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has said the Geneva talk has been an important step in resolving the issues of the two countries in trade and economy, and that talk, the Geneva talk, has been very well welcomed by both countries and the world community.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has said then in that phone talk that China and U .S. should be making good use of that talk.
That mechanism reached by the Geneva talks and both sides should be making good on the promises reached in the Geneva meetings.
He had said and China is sincere and will honor its promises.
And on the other hand, the US President Donald Trump at that phone talk on June 5th also said a great deal has been made.
And both sides had said they wanted to see the next round of talking, that the London talk happened as soon as possible.
That was Sun Yat reporting.
And for more on the trade talks between the world's two largest economies, Li Dongning spoke to professor Qiu Cheng with the Belt and Road Research Center at Minsu University of China.
Well first of all, Li Chenggang, Vice Minister of Commerce, said it has conducted, China has conducted very professional, rational, candid talks with the U .S. over the past two days in London.
How do you look at this round of talks?
Actually, I think this round two talk has been carried out very smoothly.
I think that every sides are showing that they're a good well and I think it's based on the good foundation of a round two, the round one talk and every side agrees to carry on with the Geneva framework.
So I think the whole framework set up at Geneva last month was really sound and, you know, built up a good atmosphere for both sides.
I think both sides fully understand the gravity of the situation right now.
I think Mr. Besson made a very clear statement last time.
That both China and America really need to balance their trade and their economy.
They really need to cooperate with each other and America never seek to decouple with China.
I think he really mean it and he shows this goodwill and his directions in both rounds of this talks.
I think that's the most fundamental reasons that both sides are doing so.
And I think, thirdly, that both sides actually are doing pretty well in this round of talks is because it's not the fiscal problem anymore, like the Round 1.
That's the reason why I think Mr. Bassan feel assured and safe to leave this meeting, to go back to the Congress for another hearing and left only Mr. Lutnik and Grier for the concrete topics and conversations, for example, like remove the sanctions and bans on the limitations on the rare earths or semiconductors.
So, I think everybody has already agreed on the principles.
Now, the only problem is, How can we focus on the details?
And last but not least, I think the goodwill has been built on the previous telephone talk between the two heads of the states and I think this state covers a wide range of topics.
You set a good tone for the round of trade talks and also a good tone for a wider range of topics in the future for both nations to reach out for each other.
Right. Talking about this sustainable dialogue mechanism looking ahead, although, this one is agreed upon in principle, how do you expect the mechanism to benefit both sides in the future?
Well, we've heard that the telephone topic goes on really well and the economy is just in a trade.
It's just one topic and I think most heads of the states actually talk about a wider range of issues, you know, and that they're reaching a lot of consensus.
I think this is something at least we need to be happy about it.
And I think this is just one of the good signs and that there are many more to come because we, according to our memory, that China and America have been suspended in their high -level dialogue mechanism for a very, very long time, ever since Trump's - the last Trump administration until the Biden's administration.
And I think this lacking of a high -level, sustainable, regular dialogue mechanism will be a problem because those children in the most important state really need to reach out to each other very directly on the highest level.
Even though in the past several years we can meet with each other in some third -party mechanism like the APAC, like the Jiho -ni, but it's still not enough.
We need to direct a very, very short, a short -term and also very instant mechanism to feedback to each other, respond to each other's concern.
So I think these talk is just a start, a very important feedback and channel towards the trade and economic issues, and a wider, more and a higher level of dialogue mechanisms probably won't be restored in no time.
I was professor Chu Cheng with the Belton Road Research Centre at Minzu University of China, sharing his insights on the trade talks between China and the U .S. in London.
China boasts one of the strictest and most thorough anti -drug policies in the world.
It's also strengthened enforcement and global cooperation in the fight against fentanyl abuse.
Zheng Yiping has more.
In terms of counter -narcotics policies, China's ranked among the toughest in the world.
To date, no cases of fentanyl -related medications disappearing in manufacturing or circulation have been detected in China.
In 2019, China became the first in the world to officially include fentanyl -related substances in its controlled list at the request of the United States, Even though there is no evidence of widespread abuse of fentanyl -related substances in China.
Since implementing this through control, a country has not received any notification from the U .S. that such substances originating from China have been seized.
China has conducted an extensive in -depth cooperation in countering narcotics with other countries, including the U .S., and achieved significant progress.
This cooperation has included areas such as subsidence classification, intelligence exchange, case cooperation, online advertisement removal, drug testing technology exchange, and multilateral interaction.
That was Zheng Yibing reporting.
Coming up, China's eliminating tariffs for most of Africa.
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It's 12 minutes past the hour.
Chinese president Xi Jinping says Beijing's ready to begin zero tariff treatment for 53 African countries in a congratulatory letter to a ministerial meeting on implementing decisions from the Forum on China -Africa Cooperation.
