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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 Begum with you on this Monday, October 27th, 2025.
You're listening to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
And on today's program, the Chinese premier says Beijing is willing to strengthen alignment and development with members of the ASEAN group.
China and the US have reached a consensus on how to address each other's trade concerns following two days of talks.
And Egypt has sent experts and heavy equipment to help Hamas recover the remaining bodies of Israeli hostages.
In business, rising profits for China's major industrial firms.
In sports, a tense La Liga matchup between Real Madrid and Barcelona.
In culture and entertainment, Austria celebrates the 60th anniversary of a classic Hollywood movie.
Now checking the day's top stories.
Chinese Premier Li Cheng says the country is willing to strengthen the alignment of development strategies with the ASEAN group, speaking at the ASEAN Plus Three Summit in Malaysia.
The premier also said Chen is ready to work with ASEAN members to build a successful free trade area.
The two sides are expected to sign the FTA 3.0 upgraded protocol enhancing trade and investment.
Ryan Meltzer reports from Kuala Lumpur.
ASEAN plus three is ASEAN plus China, Japan and South Korea, and Malaysia's Prime Minister, in his opening remarks, pointed out that this grouping, this platform, was formed in the wake of the Asian financial crisis and that it helped the region weather that storm and then subsequently the global financial crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, and is now helping the region and will help the region to weather the storm of the US tariffs.
China's Premier Li Chang gave some opening remarks as well.
He said that the political differences between these countries had not been allowed to overshadow economic cooperation.
He talked about the economic miracle that the East Asian countries had achieved and that it had been through cooperation and openness, and that he wanted to see that continue.
He was happy for China to collaborate with the countries of East Asia and ASEAN, of course, in any way possible in practical ways to help spur economic growth and development.
And that leads us, of course, to the other major event, which is the signing of the upgraded China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement, the 30 agreement.
And the goal of that is really to incorporate some of the newer technologies and the newer industries that have emerged since the last update.
So looking at how they can collaborate and build together in areas such as green technology and the digital economy.
These are areas in which China is very strong and which the ASEAN countries hope to build as well their capacity and the two parties, ASEAN and China, can work together in these areas, perhaps more smoothly, more harmoniously, thanks to the upgrading of the free trade agreement.
That was Ryan Meltzer on China-Austrian ties.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations has admitted Timor-Leste as a member at a summit in Kuala Lumpur.
The leaders' meeting is highlighting inclusivity and sustainability, and Malaysia is the rotating chair this year.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said ASEAN's strength lies in the conviction that Respect and reason still bind members together, despite challenges.
China and ASEAN are each other's largest trading partners.
Trade volume reached nearly $600 billion in the first seven months of the year, and that's up 8.2%.
Analysts say recent U.S. trade pressure is bringing China closer with Southeast Asia.
Former APEC Secretariat Executive Director, Rebecca Santamaria, says the increase in trade activities marks a significant shift in regional economic alignment.
It's just a matter of time getting the parameters right to make sure that parties that come and join us are of the same mind and having the same basic principles of wanting to promote trade and regional integration.
Former Deputy Director Peter Chung of the Institute of China Studies at the University of Malaysia highlights the emergence of the region and its role in the world economy.
ASEAN countries are trying to sort of realign their supply chain to buffer against the impact of the trade war.
That is the short-term impact.
I think the medium and long-term impact is this the kind of trust that we had had on the US And, more broadly, the Western-led economic order has been seriously undermined.
China and ASEAN have also been strengthening their regional comprehensive economic partnership.
The upgraded free trade area is described as a full-chain approach covering digital infrastructure, known as hard connectivity, and rules and standards, dubbed soft connectivity.
Professor Song Qingrun at Beijing Foreign Studies University explains the projects and policies that will seamlessly integrate the two aspects for a more resilient supply chain.
In practice, the 4-chain approach of Kafka 30 integrates hard and soft connectivity to build smarter, more resilient live chains.
Harder connectivity involves tangible digital infrastructure projects.
For instance, China and Singapore could collaborate on building a digital Silk Road under the sea, capable to enhance digital transformation capability, or develop smart logistics hubs in ASEAN using AI and Internet of Things for real-time tracking.
Soft connectivity refers to the policy alignments that makes this infrastructure functional across borders.
This includes negotiating mutual recognition of digital signatures, harmonizing digital classification and security standards, and allowing customers procedures for automated and paperless clearance.
That was Professor Song Qingrun, envisioning a stronger supply chain under the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 30.
The cities of Zhejiang in East China and Yangzhou in South Korea continue to strengthen exchanges after signing a friendship agreement in 2023.
Wang Mengjie visits an industrial park to investigate how technology empowers bilateral cooperation.
Even for a semiconductor powerhouse like South Korea, chip manufacturing is difficult to develop alone.
China, with its policy support and vast market, has achieved rapid development in semiconductor technology.
This allows the two countries to build a shared environment for semiconductor cooperation.
With its location advantages and business environment.
Shizhou has the only industrial park cooperating with South Korea in Anhui province.
From chip manufacturing to integrated circuit testing.
The park has already become a cooperative hub for semiconductor companies from both sides.
