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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 Tuesday, August the 5th, 2025.
You're listening to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
On today's program, China's highlighting social and economic progress in Shizhong, as the autonomous region marks its 60th founding anniversary.
An American former contractor in Gaza is speaking out about the U.S. and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
Northern China is bracing for even more heavy rainfall while others experience extreme heat.
In business, China's services capacity expands dramatically. at the fastest pace in 14 months.
In sports, China's confirmed its roster for the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup.
In culture and entertainment, iconic cartoon duo Tom and Jerry visit China in their latest movie.
Now checking the day's top stories. China's highlighted the social and economic progress in Shizhong Autonomous Region since its establishment 60 years ago.
Local chief Wang Junzheng says he expects the GDP of the southwestern region, also known as Tibet, to exceed 300 billion yuan, or nearly 42 billion U.S. dollars this year.
And Zhou Yixin has details. Once a poor and isolated area, Shizan has now turned into a modern society with better infrastructure, education, healthcare and more.
Local officials shared some of the region's key achievements.
Now let's take a listen. Shizhong Autonomous Region's GDP has reached 276.5 billion yuan in 2024, which is 155 times that of 1965 at constant prices, with an average annual growth rate of 8.9%.
The local fiscal revenue reached 27.7 billion yuan, which is 1,258 times that of 1965, with an average annual growth rate of 12.9%.
In the 60-year development process, it took 50 years for Xizhou's GDP to reach the first 100 billion yuan, while it took only six years to make it exceed 200 billion yuan.
And I also want to highlight that these achievements are also reflected in people's average disposable income, which is more than 120 times higher than that of 1965.
And in 2019, Shenzhen ended absolute poverty.
Over 600,000 people were lifted out of hardship.
And to maintain that kind of progress, a lot of new opportunities and new industries have been brought in to the region.
For example, industries like cultural tourism and clean energies are growing, are developing very fast in the region and bring a lot of new job opportunities to the local.
That was Zhou Yixin reporting on Shenzhen's economic and social development.
And as officials just mentioned, the region's GDP has exceeded 276 billion yuan, 155 times higher than it was in 1965.
Public finance has increased by over 1,200 times.
The total mileage of highways exceeds 120,000 kilometers, and there are nearly 1,400 kilometers of railways in the region.
All counties and cities are covered by the main power grid, and every administrative village has access to the internet.
The per capita disposable income of urban residents in Shizhong rose 120 times from 1965 levels.
The figure rose by nearly 200 times for farmers and herdsmen.
Shizhong residents also enjoy 15 years of publicly funded education, from kindergarten through high school.
In the meantime, modern industries such as clean energy, cultural tourism, and plateau-based light manufacturing are also booming across the autonomous region.
It's also operating over 180 international and domestic air routes.
And now let's go live to Niu Honglin, who's currently on a reporting trip in Shizhong.
Again, thanks for joining us this evening.
And have you visited a district, or you have visited a district that's famous for housing a lot of modern industries?
So what are some of the companies that stood out for you?
Yes, I have visited this district called Dat Lam Dat Chin.
And Dat Lam means upper valley, and Dat Chin means great happiness or bliss.
And in this district, we see a mix of traditional and emerging industries, including live streaming e-commerce space, warehousing, logistics firms, new energy enterprises, and more than accessory factories, all located in this district.
And they are all very interesting with a lot of different technologies, the kind of technologies that have only been entering Cizang in this past decade or so.
Well, can you elaborate a bit on the live streaming platform?
Yes, it's a very interesting base because when we talk about live streaming, it's already something quite familiar to everybody.
And here, this live streaming base accommodates over 30 live streaming platforms or companies or individual streamers.
And this base provides a variety of equipment, Making it very convenient for streamers to broadcast, to shoot video of their product, and to conduct e-commerce live streaming right on the spot.
What's very fun is that in the States, because they have set up all the equipment and definitely a good condition for internet, each live streamer can live stream at the same time, all the 30 ones, and they do not have to worry about the internet connection.
Additionally, they offer a shared live streaming studio fully equipped with professional gear.
So if you're a startup and finding it difficult to get all the equipment, it is especially helpful.
And what also I noticed something is that for those of you who are not that familiar with the situation in Zhejiang, because of the geological situation as well as the geological... relatively far away from other parts of the country.
So some people would find that if they're buying things online, the shipment fee would be quite high.
And to solve this problem, some streamers bulk purchase goods and store them at their base.
This way, local people here living in Shizan would be able to buy from their live stream platforms and enjoy much lower shipping fees.
Because of this, the base has become very popular in the region And not to mention that those specialties here in Zhejiang can be shipped out or can be bought from these live streaming sites very efficiently as well.
And what more can you say about that logistics company?
Yes, when it comes to logistics, This live streaming base also provides a situation or provided the services for helping the streamers to ship the goods out.
But that is not the only function of the live streaming or of the shipment company I was talking about.
This company, this logistic company, they have been established here for around seven years and they have all these advanced technologies already, including intelligent sorting systems, utilizing robotics for transporting and unloading and uploading of goods.
And additionally, they offer support services for cross-border e-commerce.