President Xi pledged to facilitate exports to China from the least developed countries in Africa.
Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi attended the opening ceremony and urged both sides to defend unity within the global south and promote international free trade.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has met with African ministers from Kenya, Senegal, Tanzania and other countries at the China -Africa cooperation meeting in Changsha.
Wang stressed deepening cooperation mutual trust and support for development the African nations reaffirmed their adherence to the one China principle and welcomed closer ties with China the Chinese foreign minister also appraised Tanzania's progress on key projects like the Tanzania Zambia Railway the African ministers thanked China for its help and investment official data shows that China's trade with African countries had an average annual growth rate of 14 .2 percent from 2000 until last year.
China's total imports and exports grew from less than 100 billion yuan, under 14 billion U .S. dollars, to over 2 trillion yuan during the period.
The General Administration of Customs also released the China -Africa Trade Index, which reached our record high last year.
The two sides will participate in the China -Africa Economic and Trade Expo.
That begins on Thursday.
The fourth China -Africa Economic and trade Expo will open in Changsha.
Nigeria is participating as one of the guest countries of honour.
Last September the country established a strategic partnership office to deepen its trade and investment ties with China.
Bridget Mutambira sat down with the head of the office, Joseph Tegbe, to explore the opportunities and challenges shaping Nigeria -China economic relations.
What is your mission at this year's China -Africa economic and trade Expo, the CAETE, And what key goals are you pursuing for Nigeria?
I think one of the critical things we want to achieve out of this season is to explore opportunities for partnership between Nigeria, as a country, and China, and also Nigerian businesses and Chinese businesses.
We'll see a lot of opportunities evolving over time and we've been focused largely in the past on all what we call transactional relationship, trading relationship.
our target is to showcase Nigeria's potentials as a possible manufacturing hub for China.
And considering all the developments in the economy across the world today, Nigeria positions itself well as the entrance to African markets.
And that is what we want to do.
We have a couple of products that we've been promoting in the past, but our emphasis, going forward, is going to shift from just transactional developmental partnership And we're going to look for opportunities for our businesses, with Chinese businesses, and also, in addition, I think one of the sectors that is important to us is our small and medium enterprises in Nigeria.
You know, for developing countries, and even other developed countries, the power and the engine of industrialization is typically the SMEs.
And we're trying to see how we can use the SMEs to leverage Chinese light manufacturing sector and to do some sector mapping and create those opportunities.
That's going to be our focus.
So, identifying those strategic partnership opportunities for our businesses in Nigeria is going to be our major focus.
Nigeria has gained access to the Chinese market for products like peanuts, sesame seeds, soy beans, cashew nuts, how are these exports performing?
They're doing well.
You know, first of all, there's been increased relationship between NEQs in Nigeria, which is the agency responsible for quarantine, for ensuring that products are of the quality that destination countries like China actually require.
And they've been working with GACC in China to ensure harmonization of the protocols.
That took a while and those products are doing extremely well, but we have potentials to do better than we're doing.
And I think the tariff war or the trade war, globally, has opened our eyes even in Nigeria to see the kind of opportunities we have. One of the things we're also doing is to ensure that we have a structured platform to monitor exports out of Nigeria into places like China.
So we have opportunities to governize some of the things that have been done on the transactional business and see them being done at a very large scale.
What China needs is one high -quality product to the specs they want in terms of yield per acreage, in terms of quality and also edibility.
What Nigeria is trying to do is scaling up in terms of production, and ensuring compliance with those quality requirements.
And I believe that we're making progress.
So those products you mentioned actually are doing well and but still has opportunities to do better than we do.
More importantly, for me, I think one of the things you've identified is the trade war.
It's an opportunity for us, to all just fill in in some of the gaps that have been created.
This is an opportunity for us in Africa, opportunity for us in Nigeria to explore those partnerships better.
That was Joseph Tegbe, Director General of the Nigeria China's strategic partnership.
Coming up, protests and clashes over immigration raids continue in Los Angeles.
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All right, 18 minutes past the hour.
Clashes between protesters and law enforcement officers over immigration raids are continuing in Los Angeles.
Mayor Karen Bass has declared a curfew in the downtown area.
U .S. President Donald Trump has vowed to, quote, liberate Los Angeles.
He's deployed over 4 ,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to suppress the protests, which began on Friday.
Hendrik Saibbrandt has more from Los Angeles.
A series of speakers have taken the stage here to talk about their unhappiness, their anger at what's happened here in Southern California over the past five days or so.
Of course, there have been, as we've been reporting, a number of detention, immigration detention and arrests.
Also, of course, major deployment of federal forces here, both National Guard, as well as Marines.