That's how it benefits the city's semiconductor development.
The added value of the semiconductor industry increased by almost 14% year-on-year as of 2025.
To find out more, we are visiting one of the park's companies.
This robot is driving the control part only for testing now.
The real products for mass production and sales are there.
Through Sino-Korean joint research and development, the company provides customized services in fields of semiconductors and photovoltaic systems.
This product is made with bearing parts.
We need to insert it from the inside.
We need to check it against the drawing once the part is finished.
China's vast market offers tremendous growth opportunities for semiconductor businesses, while the active involvement of South Korean enterprises contributes to local economic development.
When industrial cooperation achieves a win-win, people from both nations connect more closely.
That was Wang Mengjie on the partnership between China and South Korea in semiconductors.
Coming up, China and the U.S. are reporting progress after two days of trade talks in Malaysia.
The Yellow River Mosaic is a 12-part series of multimedia stories featuring the people who live by the river and share a close bond with it.
Nine minutes past the hour, China and the United States have reached a basic consensus on arrangements to address each other's trade concerns after two days of talks in Kuala Lumpur.
Both sides are working to stabilize one of the world's most significant economic relationships.
Vice Premier He Lifang, who led the Chinese delegation, urged the two sides to address economic and trade differences and frictions first, under the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation.
Here's a look at the outcome of the talks.
Chinese Vice Premier He Li-Feng met with U.S.
Treasury Secretary Scott Besant and U.S.
Trade Representative Jamil Sengria from Saturday to Sunday in Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur.
He said the essence of China-US economic and trade relations is mutual benefit and win-win cooperation.
The vice premier also emphasized that both countries gain from partnership and lose from confrontation.
Guided by the consensus reached by Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S.
President Donald Trump.
The two delegations held candid, in-depth and constructive exchanges on major issues of mutual concern.
These topics included U.S.
Section 301 measures on China's maritime, logistics and shipbuilding sectors, the extension of the suspension of reciprocal tariffs. fentanyl-related tariffs and law enforcement cooperation, trade in agricultural products and export controls.
Both sides agreed to work out the specific details and follow respective domestic approval procedures.
Vice Premier.
He stressed that it is in the interest of both countries to maintain stable China-US trade relations in a way that meets the expectations of the international community.
He said differences should be managed through dialogue and consultation on an equal footing, upholding mutual respect and women cooperation.
A Chinese vice premier has urged Washington to work with Beijing to implement the consensuses reached by President Xi and Trump, build trust, manage differences and expand mutually beneficial cooperation.
China's international trade representative and vice minister of commerce, Li Chenggang, spoke to the media after the talks.
And since the Geneva talks in May this year, the Chinese side has been honestly and conscientiously following the consensus of the phone calls between our presidents and implementing the consensus and arrangements made in previous consultations.
We have been caring for stabilizing this hard-won, stable development of our trade and economic relationship, and the current turbulences and twists and turns are the ones that we do not wish to see.
The US delegation acknowledged that The China-US economic and trade relationship is the most influential bilateral relationship in the world.
It expressed a willingness to engage with China in the spirit of equality and respect, to address differences and deepen cooperation.
Both sides agreed to make full use of the China economic and trade consultation mechanism to maintain close communication and promote the healthy, stable and sustainable development of economic and trade relations to benefit the two peoples and contribute to global prosperity.
That was a report about reaffirming China-U.S. trade relations.
We asked Xu Cheng at the Belt and Road Research Center Minsu University of China about the key messages from the China-US trade talks in Malaysia.
Everybody on the table.
Both sides actually understand what's the point it is and everybody agreed to back off from the most acute confrontations.
I think this is the most important progress we have already made.
And more than that, I think both sides also agreed to framework those kinds of concerns into the next round of the dialogue and also make them into the actions happening domestically.
For example, both sides agreed that they will put all this kind of concern back in their own country and trying to go through this approval procedure.
So actually we're seeing that all these things is on the move and also in the actions to be resolved.
So I think this is also very important.
And last but not least, I think both sides have reached a consensus.
We need to ring fans those kind of the topics off some other political influences.
We should limited them to only the technical dialogues, you know, the fiscal, export trade related dialogues, and that's only, that's all of it.
And also I think everybody are trying to lay a good cornerstone for our future rounds and also for, you know, the future economic growth for both countries.
That was research fellow Chu Cheng on China-U.S. trade ties.
China's Agriculture and Rural Affairs Ministry says the country has harvested more than 80 of its autumn crops as of last week.
Some areas are also entering the sowing season.
The use of technology and machinery has made the job faster and easier.
Farmers have also been exploring more efficient ways to increase yields.
In northeastern China.
The equipment is helping with harvesting and returning straw to the field without damaging the black soil.
In Henan province, sewing machines working at night have bought farmers time and avoided the impacts of weather.
Recommendations for China's 15th five-year plan that begins next year are stressing agriculture, rural areas and farmers as priorities.
Han Wenshu of the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Office said modernization in these sectors is the biggest issue to address.
For more on China's progress toward agriculture and rural modernization.