I think some of these companies have a cooperative partnership with the Lhasa Free Trade Zone and enabling them to help move funded goods through customs.
And furthermore, they are actively planning to establish a warehouse in Nepal, the neighboring country, and this initiative will facilitate the transportation of unique products from Nepal to Shenzhen.
I find all of these new technologies, just like you have mentioned earlier, have something to do with the fact that the foundation of this place, the infrastructure of this town is getting better and better, and it's making the life of local people also more and more convenient.
Well, thank you very much for that this evening.
That was New Hong Lin joining us live in Shenzhen.
And high on the Tibetan plateau, devotion is not a relic of the past.
It's a living force evolving with the times.
And today we take you to an historic monastery in Shigatse, where ancient rituals meet modern rhythm.
There we meet Kyungpua Tolkoop, a young spiritual leader walking a path rooted in tradition, but deeply engaged with the world around him.
Gong Ming has more. Every morning at 5.30 a.m., as dawn breaks over the golden roofs of this 600-year-old monastery, this young Lama begins his day in prayer and study.
He was just four years old when recognized as the third incarnation of the Khumbho Thakur of Tashi Gapel Monastery, part of a centuries-old tradition in Tibetan Buddhism, where high Lamas are believed to be reborn to carry on their spiritual mission.
Since 2002, he has lived and studied at Taisho Hongpo, devoted to Buddhist practice, yet also exploring ways to connect with the modern world.
I entered the monastery at a very young age and didn't have a chance to study Mandarin properly.
Now, whenever I have free time, I try to catch up.
I watch documentaries, read books, and use the Internet to look up anything I don't understand.
Language is important. It's a bridge to the outside world.
Unlike the image of a cloistered monk, Kyumbo Toku is very much a man of his time.
Born in the 1990s, he bridges two worlds, granted in centuries-old Buddhist tradition, yet fluent in the language of the digital age.
He launched his first online account back in 2010, long before it was common for religious figures to go online.
Today, he has more than half a million followers.
One of his favorite pastimes is photography, capturing mountain vistas and quiet moments of daily life through his lens.
He often shares these photos online, along with reflections on life and Buddhist philosophy.
Whenever I get the chance, I like to go out, to travel, to see more of the world.
It helps me better understand people and our society, and how our religious ideas can be more relevant.
I love taking photos. It's a way of documenting what I see and feel.
Each person has their own interest. Mine is sharing, and when people respond to my quotes or images, I feel encouraged.
It's a shared learning journey. As Khunpo Thakur pursues the highest degree in Tibetan Buddhist studies, he is also thinking beyond the monastery, about how faith can serve society.
Elected to the Shizan Political Consultative Conference in 2012, he is pushed for better rural health care and stronger training for local doctors.
In recent years, he has visited schools across the region, advocating for better support for basic education.
The purpose of studying Buddhism isn't just personal growth, it's about benefiting others and the society.
When I learn about conditions in rural areas and reflect what I've seen through proposals, it feels meaningful.
Over the years, I've seen real improvements in healthcare and education.
I want to do my part to promote harmony and unity and hopefully offer people spiritual support along the way.
That's my biggest wish. From solitary study to public service, from ancient scripture to smart phone screens, Khunpo Thakur represents a new generation of Tibetan lamas.
His story is not only a personal journey of devotion, it also reflects how young lamas today are upholding tradition while actively engaging with modern society.
That was Gong Ming in southwestern China.
And now we continue our special series, revisiting China's pivotal battles and heroic stories during the war of resistance against Japanese aggression.
Sitting in the heart of Shanghai, the Siheng Warehouse is seen as a spiritual fortress that belongs to every Chinese person.
In October 1937, during the Battle of Shanghai, the 800 warriors entered the warehouse to resist the Japanese army invasion.
Their stubborn defense has gone down in history as a symbol of the Chinese people's undefeated spirit.
Chen Tong has this story. This warehouse with over 400 bully holes may seem incompatible with the surrounding skyscrapers in Shanghai.
In 1937, the 800 warriors resisted the Japanese army for four days here, arousing global attention.
Now the warehouse has become a memorial museum, restoring the scenes of the battle.
In October 1937, the Battle of Shanghai was worsening.
The Nipah War Treaty Conference, which addressed the conflict between China and Japan, was about to be held.
In order to gain international support, the Ming resistance force was ordered to stay in Shanghai's Zhebei area.
Under the leadership of Xie Jingyuan, the 800 warriors entered the Sihang warehouse, but in fact, there were only more than 400 soldiers.
The battle began on October 27th. The walls of the warehouse were thick, but the doors and windows were the most vulnerable places.
The soldiers used the green instead of sandbags to resist Japanese artillery fire.
However, the most dangerous moment still hadn't arrived.
Before dawn October 28th, Japanese troops stalked under the walls of the Sihang warehouse, attempting to use explosives to blow up the gates and walls.
Chen Shusheng, who was only 21, jumped down from the fifth floor with several grenades bundled around his body, pulled open the fuse and perished together with the enemy.
That night, Xie Jinyuan called the soldiers for a meeting.
My father asked what this place was. The soldiers replied, Seheng Warehouse.