A couple of Los Angeles residents spoke about their feelings about this entire situation, the Trump administration's actions and what they believe is a total overreaction to the immigration problem.
I'm not okay with this.
I'm not okay with people getting taken from their jobs and being taken from when they're going into the federal building for their appointments to do this the right way and Trump doesn't seem to care.
And it's not, it's not right.
I'm not even like a Democrat or Republican.
I identify myself as an independent, but I just, I, I can't see how this is right.
I really believe that it just seems overblown.
I feel like, you know, it's indicative of the irresponsibility of the current administration and the hatred and xenophobia they have for immigrants.
So you get the feeling there that people are quite unhappy.
This is just a heartless series of actions.
That hearing is set for this coming Thursday.
The Governor of California who's a Democrat, Gavin Newsom, has demanded that the federal forces be withdrawn from LA.
Basically he says they're not necessary here.
The protests that happened since Friday did not rise to the level of needing either national Guard troops or Marines.
A total of 2100 National Guard troops are on the ground here right now, along with 700 Marines who were deployed here.
For his part, President Trump addressed soldiers at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
Here's what President Trump had to say, as well as what the governor here had to say in response.
We deployed thousands of National Guard troops and hundreds of Marines to protect federal law enforcement from the attacks of a vicious and violent mob.
And some of the radical left. They say, oh, that's not nice.
Well, if we didn't do it, there wouldn't be a Los Angeles.
It would be burning today, just like the houses were burning a number of months ago.
We honor their service.
We honor their bravery.
But we do not want our streets militarized by our own armed forces, not in L .A., not in California, not anywhere.
We're seeing unmarked cars, unmarked cars in school parking lots.
kids afraid of attending their own graduation.
Trump is pulling a military dragnet all across Los Angeles, well beyond his stated intent to just go after violent and serious criminals.
His agents are arresting dishwashers, gardeners, day laborers, and seamstresses.
That's just weakness, weakness masquerading as strength.
Governor Newsom, probably among the most outspoken of the Democrats who've reacted to the Trump administration's actions.
Of course, a lot of people feel that California has been targeted because it is a state that leans Democratic.
Trump, for his part, has been quite clear that he is very unhappy with lots of the things that have happened here in California.
And this is yet one more example about the tension between the governor and the Democratic politicians in this state and the Trump administration right now.
There were protests in some two dozen cities in the United States.
And there were more immigration arrests in cities like Omaha, Nebraska.
Nebraska is a Republican -leaning state, but Omaha is a Democratic city, the largest city in Nebraska.
Just an example of the fact that these immigration actions and these arrests are happening, not just in California, but across the U .S. right now.
As Hendrik Saibrande reporting, protests over immigration raids are spreading into many other cities in the U .S. with deportation efforts.
Martino has more. From Austin to Houston to Dallas hundreds of protesters have taken to the streets in Texas for largely peaceful demonstrations but not without confrontation.
Police have arrested more than a dozen people in the state during protests of the U .S. government's mass deportation efforts.
In New York hundreds voiced their opposition police arrested more than two dozen people at a sit -in protest at Trump Tower.
This country is building of immigration.
So it's not fair what happened.
They avoid our civil rights, now we have to speak up.
In Boston, protesters gathered to show support for workers who they say are part of the fabric of their community.
Trump and his ICE regime have been tearing families apart and wreaking havoc across the country, including our own neighborhoods like Milton, like Everett and Chelsea, like what happened in Worcester, like my own neighborhood point in Wouvren, where my next door neighbor was torn from her detention.
People are also protestingdirty school arrest last week of California services.
Employee international union president David Huerta, who was released on bond on Monday.
His detainment has fueled outrage in the San Francisco Bay Area, and there will be a time when We will be complicit.
We have to stand up to ice.
We have to stand up to this federal overreach." Police in San Francisco have arrested about 155 people, including six children, as demonstrations spread from coast to coast. That was Mark Neal reporting.
Another measure under the Trump administration's consideration in its immigration crackdown is the imposition of attacks on remittances by migrant workers in the U .S. Its provision in the president's budget bill now in Congress.
Insiders say it'll have far -reaching implications on the struggling workers' families once it's passed.
Alistair Baberstock has more from rural Mexico.
Hidalgo State in central Mexico where a local rye joke is that young people have to decide their path early on in life.
Farming, mining or migration.
During the first four years of the former Biden administration, Hidalgo's migrants who settled in the US sent back home over six billion dollars in the form of remittances.
But the new occupant of the Oval Office wants a piece of that pie.
Donald Trump's so -called big beautiful budget bill making its way through the US Congress includes a 3 .5 percent tax on remittances, an economic measure which would directly impact residents like Agustina Godinés.
The effect will be very big.
What we receive at the moment is barely enough given how prices keep rising, so if we start receiving less it won't be enough to get by on.