Zhou Feng spoke with Professor Li Li at China Agricultural University.
Professor Li, what achievements has China made in agricultural technological production during the 14th Five-Year Plan period?
China has been achieving a lot of progress in green and low-carbon agricultural development.
In building a diversified food supply system, we have achieved amounts of self-selected crop varieties which could account for 95 of all the seeds in China.
That means we could ensure Chinese grain could be mainly planted with Chinese seeds, such as the white feathered broilers in poultry farming, huaxi cattle in livestock and pineus bonami, which is a kind of shrimps.
Mainly produced in South America formally, but currently we could also have it in our domestic arena.
That have been breaking the foreign monopolies and continuously increasing market share in China.
Then, what successful models has China established in promoting green and low-carbon agricultural development and building a diversified food supply system?
In China, the agricultural grain development are mainly promoted by the central government's policy, including the number one central policy or central document every year, released on January the 1st, emphasizing the San Long problems, including farmers, rural areas and agricultural problems, at the first priorities.
So a lot of agricultural policies could be implemented effectively and efficiently, including the green agricultural development policies.
So with that kind of top-down measure, a lot of the bottom-up subsidies and incentives could also be found as local mechanisms.
For example, there have been a lot of companies cooperating with the government to promote the circular planting model for eco-farms.
People call them BOO methodology.
That means the biogas into organic waste into organic fertilizer.
And at the same time I also found something like the LOO or SOO from livestock to organic waste to organic fertilizer.
Also from the straw to organic waste or organic fertilizers.
And a lot of small farmers could cooperate with the companies into climate smart agriculture, promoting a lot of new varieties, even in the desert areas.
That was Professor Li Li on tackling agricultural and rural issues.
Coming up, Egypt is helping Hamas find the bodies of missing Israeli hostages.
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19 minutes past the hour.
Hamas has expanded its search for the bodies of Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip after Egypt sent a team of experts and heavy equipment to help retrieve them.
Hamas leader, Khalil al-Haya, vowed to hand over the remains of hostages under the ceasefire agreement.
Meanwhile, Israel says the government's permitted Red Cross and Egyptian teams to search beyond the yellow line that makes up the temporary boundary for the Israeli army's withdrawal.
Jonathan Regev has more from Tel Aviv.
There's no indication at this time that the hostage bodies will be handed over to Israel.
Still, there's an expectation for this to happen.
First, because it's been nearly a week that hostage bodies were not handed.
The last time it happened was Tuesday evening.
But more so because of the comments of President Trump.
In his stopover in Qatar.
In the short meeting that the President held with the Emir of Qatar, Trump said that he expects developments on this issue in the coming 48 hours.
The comments were made on Saturday evening.
Therefore, Israel is hoping that Hamas will understand this message and will deliver more hostage bodies.
Israel says that Hamas should have intelligence regarding the whereabouts of at least 8 of the remaining 13 hostages, and that is why Hamas can find them, can hand them over to Israel and is currently deliberately not doing that.
Israel understands that Five or maybe six bodies are currently unaccounted for, but Hamas has the ability to deliver to Israel up to eight hostages and it is not doing so.
Therefore, and due to the comments by President Trump which were made in Qatar Qatar, let's remember, perhaps the strongest ally of Hamas Israel believes that it may bring a change.
That was Jonathan Regev on efforts to secure the return of the bodies of Israeli hostages.
The U.S.
Transportation Secretary is predicting that travelers could see more flights delayed or canceled in the coming days as the nation's air traffic controllers work without pay during the federal government shutdown.
Sean Duffy said more controllers are calling in sick as money worries compound the stress of an already challenging job.
And they got a big fat zero.
No paycheck is coming on Tuesday.
These are people that oftentimes live paycheck to paycheck or one controller has a stay-at-home spouse.
They're concerned about gas in the car.
They're concerned about childcare and mortgages.
And so I'm seeing the stress come for the controllers.
And according to flight tracking data, over 8,000 flights in the US were delayed on Sunday.
A shortage of air traffic controllers is raising concerns about the safety of the aviation system.
U.S.
Treasury Secretary, Scott Besant, warns that members of the military will soon miss paychecks if the government shutdown drags on.
The impacts of the shutdown also extended into travel, health care and food assistance.
Kate Fisher reports from Washington.
The US government remains shut down and federal agencies barely functioning.
The US president has left town.
Donald Trump is on a six-day tour of Asia, far away from any potential negotiations here in Washington or proximity to some of the shutdown's consequences.
Anthony Spade is one of around 700,000 federal workers who've been furloughed.
This is my first time visiting a food bank in my entire life.
Today is my normal week.
I would get paid today.
I don't have no paycheck in my account.
I still have bills that are due.
I have a family that I have to take care of.
So it's a lot of uncertainty that comes along with this.
I'm grateful for these opportunities to receive assistance, but there is a lot of uncertainty that comes along with it, and it causes a lot of stress as well.
All I can do is just continue to pray and hope that something is done to resolve the issue with the federal government shutdown.
But there is no indication that the country's leaders are anywhere near a resolution.
During an interview with CBS News, Treasury Secretary Scott Besant blasted congressional Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries and blamed them for the possibility that military service members will miss paychecks by mid-November.