He said, no, this is the tomb of over 400 of us.
I, Chi Jin Yuan, have elderly parents, a wife, sons and daughters.
I will fight with you here and sacrifice here to complete this mission.
The Chinese troops didn't bring any flag at that time.
Xie said he wanted one. Girl scout Yang Huiming hid a flag under her uniform and sent a flag to the warehouse.
When this flag was raised before dawn on October 29th, people were very excited because they could see it on the other side of the Suzhou Creek.
At that time, the other side of the Suzhou Creek was the concession area.
The bravery of the Chinese soldiers was witnessed by the Shanghai residents.
This was all reported by foreign media. Many foreign journalists were drinking coffee and seeing the battle.
They wrote newspaper articles and sent reports to the US, UK and other countries in Europe.
On the last day of October 1937, Xie Jinyuan and the soldiers evacuated from the warehouse.
There's no exact casualty record. Now the Memorial Museum is welcoming thousands of tourists every day.
They come to lay flowers, pay tribute to the 800 warriors.
Back then, under such difficult conditions, our martyrs had such sincere patriotic hearts.
We need to cherish how hard-won our present life is.
There is a place where you can write your feelings at the museum.
My daughter was only six and she couldn't understand much.
But she wrote, I want to become brave. I love you, China.
The Battle of Shanghai was one of the largest and most tragic battles during Chinese people's war of resistance against Japanese aggression.
China didn't win this battle. But the defense of the Sihang warehouse epitomizes the famous saying from author Ernst Hemingway, a man can be destroyed, but not defeated.
That was Chen Tong reporting. Coming up, an American former contractor calls out the chaos of aid delivery in Gaza.
United in purpose during World War II, the Chinese military and people stood as one, fearlessly resisting Japanese fascism.
China's unwavering whole-nation effort forged the pivotal Eastern Front.
Through fierce battles, immense sacrifices, heroic endurance and decisive support to the allies on the European and Pacific battlefields, China has helped secure liberation, the final victory and the lasting legacy for global peace and human progress.
Resolve and resilience, the main eastern battlefield of World War II, only on cgtn at 18 minutes past the hour former u.s special forces officer working for ug solutions a contractor providing security for aid deliveries in gaza is speaking out about the israeli and u.s backed gaza humanitarian foundation anthony aguilar says he wants americans to understand what he witnessed during aid distribution we would place all of the aid on a site in a in piles and rows, kind of like, imagine, if you will, the Hunger Games.
When distribution happened, the Israeli Defense Force would release the large crowd and the... So if you just imagine thousands of people, a congested site, one way in, one way out, people fighting for survival, women, children, the elderly, men, the disabled, trying...
To control that is impossible. Aguilar claims contractors ended Israel and Gaza on tourist visas and in Gaza harmed Palestinians under the guise of distributing aid.
In videos he recorded, some U.S. contractor employees can be heard cheering as Palestinians were treated violently.
You have a guy, a UG Solutions contractor, an American contractor, shooting.
Not at a threat. These people were 150 meters, 200 meters away from the site, leaving.
They weren't posing a threat at all in any way whatsoever.
Much less were we shooting to defend our lives.
We shouldn't be Spraying, stun grenading, pepper spraying, rubber bullet shooting, warning shot shooting, we're shooting at anyone.
UG Solutions denies wrongdoing, calling Aguilar a disgruntled ex-employee dismissed for poor performance.
A group say Israel's measures to let aid into Gaza remain far from sufficient.
The UN reports more than 1,000 people have been killed trying to access aid since May.
The Israeli military says it only fires warning shots at individuals approaching its forces.
UNICEF says ongoing Israeli attacks and a blockade on humanitarian aid have resulted in an average of 28 children killed every day.
In a post on social media platform X, the UN agency stressed that children in the region urgently need food, water, medicine, and protection, and called for an immediate ceasefire.
Gaza's health authorities report that since the Hamas-Israel conflict erupted in 2023, the fighting has killed nearly 61,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, with more than 150,000 injured.
Children and women account for nearly half of the deaths.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he'll meet with the Security Cabinet this week to discuss Israel's military plans for Gaza following the collapse of ceasefire talks with Hamas.
Israel's Channel 12, citing an Israeli official, reports that Netanyahu is leaning toward expanding the offensive and seizing control of the entire Gaza Strip.
Jonathan Regev has more from Tel Aviv. Plans for an expanded operation are quite advanced due to the fact that It has been two or three weeks in which Israel is preparing for an expansion of the military campaign, understanding that the ceasefire negotiations, which there were a lot of hopes that would bring an agreement, are practically collapsing.
There is no real way to narrow down the big differences currently existing between Israel and Hamas.
And Israel now understands that the path forward would probably have to include an expansion of the military campaign.
How much will it be expanded? That's the question.
If you ask the far-right ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, the only aim of the war should be the total conquest of the Gaza Strip, what they call voluntary departure of the population living there, how much population would voluntarily leave.
No one really knows. That's how Ben-Gvir and Smotrich are putting it.
And then building new Israeli settlements.
That's according to them. The prime minister is more conservative in his thought.
