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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.
I'm so happy to be with you on this Friday, December the 6th, 2024.
You're listening to the Beijing Hour coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
On today's program, South Korea's ruling party warns of dire consequences if President Yosokyo remains in power.
UNESCO adds three more items from China to the Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
The Syrian military confirms that rebels have entered the strategic city of Hama.
In business, China sets its unwilling to see trade frictions with the European Union.
In sports, the first win for a Chinese mixed doubles table tennis team since the Paris Olympics.
In culture and entertainment, the fusion of modern tastes with traditional porcelain making in eastern China.
Now today's top stories.
The leader of South Korea's ruling party has warned of dire consequences if President Yosokyo remains in office.
Handon Hoon was speaking at an emergency meeting of the party leadership.
He says the president poses a danger to the country and its people amid concern that Yoon would repeat extreme actions like the emergency martial law earlier this week if he continues to serve as president.
Handon adds that he has credible evidence that Yoon mobilized troops to arrest major politicians on the night of the martial law.
The country's special warfare commander says they will refuse to implement any new martial law orders.
The defense ministry has suspended the duty of three military commanders involved in the martial law declaration and transferred them to other units.
Opposition parties have submitted an impeachment motion against the president, planning a vote on Saturday.
Yoon declared the martial law Tuesday night before repealing it on Wednesday as the parliament voted against it.
Dan Barton has more from Seoul.
So, we just need eight members of the ruling party.
But those comments we just heard from Handon Hoon, the head of the ruling party indicate that they may now be in the mood to cross the floor and vote for impeachment.
It's still clear, unclear exactly what he means by those comments, but we can have a listen now to a little more of what Han as well as the head of the opposition party had to say.
The president is now in a meeting that he was wrong to declare martial law.
Therefore, if President Yoon Seok -yoo is allowed to continue running the government affairs, there is a significant risk of extreme actions like re -attempting to impose martial law, which could potentially put the Republic of Korea and its citizens in great danger.
We cannot let the president, who threatens lives of people through unconstitutional and illegal acts, be in charge of national affairs, not even for a second.
We must suspend him of all duties as soon as possible and let people decide whether he can stay in the seat.
Now, in terms of the risk of martial law being imposed again, rumours of course have been swirling, some of them fed by those comments by Handon Hoon.
But we've heard from the joint military chiefs of staff.
They have issued a statement saying there will be no martial law.
Even if the military is ordered by the president to impose martial law, they would disobey that order.
So they have let the public know it absolutely will not happen under any condition.
That was Jack Barton reporting.
French President Emmanuel Macron says he will nominate a new prime minister within the coming days to replace Michel Barnier, who was ousted in a non -confidence vote.
Macron says he will instruct the new prime minister to form a government of general interest, representing all political forces.
He says the new government will present a revised budget at the very beginning of next year.
The president also reaffirms his commitment to the presidency amid calls for him to resign.
The non -confidence vote marked a significant political crisis for France.
It forced the prime minister to step down for the first time since 1962.
Barnier's government was also the first to fall to such a motion in over six decades.
Macron has tasked Barnier with leading a caretaker administration to manage current affairs.
Stuart Smith has more from Paris.
In his televised address to the nation, President Macron attempted to offer words of reassurance.
He said that the country would have a new prime minister in the next few days, though he didn't yet give the name of who that might be, but he said that that prime minister would form a limited government with limited powers, as legislation allows, in order to form a new government and therefore pass
a budget into the next year.
This was what was at the heart of Michel Barnier's no -confidence vote.
He tried to pass a budget that was too ambitious, which neither the far left nor the far right could support.
President Macron's plan here is that this limited government with limited powers would pretty much, it seems, mirror the 2020 falls budget in order that it's not so controversial.
But that means that the very issues Michel Barnier was trying to tackle, France's ballooning deficit for example, and also a problem with getting funds into the treasury will not be tackled as he had hoped and, as he said, was necessary.