Pay the military employees from excess funds at the Pentagon middle of this month.
I think we'll be able to pay them beginning in November.
But by November 15th our troops and service members who are willing to risk their lives aren't going to be able to get paid.
What an embarrassment.
Democrats and Republicans have been locked in a stalemate for weeks.
Democrats are demanding an extension of health insurance tax credits as a condition for reopening the government.
But Republicans say they will only discuss the health care issue once the government reopens.
Hakeem Jeffries, the Democrats' leader in the House, also appeared on CBS calling for negotiations.
This is day 26 of the Trump Republican shutdown.
And as Democrats we've maintained from the very beginning and continue to maintain we will sit down any time, any place, with anyone, either at the Capitol or back at the White House, to reopen the government, to negotiate a bipartisan spending agreement that actually meets the needs of the American people.
As the impasse continues, the impact for Americans only intensifies.
With flu season set to begin, key federal health data is unavailable.
While there are worries that shutdown strain on the nation's airports could lead to a holiday travel meltdown more immediately, federal food benefits for more than 40 million low-income citizens will run out in less than a week.
That was Kate Fisher on more problems for Americans if the government doesn't reopen.
Sudan's paramilitary rapid support forces, as it's taken full control of al-Fasher, the last major city in the Darfur region that was not in its hands.
The RSF claimed to have captured a headquarters that was the last Sudanese army stronghold in the Darfur region.
The army did not immediately comment, but reports indicate conflicting accounts of the situation in the city.
Delegations from the United States Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have met in Washington to discuss peace in Sudan and a transition to civilian rule.
Nabat Moheddin reports from Port Sudan.
RSF tried to re-control or regain control of the city of Bara, which is an important city in North Darfur and it's a key city towards the western side of Darfur, of Kurdofan leading to Darfur.
So the RSF again attacked the city of Bara and controlled it.
But there is a statement by the Sudanese army and alliance group saying that they regained control of Barra city in North Kurdistan.
Fierce clashes also continued.
Identical resources confirmed that RSF controlled the military brigade of al-Fasher, but fierce clashes are still going on.
Hundreds of thousands of people are fleeing because RSF are already controlling parts of al-Fasher, but right now, after controlling the military, There is fears of genocides and war crimes and ethnic driven killings.
There is some reports saying that there is an agreement on a humanitarian truce.
So the first stage of the roadmap of the Quad initiative is agreed upon, which is three months of a humanitarian truce that will pave the way for the next stage, which is the cessation of hostilities and a lasting ceasefire.
Then the third stage is a nine-month political process that will end up with a civilian-led government.
There is push by the international community that the truth will start soon in Sudan, but people are very hopeful that it will be preceded by ending the siege of al-Fashr city, at least.
That was Naba Mohideen on hopes for peace in Sudan.
French police have arrested two suspects over the theft of precious jewels from the Louvre.
The Paris prosecutor's office says one of them was preparing to leave the country from an airport.
Prosecutors said investigators from a special police unit made the arrest.
And Sarah Coates has more from Paris.
We do understand that one man in his 30s was arrested at Charles de Gaulle Airport at around 10 pm local time, trying to board a flight to Algeria.
We do know that he was in the departure lounge.
He'd already gone through security.
The other man, also in his 30s.
He was taken into police custody from one of the outer Parisian suburbs.
Both of these men... are known to police.
They are being held in police custody.
Right now, we do not know if any charges have been brought upon these two men.
Police do have 96 hours to hold them if they are suspected of serious crimes.
We've also heard from France's prosecutor.
She came out slamming the early leak of information with regards to this case, saying that it could hinder the work of more than 100 investigators.
Now, DNA was found at the scene of this robbery, which happened just after the Louvre Museum opened.
There were fingerprints found.
There was also an angle grinder and one of these high-vis vests left at the scene.
And this is what brought police to actually close in and arrest these two men.
Now, what we can confirm is that police are right now raiding the homes of these men, also their family members and associates, trying to find out just where this stolen jewelry is.
That was Sarah Coates in Paris.
The National Hurricane Center has upgraded Melissa to Category 5.
As the storm approaches the coast of Jamaica, it's expected to drop up to 760 millimeters of rain on Jamaica and Haiti.
The Cuban government has issued a hurricane warning for three provinces as well.
29 minutes past the hour.
Beijing's down to plus one Monday evening.
A light rainfall in 14 on Tuesday.
Nanchang will be cloudy tonight and tomorrow with a low of 15 and a high of 23.
Wanning will see heavy rainfall overnight and through Tuesday with a low of 21 and a high of 26.
Elsewhere in Asia, Islamabad's 15 overnight, then sunny and 27 for Tuesday.
BNTN will be overcast tonight and tomorrow.
The low is 21. a high of 29 degrees.
Phnom Penh will see a light rainfall with a low of 24, then moderate rain and 29.
In Africa, Nairobi is getting moderate rainfall and 26 degrees on Tuesday.
Kampala will see a light rain with a low of 19 and a high of 27.
Juba is getting a light rain and 23 for a low, 32 tomorrow.