Maybe perhaps having a plan in which Gaza is put under some kind of a siege that would bring Hamas to a certain attrition, a siege.
But on the other hand, also making sure that food is brought into Gaza.
Hamas understands that if there's no agreement soon, then come the UN General Assembly next month, many of those countries, all of them Western countries, all of them Israeli allies, will most probably accept or come to terms with a Palestinian state.
That was Jonathan Regev reporting. You're listening to The Beijing Hour.
Coming up, more heavy rainfall or extreme heat in China's forecast.
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23 minutes past the hour. Northern China has been experiencing another round of heavy rainfall, and many parts of the country are also subject to extreme heat.
National weather authorities have issued several alerts for rainstorms and high temperatures in the coming days.
They've also raised the alarm for the wildfire risk.
Li Shuang has details. Now, heavy rain continues to sweep across both northern and southern regions, affecting provinces of Hebei, Shandong, Sichuan, Fujian, Guangdong and Taiwan.
Here in Beijing, a red alert for heavy rain, the heaviest level warning, was lifted earlier as the rain clouds moved east.
But as a precaution, over 82,000 residents were relocated across the capital.
Now, nationwide conditions remain unstable.
Rescue teams were dispatched for flood control.
Now, specifically in Guangzhou, Bayou Airport issued emergency response due to thunderstorms.
Over 70 flights have been delayed for over an hour.
Now the airport is bracing for more downpours over the next 48 hours.
In the meantime, in Hong Kong, a black rainstorm alert is in effect, signaling over 70 millimeters of rain per hour across main areas.
Intense downpour is also expected to continue.
Now, all of these plus warnings of typhoon, forest fire and drought.
Officials in China warn of the growing unpredictability and intensity of weather patterns, especially during the critical flood control period from late July to early August.
That was Li Shuang reporting. Heavy rains have also hit other parts of Asia.
In Pakistan, over 300 people have died in rain-related accidents since late June.
The eastern province of Punjab is the worst affected, recording 163 deaths.
Authorities are warning of heavy monsoon rains in the upper and central parts of the country throughout the week.
South Korea is bracing for another round of heavy rainfall after powerful downpours swept through the country's south.
Heavy rains triggered floods in Mu'an, killing at least one person.
Over 2,500 people have evacuated from that county.
Japan's logged its highest ever temperature as the city of Isasaki in Gunma Prefecture hit 41.6 degrees Celsius on Tuesday afternoon, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
The reading marks the hottest temperature since official records began.
Several other cities in Gunma and neighboring Saitama Prefecture also saw temperatures climb above 41 degrees, triggering widespread heat stroke alerts.
The agency has warned of record-breaking heat across the Canto Cotian region, urging people to avoid unnecessary outings and to stay hydrated.
Heat alerts are now in place across 44 prefectures, the most extensive warning issued so far this season.
Europe is also bracing for another heat wave.
Temperatures in parts of France and Portugal are expected to reach 40 degrees Celsius.
Portugal and Spain are on high alert due to extreme heat and the wildfire risk.
Yolo Abdafet has more. Portugal, there have been wildfires.
The heat in Spain has increased a lot. Greece has had a torrid time in the last few years in terms of heat.
Again this year, wildfires were terrible there in 2023, including... uh woodlands near where people live in densely populated areas close to athens two years ago but in romania and in parts of central europe there's been flash flooding in the last few weeks so you have the extreme heat of 40 degrees in some places 40 celsius and then you also have the flash flooding and all this leads people including the the european environment agency to say that, look, scientists are saying one thing, bad weather doesn't lead to climate change by itself, but there is a pattern of weather changing.
Weather is short-term, climate is long-term, and also, you know, we're getting more and more warnings from the IPCC, the UN's global panel on climate scientists, who say that this is something that's going to cost money,
In terms of insurance, it's going to cost money in terms of repair and renovation.
So all the countries have to really prepare, even though it's out of season in terms of storms in the north of Europe or even the extreme heat in the south of Europe.
And it's part of this trend that we're now seeing, which is happening more regular.
That was Yolo App, DAFID reporting. Delegates from around the world are in Geneva for the sixth round of talks on a landmark treaty to end plastic pollution.
A key dispute is whether to cap plastic production, an aspect by around 100 nations and major firms like Coca-Cola and Walmart, or focus solely on redesign, recycling, and reuse as oil-producing nations and the U.S. prefer.
The United Nations has warned that the crisis is spiraling, with up to 23 million tons of plastic waste leaking into aquatic ecosystems annually.
That figure could rise 50% by 2040. The treaty aims to cover the entire plastics lifecycle.
Proposals require consensus, though some nations want decisions by vote.
Talks have repeatedly stalled over production limits opposed by Saudi Arabia and others.
Greenpeace is calling for a 75% cut in output by 2040.
The current session runs 10 days, ending on August 14th.
At 29 past the hour, checking the forecast out of the break in Beijing's cloudy and 23 overnight, clouds and 34 for Wednesday.
Nancheng is clear overnight, 29 degrees, then cloudy and 34.
Hong Kong's 24 this evening, heavy downpours in the forecast.