Agustina is not alone.
As the world's second largest recipient of US remittances after India, Mexico is set to feel significant consequences.
Remittances of US dollars to Mexico represent around 4 percent of this country's GDP and the proposed tax is projected to cost this country's economy over $2 .6 billion.
It will be the most impoverished regions that are the hardest hit with the cost of sending the average $350 remittance jumping significantly from around $5 to $17.
And this, as banking data show remittance volumes to Mexico are already down more than 12 percent this year compared to last. Returning migrants like Pablo Salazar say that's thanks to the harsher conditions Latinos now face in Trump's America.
People are being cautious.
When they hear of migration raids happening around where they are, they don't go to work or even leave the house to avoid any problems. And that has affected a lot of people.
Mexico's president has argued the measure is unconstitutional.
Why should they pay 3 .5 % tax on what they send when Mexicans working in the US are already taxed on their income?
Remittances are vital for a great many families and we will defend our migrants and the families who depend on them.
As Donald Trump cracks down on migrant workers in the US, his economic measures could end up hurting their families around the world.
Rather that was Alistair Baverstock reporting.
Partial US visa restrictions for Cubans have disrupted travel between the two countries.
Luis Torino has more.
For Cubans the proclamation signed by President Donald Trump is not a surprise but one more event in the saga of longstanding US sanctions against Cuba.
The US proclamation fully restricts and limits to the entry of nationals from 12 African and Middle East nations and partially restricts nationals from another seven countries, including Cuba.
The Cuban foreign ministry condemned the move saying it's consistent with the interests of anti -Cuban politicians and a step backwards in bilateral relations.
Cubans Marisol Hidalgo and David Arjona said they had hoped to visit their only child in the U .S., apply on a non -immigrant visa, but the proclamation ended those plans.
We Cubans are very dismayed and hurt after this new measure was announced by President Trump.
We had plans to see our son in the US and now we can't due to these tough measures.
The measure contains many exemptions, including for travelers on valid non -immigrant visas issued before June 9, lawful permanent US residents and others.
The partial restrictions not only impose a barrier to family visits, but also to Cuban tourists, business people and students.
The proclamation directly affects Cuban intellectuals who've been welcome in the past by many of America's top universities.
I've been guest professor to more than four U .S. universities, including Queen's College, Johns Hopkins and Harvard, but now traveling there is practically impossible, because these new restrictions hinder academic exchange.
It's a new obstacle we have to overcome.
Any suspension, limitation or modification of the full or partial entry restrictions will depend on the follow -up process between the US Secretary of State Donald Trump and his cabinet.
That was Louise Turino in Havana.
We're at 29 past the hour.
Beijing's 25 Wednesday evening, cloudy conditions in 34 on Thursday.
Nanchangs down to 22, then cloudy in 30.
Elsewhere in Asia, Islamabad's 27 this evening followed by clouds in 42.
Vientiane's down to 24.
Then moderate rainfall in 33 degrees Celsius.
It's time for a short break.
So far this hour China and the U .S. have agreed in principle on a framework for trade talks following meetings in London.
China says it's ready to begin zero -tariff treatment for almost all of Africa.
And clashes between protesters and law enforcement over immigration raids are ongoing in Los Angeles.
Shane Bigam with you, stay with us here on the Beijing Hour.
Shhhh... 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 Wednesday, still to come.
In business, many banks are upping their growth forecasts for China.
In sports, Asian qualifying action for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in culture and entertainment, China's building a heritage route on the Ancient Silk Road.
To contact us, you can email radio at cgtn .com or follow our ex -account at cgtnradio.
But first of all, a check of the day's headlines.
Chinese President Xi Jinping says Beijing is ready to begin zero -tariff treatment for 53 African countries.
In a congratulatory letter to a ministerial meeting on implementing decisions from the Forum on China -Africa cooperation, President Xi pledged to facilitate exports to China from the least developed countries in Africa.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the opening ceremony and urged both sides to defend unity within the global South, and promote international free trade.
A senior Chinese official says the country and the United States have agreed in principle on a framework for trade talks.
Vice Commerce Minister Li Chenggang made the remarks after the first meeting of the China -U .S. Economic and Trade Consultation in London.
The China International Trade Representative described their exchanges over the past couple of days as professional and candid.
We hope that the progress made at the London meeting will be conducive to strengthening trust between China and the U .S. and further promote the steady and healthy development of economic and trade ties between the two countries.
The meeting also adds positive energy to global economic growth.
The U .S. also said it reached a framework with China to implement the consensus reach between the presidents of the two countries.
The latest framework reached between the two sides in London follows the consensus they reached at their high -level economic and trade meeting in Geneva back in May.
Former Kuomintang chair Ma Ying -jeou will visit the Chinese mainland this month.