It's time for a short break.
So far this hour, the Chinese premier says Beijing's willing to strengthen alignment and development with members of the ASEAN group.
China and the US have reached a consensus on how to address each other's trade concerns following two days of talks, and Egypt has sent experts and heavy equipment to help Hamas recover the remaining bodies of Israeli hostages.
Shane Begum with you.
Stay with us here on The Beijing Hour.
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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 Bigham with you on this Monday.
Still to come.
In business, rising profits for China's major industrial firms.
In sports... a tense La Liga matchup between Real Madrid and Barcelona.
In culture and entertainment, Austria celebrates the 60th anniversary of a classic Hollywood movie.
To contact us, you can email radio at cgtn.com or follow our ex-account at cgtnradio.
But now with the check of the day's headlines, here's Tianyu.
Thank you, Shane.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang says countries in East Asia should remain committed to opening up and cooperation.
Addressing the ASEAN Plus Three meeting in Kuala Lumpur, the premier said China is willing to work with all sides to tap economic potential.
He noted efforts to create a sound environment for regional development, deepen coordination in the industrial and supply chains and foster new growth drivers together.
Along with South Korea and Japan.
Leaders from ASEAN countries stressed efforts to enhance connectivity and promote sustainable development.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi says China is ready to work with all parties to promote the implementation of the Global Governance Initiative.
Wang was speaking at the Lanting Forum on Improving Global Governance to Build a Community with a Shared Future for Humanity.
He said China stands ready to work with all parties to uphold equal-footed consultation and build a broad consensus.
The Chinese foreign minister called for efforts to uphold the authority of the UN, advance the process of common development, address challenges in unity and respond to the demands of the global south.
Local authorities say Russia has targeted Ukraine's capital with drones, killing three people in their homes.
They also caused fires in two residential buildings in Kyiv.
The Ukrainian Air Force said it shot down most of the 101 drones overnight.
The strikes marked a second consecutive nighttime attack on Kyiv to claim civilian lives.
Many Americans are at risk of losing food aid if the government shutdown continues, as founding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will end by Saturday.
The program helps about one in eight Americans buy groceries.
Food banks have seen a surge in demand as the deadline for SNAP funding approaches.
People are concerned about getting enough food with the government shutdown.
What we know about food insecurity in this country is that volunteer food pantries like ours and others cannot meet the need.
SNAP is an essential piece of meeting the food need in the United States.
And SNAP is being cut.
It's very tragic.
And so we are concerned about sustainability.
Right now, times are tough for everybody.
And it's going to get even harder because of the government shutdown.
And they don't really seem to care.
The Trump administration is rejecting the idea of using roughly 5 billion in contingency funds to keep food aid flowing into November amidst the government shutdown.
And striking workers at Boeing Defence in the St.
Louis area have rejected the company's latest contract proposal, sending a strike that has already delayed delivery of fighter jets and into a 13th week.
Union leadership said the company failed to address the needs of more than 3,000 members.
The playmaker said it is disappointed in the result and will turn to the next phase of his contingency plan.
The five-year offer was largely the same as those previously rejected.
Leaders at the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers have pressed Boeing for higher retirement plan contributions and ratification bonuses.
And finally, investigators have arrested two suspects in connection with the theft of the French crown jewels from the Louvre Museum.
This comes a week after the heist at the world's most visited museum stung the world.
Prosecutors say one of the men taken into custody was preparing to leave the country from Wazi Airport.
They say investigators from a special police unit in charge of art thefts made the arrests.
According to the prosecutor, they will unveil further details after the suspect's custody period ends.
Meanwhile, French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez has praised the investigators for their tireless efforts.
The Beijing Hour, your window on China and the rest of the world.
36 minutes past the hour.
In business, Asian markets surged on Monday as investors welcomed progress in China-US trade talks.
Chinese mainland stocks also ended the day higher.
Timothy Pope has more.
I was glued to the Shanghai composite ticket waiting to see if it was going to crack 4,000 points.
It didn't, but it got so very, very close, at 3999 at the peak and closing just below 3997 up 12.
So it was a very strong day here and a strong day in Shenzhen as well, with the component index up 15, adding more than 200 points in a single session.
Quite a lot of this optimism today obviously is down to the latest trade talks between China and the US.
In fact, Donald Trump said that they're going to come away with a deal.
But there is still a note of caution on the markets, perhaps evident in the fact that investors were unwilling to push the Shanghai composite to 4000.
And that might be because we're really only getting one side of the story on these trade negotiations at the moment, and that is from the US.
The Chinese side is being more circumspect. as they tend to be.
And while getting a framework for the deal is progress, it's not a deal yet.
The US though, said that rare earths were discussed and that sector higher in Shanghai and in Shenzhen.
A sub-index tracking rare earth stocks close 27 higher.
We had China Northern Rare Earths, one of the best performers, adding more than 4.
Hong Kong markets had pretty much the same reaction as the Chinese mainland.
The Hang Seng rose a bit more than 1%.
The best performers of the day there though were Chinese internet and semiconductor firms.