The rain continues through the day tomorrow with a high of 30.
Elsewhere in Asia, Islamabad's down to 22, then a light rainfall and 31 for Wednesday.
Vientiane's 24 overnight, then some rain and 31.
Phnom Penh's at 25 this evening, then a light rainfall and 35 degrees.
In Africa, Nairobi's getting a light rainfall and 24 degrees Celsius on Wednesday.
It's time for a short break. So far this hour, China's highlighting social and economic progress in Shizhong as the autonomous region marks its 60th founding anniversary.
An American former contractor in Gaza is speaking out about the U.S. and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
And northern China's bracing for even more heavy rainfall while other areas experience extreme heat.
Shane Begum with you. Stay with us here on the Beijing Hour.
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?
How are things really going between China and Africa?
What's the narrative of this relationship?
Well, get a perspective with China Africa Talk.
Hear from African diplomats, entrepreneurs, academics, Chinese natives and more.
Get on our wavelength every week to find out what's real with China Africa Talk.
Find us on your favorite podcast. We'll see you there. examining the events that impact and shape china and the rest of the world this is the beijing hour one hour of news and information brought to you every weekday now here's your host shane biggum with you on this tuesday still to come in business a china services activity expands at the fastest pace in 14 months In sports, China's confirmed its roster for the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup.
In culture and entertainment, iconic cartoon duo Tom and Jerry visit China in their latest movie.
To contact us, you can email radio at cgtn.com or follow our ex-account at CGTN Radio.
But now checking today's headline news, here's Tianyu.
Thank you, Shane. The secretary of the Communist Party of China for Shizong, or Tibet Autonomous Region, says he expects the area's GDP to exceed 300 billion yuan, or nearly 42 billion U.S. dollars.
Wang Jingzheng was giving a briefing on the economic and social achievements of the autonomous region since its establishment 60 years ago.
Shizhong's GDP surpassed 270 billion yuan last year, over 150 times what it was in 1965, with an average annual growth rate of 8.9%.
Modern industries such as clean energy, cultural tourism, and plateau-based light manufacturing are booming.
The region's total road length reached nearly 125,000 km by the end of 2024, while the railway network extended to over 1,300 kilometers.
It is also operating over 180 international and domestic air routes.
The main power grid has covered all counties and districts, while all villages are connected to fiber and 4G networks.
China has unveiled a new action plan for 2025 to 2030 aimed at enhancing environmental conditions to safeguard public health.
The plan, jointly issued by the National Administration of Disease Prevention and Control and several other government departments, sets out 16 specific measures to create greener, safer and more livable environments.
Key measures include promoting balanced diets and regular exercise, upgrading community waste sorting systems and expanding and maintaining green spaces and walking trails.
The plan also calls for a stronger cross-sector policy integration enhanced environmental monitoring and improved risk assessments, early warning systems and public health advisories.
By 2030, the government aims to achieve continuous improvement in drinking water quality and significantly raise public awareness of the link between environmental protection and health.
Israel is considering expanding military operation in Gaza to free the remaining hostages.
Ceasefire talks have stalled and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under growing pressure to end the conflict.
There are concerns that a military expansion could worsen the already catastrophic humanitarian conditions in Gaza.
Israeli attacks across Gaza on Monday killed at least 74 Palestinians.
Many of the victims were aid seekers. The nearly daily shootings at aid distribution sites and the slow pace of humanitarian aid trickling in has drawn international condemnation.
Brazil's Supreme Court has issued a house arrest warrant for former President Jair Bolsonaro.
He's accused of violating a court ban on his use of social media.
It was imposed last month when he was also ordered to wear an electronic ankle tag.
The order comes after weakened protests in Brazil in support of the former president.
Bolsonaro is currently on trial, accused of seeking to overturn the 2022 presidential election won by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
India has objected to the United States and the European Union targeting it for importing oil from Russia, saying it was unjustified and unreasonable.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs said India's energy imports from Russia are essential to ensuring affordable and predictable fuel prices for Indian consumers.
The statement came after US President Donald Trump threatened to substantially hike tariffs on India for the buying and selling of Russian oil.
The spokesperson added that those criticizing India are themselves indulging in trade with Russia.
The EU had bilateral goods trade of over 67 billion euros or 78 billion US dollars with Russia last year.
And finally, Brazilian coffee producers are bracing for the 50% US tariff on coffee imports starting Wednesday.
The commodity was left off the US exemption list signed by President Donald Trump last week.
Unless trade talks make progress, one of Brazil's key export sectors could make a serious hit.
Producers say the uncertainty is already rippling through the market, with buyers holding back and prices under pressure.
This year, the expectation was for a good price.
But with this tariff, coffee prices have already dropped significantly.
We are a bit concerned, but maybe another market, China for example, could help offset the loss.
Brazil is the only country capable of meeting the global coffee shortfall.
If we face these US tariffs, we will find other ways to get our coffee out.
Not selling is not an option. but we will need to explore other markets.
Industry leaders say growing demand in Asia could provide a much-needed cushion.
Thank you very much. That's Tianyu with Headline News.
Coming up in business, China's services activity expands at the fastest pace in 14 months.