But choice words as well by President Macron in a very combative speech, blaming the far right for supporting this no -confidence motion for what he said were political reasons.
I will never take the blame for the lack of responsibility of others and notably lawmakers who choose knowingly to bring down the budget in the government of France a few days before Christmas.
Even with a new prime minister in place, the chaos may not be over.
The parliament here in France remains fractured, split around one -third to the left, one -third centrist and one -third right with no clear majority, meaning that any new prime minister may face the exact same hurdles as Michel Barnier and two could face a no -confidence motion if he tries or she tries
to do anything too drastic, which means the only way this deadlock could change could come only as late as next summer, the earliest time new parliamentary elections could be held.
And for people here in France, it would be another frustrating example and a frustrating outcome, a consequence of quite how fractured French politics has become.
That was Stuart Smith in Paris.
For more on the political crisis in France, Philippe Pamchier spoke to Professor Chen Wei from the School of Public Affairs at Geojang University.
President Macron plans to name a new prime minister in the coming days.
How difficult is this actually going to be to get that done?
What options does he even have?
And it's indeed a very difficult choice for you, President Macron.
And as you know, this is the first time the French government has been voted down in parliament for more than 60 years.
The last time was George Compidou's loss of motion of no competence in 1962.
Even President Macron's court situation unprecedented.
I mean, he has a few cards on the table, including former Defense Minister Sebastian Lekounou or former Interior Minister Bruno Ratterou.
But it's going to be very difficult.
And even for experienced politicians, the fractions within the stand -off parliament will be really difficult to unite it.
And this is even the case, you know, when the former PM was asked to stay up for a few months after July's election.
So whoever, you know, Macron choose will have a difficult decision and also difficult path to follow.
And we also have some other potential wildcards, including Xavier Béthron, Sebastian Béron, who was also a finance minister and budget minister.
But the choices are limited.
And also, the decision will be very difficult for them to take.
Well, the 2025 budget has been a key focus for the French government.
So do you think that the new government can actually make a difference in getting a budget passed in the first place?
That is the core issue here.
Yeah, I think we're having a bit of a situation in La Miserable because with the deficit of 6 .2 percent of the GDP, France has the worst budget imbalance within the euro zone.
And I think Michelle's banette was to address this long -standing shortfall, of course, within the maximum seven -year timeframe that the EU fiscal rules allows.
However, you know, even within that, that was not possible within the current political situation.
And I think, you know, in a way, the crisis is good.
And some observers, particularly pro -business observers in France have said, you know, France needs maybe this crisis to allow the public and also politicians to accept the economic realities, because we can't have more public spending when we have such a public deficit.
And this can only be this public debt can only be addressed by cuts.
But at the moment, there is no political willingness to address that.
That was Professor Shen Wei from the School of Public Affairs and Jejian University sharing his insights on the political crisis in France.
Coming up, UNESCO adds three more items from China to the intangible cultural heritage list.
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It's 11 minutes past the hour.
UNESCO has added three more items from China to its representative list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
They include the traditional Chinese designs and practices for building wooden arch bridges, the Chiang New Year festival, and the traditional Li Textile techniques of Hainan Province.
Nancy Ovalar is the chair of the 19th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
She says the inscription is of great significance.
Great efforts were made to have the three items upgrade from the list of intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding to the representative list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
It manifests how China attaches importance to the protection of intangible cultural heritage.
The Chiang New Year festival is celebrated in the southwestern province of Sichuan.
Tao Yuan has more on the festival.
Traditions that have been passed down for thousands of years.
Tucked away in the mountains of southwest China's Sichuan province, the Chiang people have developed their unique New Year traditions and rituals.
Held each year on the first day of the tenth month of the lunar calendar, it's an occasion to celebrate harvest and give thanks to nature and the spirits.
Professor Li Jin of Sichuan University is a scholar of Chiang culture.
Its core essence lies in offering sacrifices to the heavens, the earth, and all the diocese, as well as to the ancestral spirits of the family, as a way of expressing gratitude and fulfilling our vows.