We had Baidu shares gaining more than 6% and China's biggest chip maker SMIC rising 3.5%.
This week is also going to be fairly crowded in terms of earnings reports on the chinese mainland and in hong kong.
There are a lot of dual listed companies, and quite a few of them big names, that are going to be filing their third quarter results.
In japan though, we saw the market throw a bit of a party.
The nikkei 225 rose about two and a half percent, closing at 50 512 points record.
The first time the index is closed above 50000, and that means, despite a shaky start to 2025, that index is now up more than 26 this year.
That was Timothy Pope reporting.
Profits of China's major industrial firms rose 3.2% through the first nine months of 2025.
That's the fastest cumulative growth since August of last year.
The National Bureau of Statistics says the surveyed industrial firms earned over 53 trillion yuan in profits, or roughly 730 billion US dollars.
In September, profits jumped 22% from a year earlier, marking a strong rebound.
Advanced manufacturing led the recovery, with high-tech and equipment manufacturing sectors posting robust growth.
Profits also improved across all types of enterprises, as private and foreign-funded firms benefited from industrial upgrading and a steady recovery in market demand.
The Chinese cold chain logistics sector saw steady growth in the third quarter, driven by policy support and rising market demand.
Demand for food logistics reached over 110 million tons, up around 5% from a year earlier.
In the first nine months of the year, total demand topped 300 million tons and that was a 45 increase.
Total revenue exceeded 420 billion yuan, or 60 billion US dollars.
Fresh food e-commerce also maintained strong momentum, with sales jumping around 15 in the third quarter.
Our fruit and vegetable products recorded the fastest growth.
The 2025 Financial Street Forum is kicked off in the Shicheng District of Beijing.
The event serves as a key platform for financial dialogue at the national and international levels.
Organizers say this year's forum aims to promote a more resilient, inclusive and sustainable global financial system.
Aaron Leo has more.
The 2025 Financial Street Forum annual conference has opened in Beijing.
Leaders from the People's Bank of China, the National Financial Regulatory Administration and the China Securities Regulatory Commission delivered keynote speeches.
The 2025 Financial Street Forum will be held on Beijing's Financial Street in the city's Xicheng District from October 27 to 30, under the theme of global financial development in the era of innovation, transformation and restructuring.
More than 400 distinguished guests from over 30 countries and regions are expected to attend the event.
This year's forum structure will be main forum, parallel forums and fintech conferences and supporting events comprising 27 thematic sessions, 6 investment and financial matchmaking activities and 11 fintech-related events.
The Forum's international scope has further expanded, with leaders of major international financial organizations and senior executives from top global institutions set to participate.
Five overseas sub-forums the largest number in the forum's history will be held across Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America.
Representatives from major international financial centers will also attend.
This year's event will see broader participation, with private enterprises, specialized small and medium-sized companies, and domestic and international visitors and delegations in attendance.
That was Aaron Leo on this year's Financial Street Forum in Beijing.
The ongoing Canton Fair has been boosting growth for buyers and sellers.
Patricia Barrero, from a Chilean retail group, says her company sources around 90 of its 1 billion annual purchases from China.
We have seen in the last 30 years is a huge evolution and, of course, a lot of automation.
Today we buy 10 times of what we buy before because you know we have developed with with china very close relationship.
We have fine, very good products, very good qualities and at the prices that we need.
So When you find that type of partnership, you keep coming and you keep buying.
Liu Bingyao, head of a kitchenware manufacturer based in Guangdong, has been attending the Canton Fair for nearly three decades.
And Liu says his company has grown from a small workshop relying on manual labor into an automated and intelligent factory that now produces over a thousand kinds of kitchenware products.
The Canton Fair has really opened the door for us to the global market.
We started with just 100 people and now we have over 3,000.
Our output value has grown from tens of millions of yuan to 1.5 billion.
We've gone from a small-town business to a global company.
Going forward.
We want to become a true multinational and build our own branded sales networks around the world.
This year, Leo reunited with his German business partner of more than 10 years as they work to upgrade their products.
We have a lab in Germany.
And we are testing everything.
If everything is working, the chip is made by us.
The housing and the thing will be made.
First held in 1957, the city of Guangzhou now hosts the Canton Fair twice a year.
It is China's oldest and most wide-ranging international trade fair, and often seen as a barometer of the country's foreign trade.
The Italian Chamber of Commerce says more than 800 companies have invested over 15 billion euros in China.
Most are small and medium enterprises, while major multinationals are also seeing steady success.
Zhang Junfeng reports from Shandong province, where an Italian tire maker is expanding its production.
This is one of the world's most advanced tyre factories a facility humming with automation, customisable production lines and innovative bio-based materials.
Italian tyre giant Pirelli established this plant in Yanzhou, Shandong province back in 2005.
Back in 2005, China's car production volume had just surpassed 5 million units.
Now 20 years later, that figure has soared to 32 million.
This explosive growth has been instrumental to Pirelli's resounding success.
Pirelli CEO Andrea Casalucci emphasised the indispensable role of its Chinese operations.
The last 20 years has been an amazing journey in China, fantastic.
China is a fast-growing market, but it is also a market with a clear target on innovation.