You're listening to The Beijing Hour. 60 minutes of comprehensive news.
Your window on China and the world. Now at 4.37 past the hour, turning to business, and here's Wang Ziheng.
Thank you, Shane. Stock markets on the Chinese mainland closed higher on Tuesday.
The Shanghai composite was up nearly 1%, and the Shenzhen component gained almost 0.6%.
Home appliance and gaming shares were among the top gainers.
Elsewhere in China, the Hong Kong stock market also ended higher on this trading day.
The Hang Seng Index increased nearly 0.7%.
In Japan, the Nikkei gained over 0.6%. The S&P Global PMI shows that China's service activity expanded at its fastest pace in 14 months in July, exceeding market expectations.
The figure rose two points from June to 52.6.
New businesses are growing at the quickest rate in a year, partly driven by rising demand from abroad.
Business sentiment also improved to the highest level since March.
Services firms in China have raised their staffing levels at the quickest pace since last July.
With more, we are now joined by Anna Tangen, a senior fellow at Taihe Institute.
Good evening, Anna. How would you evaluate the overall performance of China's service sector in July?
Oops. Hello, Anna. Can you hear us? Right.
Okay. Okay. Yeah, cool. So I'll repeat my question.
So how would you evaluate the overall performance of China's service sector in July?
Right. I think we're, yeah. Right. Okay.
Moving on. We'll get back to the entertainment in a short while.
Next, official data shows China's logistics sector maintained expansion momentum last month amid adverse weather factors such as floods and high temperatures.
The prosperity index tracking the country's logistics market was 50.5 last month, slightly down from the previous month.
The China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing says despite the decline, it was still in the expansion range, with social logistics demand at a relatively strong level.
The business volume index in central and western China was higher than the national average.
The business volume index of the e-commerce express delivery sector surpassed 69, indicating a high level of prosperity.
The road and railnet transport industry saw slight increases from the previous month.
Now scorching temperatures have hit many areas in China, and people have discovered various ways to beat the heat.
Tourists in Shanghai are visiting ice and water resorts to keep cool.
Zhang Songwu has the story. A free fall slide, artificial waves, and an interactive water playground.
These are some of the attractions at one of the most popular water resorts in Shanghai.
This Viking-themed water world also features an innovative indoor and outdoor double-layer 3D water play system.
It includes 26 water slides, two cross-layer slides, and one outdoor suspended slide.
I'm coming here to experience it. The environment here is good since smoking is prohibited here.
There are many activities I can enjoy, and I played in the indoor slides using canoes with my girlfriend.
The highest temperature in Shanghai's July was over 37 degrees Celsius.
Even though the city was affected by a typhoon, the weather remained sultry.
Aside from water resort, the ice resort has also been popular this season.
It's really beautiful here and I feel that people are celebrating Christmas or the Chinese New Year and you can't believe it's scorching summer.
It's about 38 degrees Celsius outside but here it's only about minus 5 degrees Celsius and it's really a beautiful wonderland to explore.
It holds the Guinness World Record for the largest indoor snow park in the world.
It features five indoor ski trails and a Nordic-themed snow play area, which offers 16 snow-based attractions.
Recently, it was rainy in Shanghai, very moist and hot.
But here with snow, it's much cooler. So I want to experience how it feels to wear ski wear in a hot summer.
Now it's summer and very hot outside. It's also sultry.
When coming here, I feel I just traveled from summer to winter.
It's like a mountain resort, very cool. Official data shows that over 160,000 visitors' trips were recorded in the ice and water resorts in July.
With the support of the Shanghai government, The cool projects, including the water and ice resorts, are offering visitors more ways to beat heat while boosting the local economy.
That was Zheng Sunwu reporting. Now we're getting back to Anir Tengen, a senior fellow at Taihe Institute.
Good evening, Tengen. Anir, can you hear us?
Yes, I can. Loud and clear. Great. Okay.
So how would you evaluate the overall performance of China's service sector in July?
Well, Beijing clearly made the right moves, both in terms of visa-free access and also trade negotiations with Washington.
Very, very strong rebound, and it's driving a lot of much-needed job growth.
And this is also pushing a lot of confidence into the sector.
It's a kind of counterpoint to the manufacturing side, but definitely something that was needed.
Right. So how has rising demand from abroad, such as in-trade and tourism, contributed to the fast expansion of the country's services activity?
It's been a tourist boom. Visa-free access has encouraged 74 countries and led to 20 million foreign visitors in 2024, double the previous year.
Flight volumes, more than 6,000 weekly international flights now land in China.
It's making travel easier, boosting tremendous inbound tourism in addition to your stories about tourism domestically.
And, you know, you have a place like Beijing, which saw 900,000 international visitors in Q1, and that was up over 61% year on year.
And given the expansion improvements, what's still needed to sustain this growth momentum?
Well, obviously, you know, the growth The issue about the international trade is very, very important.
I think China was very clear on extending the 90-day window.
Chinese renminbi is relatively inexpensive, especially when you get down to the actual living conditions and costs here versus other countries.
And there is also this issue about policy for continuing the visa-free access, maybe extending it to more countries will be more useful.