The visit runs from Saturday until June 27.
Mott will attend the 17th Strait Forum in Fujian and the 2025 worship ceremony for Chinese ancestor Fuxi in Gansu.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has declared a local emergency and imposed a curfew in downtown LA following several nights of protests that turned violent.
I wanted to let the city know that I have declared a local emergency and issued a curfew for downtown Los Angeles to stop the vandalism, to stop the looting.
Many businesses have now been affected by or vandalized.
The curfew applies to a one square mile area in the city's core and runs from 8 p .m Tuesday to 6 in the morning Wednesday.
Police Chief Jim McDonald says arrests have surged over the past few days with nearly 200 made on Tuesday alone.
The curfew is a necessary measure to protect lives and safeguard property following several consecutive days of growing unrest throughout the city.
Since Saturday we've seen a concerning escalation in unlawful and dangerous behavior.
On Saturday, LAPD officers made 27 arrests.
On Sunday, that number rose to 40.
By Monday, arrests totaled 114, and today alone, we've made 197 arrests.
National Guard troops have also been deployed to support federal officers during immigration enforcement operations, and city officials are urging residents to cooperate with public safety measures as efforts continue to restore calm.
A 21 -year -old former student opened fire at a high school in Graz, Austria on Tuesday.
He killed 10 people and injured many others before taking his own life.
Hundreds gathered at Graz Cathedral for a memorial attended by top officials including Chancellor Christian Stocker.
Local residents expressed shock and solidarity.
It shocked me a lot, like everybody else.
My son used to go to that school too.
I am feeling for the parents who lost their children.
I just wanted to show that I'm with them, feel for them, and I hope that together we can find a way so that something like this, never happens again.
For me, it's important to come here, and I'm not a Catholic.
When something like this happens, since Graz is such a likeable city, and to attend a mass with the people, both the affected ones and the ones not affected, to show unity.
Police said the government had no prior criminal record and was believed to have legally owned the two weapons used in the attack.
He'd previously attended the school but did not.
To complete his studies the motive remains unknown.
Residents of the Gaza Strip are enduring extremely harsh living conditions with the region now recording the highest cost of living in the world.
Since the outbreak of war in 2023 Palestinian banks have ceased operations leading to a severe liquidity crisis.
As a result residents are to purchase cash through electronic applications linked to their bank accounts, relying on local traders who impose commissions that can exceed 40%.
As a civilian employee, receiving my salary is very difficult.
The commission taken for withdrawing the salary used to be 20%.
Then it rose to 30%, and now 40%, sometimes reaching 50%, which is almost half.
The commission is now extremely high, and all of these force and the citizen employee.
Sometimes we keep our children hungry when they ask for a piece of bread.
We need 200 shekels daily to provide food.
One kilogram of flour is sold for a hundred shekels, which is not enough for my family.
We need nearly 2 kilograms for them to eat and to be full.
Since March the tightening of Israeli restrictions on border crossings has worsened, the already dire challenges residents face in obtaining food.
Coming up in business, many banks are upping their growth forecast for China.
Thank you, Shane. Stock markets on the Chinese mainland closed higher on Wednesday.
The Shanghai Composite Index rose over 0 .5%, while the Shenzhen Component Index gained over 0 .8%.
Elsewhere in China, the Hong Kong stock market closed higher with the Henshin index up by 0 .8%, meantime the Nikkei in Japan was up by more than 0 .5%.
Several top multinational banks have raised their forecasts for China's GDP growth this year, citing stronger government support and positive market signals.
JP Morgan has made the largest upward adjustment, raising its China outlook by 0 .7 % to 4 .8 % Zhu Ha pharmacists, is JP Morgan's chief China economist. First, we had the central bank's monetary easing from September to December last year.
Going into 2025, the economy received more fiscal support from the government, with the deficit rate surpassing 4 % of GDP for the first time.
UBS also revised its outlook with senior economist Zhang Ning noting China's opening -up policies.
We are raising the growth outlook for China based on the country's continued opening up policies as well as improved business environment and tourism market.
We are also happy to see Chinese companies being encouraged to expand their overseas presence.
Goldman Sachs remains bullish on Chinese stocks.
Liu Jinjing is the chief China stock strategy analyst of Goldman Sachs.
We have kept our rating on Chinese stocks at overweight, and not just in the a share market, but also each share in the broad Asia Pacific region.
We believe the development of artificial intelligence could drive at least 200 billion US dollars of liquidity into a shares in the next one to two years.
Analysts believe these trends reflect the strong momentum in China's economic recovery.
China's auto industry saw strong growth in the first five months of the year reflecting robust consumer demand.
The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers said the country produced 12 .8 million vehicles during the period, up 12 .7%.
Sales also rose 10 .9 % to 12 .7 million units.