And that's the reason why we decided to start this fantastic adventure to follow the most important car makers on the high value segment.
Every tire manufactured here undergoes some manual inspection.
Can you imagine?
Some 80 million tires have been manufactured here, and they're fitted to some of the most demanding vehicles around the world.
Twenty years ago we were mainly the European car makers and today we are partnering with the newcomers on the EV Chinese car makers.
Tyres are very important for EV because EV are heavier, with a stronger torque momentum, with the need of noise control, with the need of reducing the rolling resistance, for the durability of batteries.
Being pirelli a leader in technology and innovation, we can support them to improve the performance of the premium ev cars and we work with most of them.
And very interesting period of the automotive in china Location is a key to this success.
Shandong Province is a national hub for tyre production, supported by a robust petrochemical industry and mature supply chains.
Today, Purelli employs over 5000 workers, supported by a retail network of more than 3000 outlets nationwide.
As China's auto industry continues its rapid transformation, this global Formula One supplier is firmly positioned to ride the next wave of growth.
That was Zhang Junfeng reporting.
Coming up in sports, a tense La Liga matchup between Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Sideline Story brings you all things sports related.
The hottest topics, latest events, juiciest stories, all with a very personal take.
Subscribe to Sideline Story Podcast for heated sports discussions covering events that are happening in China and around the world.
Thank you, Shane.
We start with football.
Real Madrid has earned a tense 2-1 win over Barcelona in the heated El Clasico, snapping a four-game losing streak and tightening their grip on the top spot in La Liga.
Kylian Mbappe struck first in the 22nd minute, but Firmin Lopez levelled for Barca after a mistake by Adagule.
Jude Bellingham restored Madrid's lead just before half-time, tapping in after a dazzling run and cross from Vinicius Junior.
Mbappé saw a second-half penalty saved by Wojciech Szczesny, who kept Barcelona in the game with several crucial stops.
The visitor rarely threatened after the break and finished with 10 men when Pedri was sent off in stoppage time.
The match ended in chaos as Vinicius reacted angrily to his substitution and clashed with rivals on the touchline.
But Madrid held firm to move five points clear.
In the Premier League, Arsenal has strengthened their lead with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace.
Former Palace midfielder Ebreci Eze scored a decisive goal in the 39th minute, showing fine control to finish from close range after Gabriel headed Declan Rice's free-kick into his path.
Arsenal controlled much of the game and held firm despite late pressure capping, a composed performance that put them four points clear at the top.
Arsenal manager Mikel Lateta praised the players for the hard-won victory.
I just told the boys that probably I value more this victory than any other victory this season, because we knew the difficulty of it.
You come after playing every three days.
You have a big opportunity as well with the things that happened during this weekend.
And I knew, you know, we play against a team that, in my opinion, has been one of the best.
Recently in terms of organisation, how difficult they made it, how frustrated they can make you, and the moment that you lose that concentration, they will punish you for sure.
The result kept a perfect weekend for the Gunners after Manchester City slipped to a 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa.
Matty Cash's early strike ended City's nine-match unbeaten run and left them six points behind later.
Elsewhere, Tottenham Hotspur climbed to third with a 3-0 win at Everton, while Bournemouth continued their strong start with a 2-0 home victory over Nottingham Forest.
In tennis, top seed Yannick Sinner fought back to defeat second seed Alexander Sivirov and capture his fourth title of the season at Vienna Open.
The German player led 5-3 in the opener and held the serve to take the first set, but Sinner responded strongly, firing an ace to level the match at 6-3.
The Italian then regrouped mentally to complete the comeback in the three-lane decider.
Yeah, it feels amazing, you know.
It was such a difficult start in this final for me and I'll go and break down.
I had some chances in the first second.
Use them.
It was serving very, very well and but you know I just tried to stick there.
You know into mentally I'm trying to play my best tennis when it's when it counts, you know.
And third set was a bit of a roller coaster but yeah was was feeling very well the ball at times so I tried to push and I'm very happy, of course, to win another title.
Sinner sealed the victory 7-5 in the third set, claiming the Vienna title for a second time and continuing an exceptional season that has already seen him win Wimbledon, the Australian Open and two other ATP events.
Turning to the NBA, Austin Reeves erupted for a career-high 51 points, since the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Sacramento Kings 127-120.
Stepping up here as the primary scorer, with absence of Luka Doncic and LeBron James, Reeves ended 11 rebounds and 9 assists, affording just the shine of a triple-double.
DeAndre Ayton contributed 22 points and 15 rebounds, while Rui Hachimura added 18 for the Lakers, who won their third straight without James.
Zach Levine led Sacramento with 32 points, while Dementor Sabonis and Dennis Schroeder each recorded double-doubles.
In other action, Victor Wimbanyama posted 31 points and 14 rebounds, sparking a late surge as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Brooklyn Nets 118-107 to stay unbeaten.
Anthony Davis tally 25 points and 10 rebounds, leading the Dallas Mavericks past the visiting Toronto Raptors 139-129.
Julius Randle scored 31 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves held off the winless Indiana Pacers 114-110, despite losing Anthony Edwards to injury.