So... I think really now the service sector is looking very, very positive and it looks to continue.
Right. Thank you very much. Okay. That was Senior Fellow Andrew Tengen offering his insights on China's services activity expansion in July.
Moving on, global financial institutions have upgraded their economic outlook for China.
HSBC has raised its China GDP growth forecasts for 2025 and 2026, citing stronger domestic demand and the likelihood of additional policy support.
The revision follows signals that China is prepared to ease monetary conditions to shore up activity.
Last week, the International Monetary Fund also raised its 2025 growth forecast for China by 0.8 points to 4.8%.
The upward revision is the largest among the major economies in the IMF's July World Economic Outlook report.
The report cited China's stronger-than-expected economic performance in the first half of the year and a substantial reduction in China-US tariffs as key reasons for the improved outlook.
And finally, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority says more than 160,000 individual investors participated in the Wealth Management Connect 2.0 as of June, up over 120% compared to the first event.
The Monetary Authority says the market value of investment under the southbound scheme held by Hong Kong institutions exceeded 16 billion yuan nearly tripling from WMC 1.0.
Hong Kong authorities now launched WMC 2.0 last year, featuring a high individual investor quota, relaxed investor eligibility criteria, and refined sales and promotions arrangements.
Thank you very much. That's Wang Ziheng with Business.
Coming up in sports, China's confirmed its roster for the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup.
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47 past the hour now. Turning to sports, here's Yang Guang.
Thank you, Shane. We start with basketball.
China has confirmed its 12th player roster for the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup, which is underway in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia until Sunday the 17th.
China is in Group C along with Saudi Arabia, India and Jordan.
Team China is so far the most decorated team in the tournament's history with 16 titles, most recently in 2015 on home soil.
However, China has fallen short in the past two editions, exceeding in the quarterfinals on both occasions.
China will kick off its campaign against Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
Captain Zhao Rui says they want to finish on the podium.
We won the medal. We want to stand on the podium.
That's our goal. I want to be there on the podium both as the captain and the player on the team.
I hope it can become a good start for the team.
We're missing a lot of players. So if we can earn the medal, it will be a great boost to our confidence.
I believe in our team and that we will give our best for the goal.
The team arrived in Jeddah on July 31 and spent the next five days recovering from jet lag. and adapting to the Syrian temperatures.
Saudi Arabia coach Rikard Kancel-Skouet admits the game against China will be tough, but his side wants to win.
China have too much good players, youngs or no youngs.
So the important game for us is the first.
We have to be ready from now. And we hope to compete in the first game.
We are playing in our country. And one time more, we have to give our best.
The last time China faced Saudi Arabia was at the FIBA Asia Championship in Doha in 2005.
China won 98 to 10, the biggest margin ever between the two sides.
But Saudi Arabia has been improving in recent years, especially with the arrival of naturalized god Muhammad Ali Abdul Rahman.
Turning to football and in the English Premier League, Chelsea has signed Dutch defender Joao Harto from Ajax.
The 19-year-old joins the Blues on a seven-year deal for a transfer fee of over 44 million euros.
Harto came through Ajax's academy and made his senior debut in January 2023, going on to make over 111 appearances for the club.
Harto made his senior debut for the Netherlands at just 17 and has since earned six caps.
The 19-year-old is Chelsea's eighth signing since the end of last season as manager Enzo Morisca strengthens his squad to cope with the dual demands of the Premier League and UEFA Champions League this term.
Chelsea, who finished fourth in the Premier League last season and won the Club World Cup in July, begins their campaign at home against Crystal Palace on August 17th.
Still in football, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are co-hosting the 2024 Africa Home Nations Championship.
It's the first continental football tournament in the East African region in 49 years.
Since its inception in 2009, the biennial event has established itself as a premier tournament exclusively for players who compete in their home country's domestic leagues.
It's organized by the Confederation of African Football.
The eighth edition, initially scheduled for February, was delayed to August due to venue issues.
It's also the first time for the tournament to be co-hosted by three African countries.
19 teams are vying for a record total price of US$10.4 million, marking a major financial boost.
In tennis, Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the ATP Cincinnati Open for the second consecutive year, which means the 38-year-old will be heading to the US Open having not played a competitive match since Wimbledon.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion has opted out of the US Open warm-up tournament following consecutive semi-final exits at the French Open and Wimbledon.
Yannick Sinner defeated him on both occasions.
Last year, Djokovic also withdrew from Cincinnati, where he is a three-time champion, not long after winning gold at the Paris Olympics.
The US Open will take place from August 24 to September 7 in New York City.
The 2026 Team Table Tennis Championships in London will feature 64 teams each in the men's and women's events.
The expanded format marks the centenary of the first Table Tennis World Championships held in London in 1926 and the founding of the ITTF the same year.
The tournament will grow from the 40-team format used in recent editions.
The women's team final is scheduled for May 9th, followed by the men's team final on May 10th.
And finally, robot teams training for the inaugural World Humanoid Robot Games scheduled to take place in Beijing next week.
30 teams from countries like the US, Brazil and Germany are set to compete in the robot football tournament.