New energy vehicles led the surge with production jumping 45 .2 % to nearly 5 .7m units, NEV sales reached 5 .6m units, marking a 44 % increase from a year earlier.
The figures signal rising momentum in China's consumer market and continued expansion in the green mobility sector.
Taobao and JD .com are among the latest in a wave of Chinese e -commerce platforms increasingly popular with Australian consumers.
The boom in e -commerce has positively impacted the country's economy amid shifts in global trade due to U .S. tariffs.
Greg tomorrow has more from Sydney.
I believe people are buying this so much more than before.
TK Wong is well aware of the benefits that come with shopping on Chinese e -commerce platforms. Price is so low compared to you go to local shop in Sydney or in Melbourne that you just don't have a reason not buying when the price is half of that retail price.
Wong is the supply chain manager for Epic Logic, which helped connect Australian businesses with e -commerce platforms in China to source goods.
So, essentially, they are buying from Chinese e -commerce to use as their stock or inventory.
And then they reseal those products in domestic content, for example, in Australia or New Zealand.
Alibaba's Taobao and JD .com are the most recent additions to an increasingly profitable Australian market.
boy Morgan research estimates that in the year leading to June 2024, Timu and Xian had nearly three billion dollars in combined sales.
What Australian consumers notice now is almost anything searched for up pops a solution for that search which has come from either Timu or Xian whether you know it or not so it's an interesting combination of technology, the changing behaviors of consumers, and of course, the product offering and the cheapness and the vastness.
Australia purchased about 110 billion dollars worth of goods from China in 2023.
While it's not clear what percentage was driven by Chinese e -commerce platforms, it appears to be substantial.
I think the e -commerce platforms from China were very popular 10 years ago And then they sort of slowed down a bit with COVID and the trade war with China.
Now with the US tariffs, I think there's a chance to jump the tariff and set up e -commerce platforms. So I think that will be one response.
The Reserve Bank of Australia recently noticed that US tariffs could increase the inflow of Chinese goods, leading to lower prices and lower inflation.
The rise in popularity of these platforms from beyond Australia's shores is coming at the cost to the country's traditional brick and mortar retail businesses.
Retail in Australia is facing many, many challenges, many challenges, and the cost of living is one of them, clearly with people sort of being very careful about what they spend.
Analysts note those cost of living pressures are also being felt by consumers, which is helping to drive the popularity of Chinese e -commerce platforms, where lower prices and the speed of delivery are often tough to resist. Now, as Greg Navarro reporting, the World Bank says the global economy is on track for its worst performance in 17 years, excluding recessions.
In its Global Economic Prospects report, the global lender slashed its 2025 forecast by 40 basis points to 2 .3%, citing significant headwinds posed by higher tariffs and heightened uncertainty.
The report projected a 1 .8 % growth rate for global trade, almost half the level reported in the previous year.
It also expects global inflation to reach 2 .9 % above pre -pandemic levels.
Craft breweries in the US are struggling to stay afloat amid Washington's tariff hike on aluminium and steel imports.
Many are independently owned and rely on overseas suppliers – making them particularly vulnerable to President Trump's levies.
Francis' quote shows how one brewery in Washington is bearing the brunt.
Justin Cox's move to Washington D .C.
was inspired by a leap of faith.
Atlas Brew Works would soon follow, born out of Cox's other love, brewing beer.
But Cox's relationship with his beloved craft brewery, well, it's complicated.
every time that we've taken a big step there's been some massive macro condition that we've had to get through first it was the covid -19 pandemic then the mini bank crisis of 2023 and now punishing tariffs by the trump administration the irony is that we are getting hit maybe three or four different ways through tariffs all in the name of supporting u .s based manufacturers which we are so now we are here in the brewery for cox the biggest hit by far on the aluminum used to make his beer cans.
A material by choice it's lighter easy to recycle and protects the beers tastes from light and oxygen but it comes with a hefty price.
At Atlas Brew Works for a case of beer, aluminum accounts for a whopping 45 % of total costs.
Trump has enacted a hike of aluminum and steel tariffs from 25 to 50 percent.
Much of that raw material comes from Canada.
For Cox's operations, the aluminum is pressed into sheets there, shipped to him, then he re -ships it back to Canada to be formed into cans.
So in a world with the tariffs, that supply chain is getting hitting four times with tariffs and reciprocal tariffs going back and forth.
The beer itself isn't immune either.
Canada, Germany and the UK supply the barley and other ingredients.
And most of the equipment used to process the beer is stainless steel, imported from Canada and China.
We've constantly having to make repairs and replace things.
And so the cost of those replacement parts have just increased through these tariffs as well.
All of these challenges come on top of constant competition from the small and big guys.