And finally, in Formula 1, Lando Norris cruised to a commanding victory at the Mexico City Grand Prix, reclaiming the championship lead by a single point over McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri.
Starting from pole, Norris led every lap and finished more than half a minute ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, with Max Verstappen, third for Red Bull.
Dwayne was Norris' sixth of the season and tenth of his career.
It put him on 357 points to Piastri's 356, with four rounds remaining.
Thank you very much.
That was Yang Guang with sports.
Coming up in culture and entertainment.
Austria celebrates the 60th anniversary of a classic Hollywood movie.
From 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.
1.53 past the hour.
In culture and entertainment, The Sound of Music is marking its 60th anniversary this year.
The iconic film tells the story of a family fleeing Nazi-occupied Austria.
It's based on the real life von Trapps.
Celebrations are taking place in Salzburg, the family's hometown, where actors and fans have gathered to honor the film's enduring legacy.
Johannes Plushburger has more.
Reenacting the sound of music where the dramatic finale of the Hollywood movie was filmed.
Austria's Felsenreitschule theater venue served once again as a stage commemorating what might be the world's most famous singing family.
It's a story set in World War II that has won over fans worldwide.
Thank you.
It's a memory staying in us.
Since its premiere in 1965, the sound of music captivated viewers worldwide, and millions of fans have made their way to the place where the story of the singing von Trapp family began, here in the Austrian city of Salzburg.
Every year, the film's shooting locations attract about 300000 fans eager to learn more about Georg and Maria von Trapp.
As a successful World War I submarine, commander Georg von Trapp was expected to serve the Nazi cause.
Instead, he took his family to the United States, where they started new lives as the Trapp family us.
The story of our family is really of resiliency and looking forward and always moving forward.
So I feel very grateful to be a part of something that is like that.
I experienced from early on how important music is, how the message of hope and of joy or of celebration through song, bringing healing to the world.
In the 1950s, a book Maria had written about the family story was first turned into a German film, then a Broadway musical and finally, in the 1960s, Hollywood conquered the world's movie theaters with its own adaptation, The Sound of Music.
Oh, when I'm well, I'm never alone.
As fans celebrate 60 years of the Hollywood classic, Christina and Elisabeth von Trapp are hoping that the film will continue to win over audiences with its message of hope and joy, even in times of conflict.
That was Johannes Plushberger reporting from Salzburg.
The fourth Chinese documentary film festival is opened in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, kicking off a three-day celebration of non-fiction storytelling and its role in promoting Chinese culture globally.
This year, the festival received 40 submissions, with 20 films shortlisted for main awards and 11 nominated in individual categories.
The festival provides a platform for industry professionals, aiming to boost cultural confidence and foster international exchange through compelling Chinese stories.
Events, including screenings, panel discussions, roadshows and special ceremonies, give participants a close look at the art of documentary filmmaking.
By showcasing the diversity and depth of Chinese documentaries, the festival seeks to expand their global reach and support the growth of China's film industry.
The Liuyang River in central China lit up with a dazzling display of drones and fireworks during the Fireworks Cultural Festival.
A major highlight was the Liuyang Fireworks Competition, featuring six international teams from the US Japan Hungary Belgium, Sweden and Slovenia.
Liaoyang in Hunan Province produces around 70 of China's fireworks exports through over 400 local manufacturers.
57 past the hour now.
Checking the forecast before we go.
Beijing's down to plus one Monday evening.
A light rainfall in 14 for Tuesday.
Nanchang will be cloudy tonight and tomorrow.
The low is 15, a high of 23.
Wanning will see heavy rainfall overnight and through Tuesday, with a low of 21 and a high of 26 degrees.
Elsewhere in Asia, Islamabad's 15 overnight, Tuesday's sunny and 27.
The Indian will be overcast tonight and tomorrow with a low of 21 and a high of 29 degrees.
That's it for this edition of the Beijing Hour.
Making news today.
The Chinese premier says Beijing is willing to strengthen alignment and development with members of the ASEAN group.
And China and the US have reached a consensus on how to address each other's trade concerns following two days of talks in Malaysia.
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.
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The Beijing Hour, your window on China and the rest of the world.
He can't live without the Yellow River in his eyes.
The Yellow River is so noble and elegant.
Both my grandpa and dad made a living from the river.
Would you like to move away from the Yellow River?
I don't think I will.
I love it so much.
The Yellow River, the second longest river in China, is regarded as a shaping force in the history, economy and culture of northern China.
Today, about 100 million people live within its water basin, making up nearly 9 of the country's population.
How is climate change felt at its headwaters?
And what are the locals doing to cope with it?
What are the descendants of the boatmen doing?
What has kept some people from leaving their home village by the river?
And what has drawn others back?
Could the fading fishing community revive in a time of digital transformation?
From 2021 to 2024.
Our reporters visited the upper, middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River.
Talk to the herders farmers boatmen, fishermen and eco-activists who share a close bond with the river.
And present their stories in pictures, podcasts and videos.
All in our 12-part series, The Yellow River Mosaic.
Available only on CGTN Radio.