Two teams play a fully autonomous 5-on-5 match controlled entirely by artificial intelligence.
Shanghai team from China Agriculture University was training at the speed skating venue of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics on Monday.
They were runners-up at June's RoboCup in Brazil.
All right, thank you very much. That's Yang Guang with sports.
Just ahead in culture and entertainment, iconic cartoon duo Tom and Jerry visit China in their latest movie.
From east to west, people in China are chasing their dreams and leaving their mark.
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Footprints brings you the true life stories of their journeys.
We're now at 53 past the hour. In culture and entertainment, a new Tom and Jerry film produced by Chinese and American companies has surprised audiences with a novel blend of cultural humor.
Tom and Jerry Forbidden Compass premiered for preview audiences over the weekend in Beijing, sending the iconic duo back to ancient China for their latest adventure.
Production teams incorporated myriad Chinese cultural elements while also alluding to the rich history of the U.S. film industry.
Tom and Jerry Jung-Gung's director and screenwriter of the film.
When Tom and Jerry travel back in time to ancient China, they meet many immortals there.
However, whereas the Chinese characters' mannerisms are more Peking opera-like, Tom is more like Charlie Chaplin in the silent films, and this clash actually creates a new style of humor.
He said he created a different kind of girlfriend for Tom in the film.
Tom in each episode of the original story falls in love with a white cat.
However, the Ru Yu I created in this film is a Peking opera cat, as she is very reserved and demure. sort of in the image of a stereotypical Chinese lady.
Also joining the adventure are three ridge bees, which are decorative animals seen on China's imperial-era roofs.
Together, this unlikely ensemble embarks on a thrilling mission to retrieve the powerful talisman, the Forbidden Compass.
While there have been numerous adaptations of this classic cat-and-mouse TV series for the big screen, this marks the first time that Tom and Jerry have visited China.
The captivating integration of Chinese culture into the story has thrilled fans.
It's beyond our expectation. Like when we first heard Tom and Jerry and the Chinese culture, what would be the link?
And then I saw many smart characters. I really liked how the Chinese culture was kind of interwoven. for Tom and Jerry to explore and discover as well.
I thought that was quite interesting. I think that this is a stunning movie because it's mixed by American culture and Chinese culture and helped us in America to understand more Chinese culture and customs.
I was instantly transported back to my childhood memory by the chase action sequences and the music in the movie.
This year celebrates the 85th anniversary of Tom and Jerry, first introduced in 1940 as an animated cartoon series by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera.
Malaysian Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh stepped out in Los Angeles on Monday to launch the English-language version of hit Chinese animation, Nezha 2.
U.S. studio A24 has partnered with CMC Pictures to bring the English-language version of the globally successful Chinese animated film to theaters in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand on August 22.
The English-language cast includes voice actor Crystal Lee in the titular role of Nezha, with Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh as his mother.
The sequel to the 2019 film follows Ne Zha, a rebellious young boy born to mortal parents and feared by the gods because of his wild, uncontrolled powers.
He's faced with an ancient force intent on destroying humanity and must grow up to become the hero the world needs.
The film, which will be released in IMAX and 3D, was written and directed by Yang Yu, who also developed the first movie.
It's based on a 16th century Chinese novel, The Investiture of the Gods, depicting a hero boy with magic powers who tried to defend Chen Tongguan, a fortress town.
And Giant Panda, Bao Li celebrated his fourth birthday at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C.
This marks Bao Li's first birthday at that zoo, and the zoo prepared a special birthday cake for the occasion.
Helen, a retired lawyer, is among those who visited the zoo on Monday.
I'm here to celebrate Bao Li's birthday.
I am a panda addict. I've been coming since Taishan, the first panda cub that survived here in 2005.
So I've been coming since then. Bao Li's a male panda who arrived at the zoo in October last year, along with female giant panda Qing Bao, who will turn four next month.
We're at 57 past the hour. Beijing's cloudy overnight and 23 degrees.
Cloudy conditions persist through the day tomorrow with a high of 34.
Nanchang's clear this evening, cloudy and 34 on Wednesday.
Hong Kong's 24 overnight, then heavy downpours developing.
The rain continues through the day with a high of 30 tomorrow.
Elsewhere in Asia, Islamabad's at 22 overnight, then a light rainfall in 31.
Vientiane's 24 this evening, then some rain in 31.
Phnom Penh's 25 this evening, followed by rain and 35.
And that's it for this edition of the Beijing Hour.
Making news today, China's highlighting social and economic progress in Shizhong as the autonomous region marks its 60th founding anniversary.
And northern China's bracing for even more heavy rainfall while other areas experience extreme heat.
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 6pm Beijing time.
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He can't live without the Yellow River in his eyes.
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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?
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And what has drawn others back? Could the fading fishing community revive in a time of digital transformation?
From 2021 to 2024, our reporters visited the upper, middle, and lower reaches of the Yellow River, talked to the herders, farmers, boatmen, fishermen, and eco-activists who share a close bond with the river, and present their stories in pictures, podcasts, and videos, all in our 12-part series, The Yellow River Mosaic, available only on CGTN Radio.