And declining alcohol consumption among American consumers, especially younger ones, struggles felt by breweries across the U .S. According to the Brewers Association, a trade group, 2024 saw major declines across the craft brew industry.
It was the third straight year of negative growth.
Overall, beer production went down by 4 % and the number of craft breweries operating in the US declined by more than 13 % for the first time in 20 years.
Cox has been absorbing the extra cost so far but he may have to pass them on to customers if the tariffs stay put.
The worry, those customers will take off.
That was Francis Kuo reporting.
All right, thank you very much. That was Tien Lu with Business.
And coming up in sports, Asian Qualifying Action for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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Forty -seven minutes past the hour.
Now with sports here's Yung -Eung.
Thank you, Shane, starting with football from 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in Asia.
Australia sealed qualification for the finals with a 2 -1 win over Saudi Arabia in Jeddah to finish second in Group C.
The home side opened scoring in the 19th minute.
Salim Al -Dusari's pass bounced to Abdur -Rahman Al -Abood who spun it into the empty net.
However, Australia equalized with three minutes left in the half.
Martin Boyle made great pass to Conor Metcalf, who scored right over keeper Nawaf Alakhidi.
Mitchell Duke then put visitors in front in the 48th minute, when he glanced Boyle's free kick, past Alakhidi.
In the 81st minute, Adil Dusare was taken down by Jason Guerrier on the edge of the box to earn a penalty for the Saudis.
Matthew Ryan making his 100th appearance for the Sockaroos, made a brilliant save to deny Adil Dusare, and Australia went on to win and secure a spot at the finals in the US, Canada and Mexico next year.
Meanwhile, China ended their World Cup qualifying campaign on a winning note with a 1 -0 win over Bahrain in Chongqing.
After losing 1 -0 to Indonesia, China no longer had any chance of bouncing to the finals, making this last round a match of honor.
In the 65th minute, 18 -year -old forward Wang Yudong forced Bahrain goalkeeper Ibrahim Lutefahler into a great save. In the 93rd minute Wang Zemin's pass hit Hussein Al -Aqsa's hand to earn a penalty kick for China.
Wang Yudong blast the kick passed Lutefala for his first international goal and winner.
China ended the campaign with 9 points from 3 wins and 7 losses in the 3rd round of World Cup qualifying and finish 5th in Group C.
So far 6 teams from qualifiers in Asia have secured their WC2026 berth.
They include South Korea, Jordan, Iran, Uzbekistan, Japan, and Australia.
Wednesday marks the one year countdown to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The event will be the first edition of the expanded format and will take place in the US, Canada, and Mexico.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has expressed his confidence in the tournament.
The impact of this tournament will be profound and long lasting.
a FIFA World Cup always inspires young people, but in 26 we are going even further by creating real pathways for the next generation.
The scale of investment and visibility will accelerate grassroots programs, boost infrastructure, and inspire young players to dream bigger.
Our aim is not just to organize a tournament.
It's to give something meaningful to every City and every community.
It's to make this World Cup eternal in the lives that it touches.
Featuring a newly expanded pool of 48 teams, the tournament will be the largest and most inclusive edition in history.
Organizers expect the 2026 World Cup to welcome 6 .5 million fans to stadiums across Canada, Mexico and the United States.
The first expanded edition of the FIFA Club World Cup begins on Saturday in Florida.
Inter Miami will host Egyptian club Al -Awli.
Miami coach Javier Massarano and his Al -Awli counterpart José Varero attended a pre -tournament event along with FIFA presidents Gianni Infantino and Brazil legend Ronaldo.
Massarano expressed excitement to lead the team in the tournament.
It is a competition that we are very excited about because we know that there is a level of clubs, not only in terms of hierarchy, but also in terms of history.
Well, to be a part of this competition, especially in a club like Inter Miami that has been in existence for such a short time, I think it has to be exciting and that's a possibility that allows us to enjoy the tournament within our possibilities and try to do it in the best way possible.
The tournament will run from June the 14th to July the 13th involving 32 leading clubs from different continents.
And finally, in the Chinese table tennis super league in Xiong 'an, Hebei province, Wang Zhijin helped Shandong beat Jiangsu 3 -0 for their fourth straight win.
In the opening doubles match, Liang Jingquan and Lin Yunzhu defeated Liang Yanning and Song Zhuhong in straight games to give Shandong a 1 -0 lead.
Then in the men's singles, Wang was up against Chuan Kuai Yuan.
During the match, Wang suffered from low blood sugar, but he found his form after treatment during the match, giving Shang Tsung a 2 -0 lead.
The third match was also singles, and Liang brushed the side to wrap up the 3 -0 win.
Shang Tsung claimed the fourth consecutive victory in the league.
My, thank you very much. That was Yang Guang with sports.
Just ahead in culture and entertainment, China is building a heritage route on the ancient Silk Road.
Experience the musical classics of the east. Mingle with the masters of Chinese music.
Music talks, witness the sound of antiquity and modernity.
53 passed now. With Culture Entertainment, the China Internet Civilization Conference in Hefei has brought together government officials, business scholars and others.
Participants called for boosting the vitality of internet culture and improving cyberspace governance.
Authorities say China plans to build its first national heritage route along the historically significant Hoshi Corridor within the next 10 years, the corridors in Gansu province.
The plan is part of the country's goal to strengthen protection, inheritance and utilization of cultural and natural heritage.
According to an action plan, Gansu will implement a series of projects focusing on heritage protection, infrastructure, tourism and international exchanges.
These projects will involve 52 representative cultural and natural heritages and 20 national level intangible cultural heritage projects along the Hoshi Corridor.
provincial officials say they'll invest 610 million yuan, roughly 85 million US dollars to implement 120 specific tasks related to the route or the routes construction.
The Hoshi corridor, part of the ancient Silk Road and stretching nearly a thousand kilometers in northwest China, is home to five Unesco World Heritage Sites and 53 grottos.
The 16th Cross Stray film exhibition has showcased six movies from Taiwan.
The screenings took place in Sichuan province.
The China Film Foundation, the Cross Strait Films Exchange Committee and the local government of Ya 'an co -hosted the event.
Actor Zheng Yi said the event helps promote exchanges in the film sector across the Strait.
Our film exhibition this year has introduced six new films that enrich our understanding of Taiwan Cinema, showcasing six different aspects of Taiwan films. China Film Foundation Chairperson Zhang Pimin said the film exhibition has fostered collaboration and dialogue in cross -strait film projects.
This event also offers many Taiwan directors, particularly young directors and actors, an opportunity to learn and share ideas in the mainland.
Such interactions are indeed conducive to promoting the development of the film industry, deepening the sense of identity among filmmakers on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and strengthening cooperation.
And the exhibition also featured activities and industry exchanges.
A Chinese -born craze is taking South Africa by storm.
La boo -boo dolls. These quirky collectibles are breaking the Internet, reshaping fashion trends and igniting a frenzy among fans.
Julie Shire spoke to some toy distributors and collectors to find out more.
Chinese born Labo Bu has become South Africa's hottest plush toy.
Originally, children's book characters they've rocketed to collector stardom since Chinese toy giant PopMart transformed them into blind box figures.
As a collector myself, I can tell you that this trend is on par with Pokémon in terms of the current market, how in the mind this stuff is.
Because I collect Pokémon cards, so I can relate to the two.
In terms of the two most collectable things of 2025 it's probably a Labooboo doll, and other Pop -Mart pendants and Pokémon cards.
And they're both the same, you can't get your hands on either.
Thousands of orders flood in, leaving retailers scrambling to meet explosive demand.
Literally as soon as we get the next drop of Labooboos, they are pretty much gone.
We've got a waiting list at the moment, so we have probably about three hundred people already on that waiting list, and so they're probably not even going to hit the shops.
The thrill of the unknown fuels the craze.
Collector Zaid Motala owns 6 laboubouz, but each unboxing still sets his heart racing.
I'm hoping for either a Dada, a Baba, a Cuckoo, or of course, the secret, so we'll see.
Let's see, let's see, let's see, let's see.
And who do we have?
Yes, okay, right this is awesome, right, this is awesome.
So this right here, right?
This one over here is a, to see, right and this is a sissy and it is especially cute right because look at that look at that it is adorable right and now it has a twin over here so while I have two of these right the best part about it is that most people are being all kinds of crazy for this because this is one of the more adorable ones.
While La Bubus dominates Tik Tok and South Africa's collector scene, Popmart's other blind box lines are flying off the shelves too.
I was Julie Shire reporting.
We're at 57 past checking the forecast before we go for the day.
Beijing is down to 25 degrees Wednesday evening.
Cloudy conditions in 34 for Thursday.
Nanchang is 22 this evening, then cloudy in 30.
Elsa run Asia up. Islamabad is down to 27 degrees, followed by clouds in 42 on Thursday.
Vientiane is 24 overnight, then moderate rainfall in 33.
Phnom Penh is at 25 this evening, then some more rain in 28.
In Africa Nairobi will see a slight rainfall and 24 degrees Celsius on Thursday that's it for this edition of the Beijing hour making news today a China and the US have agreed in principle and a framework for trade talks following meetings in London in China Says it's ready to begin a zero tariff treatment for almost all of Africa on behalf of the staff This is Shane bigam in the Chinese capital Hoping you'll join us for the next edition of the Beijing hour and to open a window to the world together Find the Beijing Hour at precisely 6pm Beijing time.
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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 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 boatman 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 the 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.