Since it's a time of abundance, everyone gathers to enjoy delicious food, dress in festival attire, and sing and dance.
This makes the festival rich in traditional customs and vibrancy.
The Chiang New Year was placed on UNESCO's urgent safeguarding list in 2009, shortly after a huge earthquake hit China's Sichuan province.
The disaster destroyed Chiang villages and their sacred sites.
The Chiang people were a minority group with a population of about 300 ,000.
After experiencing such a devastating disaster, they faced the challenges of rebuilding their homes and even population relocation.
Globally, the rebuilding of homes and population displacement are often significant causes of cultural loss during that period.
Many were deeply pessimistic, wondering if Chiang culture might never have the chance to survive again.
China's state council took immediate action to revive the heritage, followed by UNESCO's recognition.
Professor Li Jin says this ignited the most essential aspect of cultural preservation, the Chiang people's deep sense of pride.
We know that cultural preservation is often threatened by gradual erosion, losing a little today, a bit more tomorrow, and eventually it disappears.
However, this disaster made the Chiang people realize they must take the preservation of their culture seriously.
The transfer of the Chiang New Year to UNESCO's general list of intangible cultural heritage is a recognition of the efforts of preservation, making sure the festival continues to shine as a symbol of tradition, unity, and hope for a better future.
That was Tao Yuan reporting.
Wooden arch bridges are a prominent feature in eastern Chinese coastal provinces, especially Fujian and Zhejiang.
Li Shrong has more on a wooden arch bridge in Fujian.
From the exterior, you wouldn't think that this bridge has been standing here for centuries.
Wan 'an Bridge, stretched 98 .2 meters, is the largest and longest surviving wooden arch bridge in China today.
The most remarkable aspect of wooden arch bridges is their structure.
Using short wooden pieces to span large distances requires exceptional skill, and multi -span designs like Wan 'an Bridge demand even greater expertise, showcasing the wisdom of ancient bridge builders.
Local artisan Huang Minhui and his family have a century -long bond with Wan 'an Bridge, leading major restoration efforts.
Most recently, in 2022, a devastating fire once again tested the resilience of the bridge.
The most crucial element is this wooden arch.
The woven wooden structure, connected entirely through mortise and tannin joints without nails, is both stable and innovative.
It is a testament to our ancestors' ingenuity.
This iconic bridge has also faced mother nature in all of these forms, enduring floods, fires, and natural erosion.
Our biggest challenge was staying true to our ancestors' techniques.
This isn't just about restoring the bridge, it's about preserving your legacy for future generations.
From the ashes of disaster to the UNESCO stage, Wan 'an Bridge reflects the spirit of resilience, tradition, and progress – a true cultural treasure bridged in the past and the future.
That was Li Shuang reporting.
Traditional Li textile techniques include spinning, dying, weaving, and embroidering.
The textiles play a vital role in the social and cultural occasions of people from the Li ethnic group.
Gao Han has more. The production process of Li Breguet includes spinning, dying, weaving, and embroidering.
Spinning is the first step in the production, during which plant fibers are stretched and twisted into slender yarns.
Covered with lush vegetation, Han 'an island has many natural plants and minor dyes.
White cotton thread needs to be dyed multiple times to achieve the desired and long -lasting color.
These colorful threads will be woven into the memories and stories of the Li ethnic group in the hands of Liu Xianglan, a national representative inheritor of the Li Breguet techniques.
I am currently using warps to make sure card patterns.
With the edge of a stick, the warps are raised to the surface and gradually turn into a pattern.
In Li culture, when a girl gets married, or a new bride joins the family, her mother or mother -in -law will use Li Breguet to make a Li ethnic costume for her.
Therefore, Li Breguet has become very important for connecting emotional balance between family members.
To make such a Li ethnic costume, embroidering, a key process of embellishing the woven Li Breguet is required.
What I'm holding now is the pattern we have already woven, and then we will embroider the color on the contour to reflect the three -dimensional sense of a pattern.
In recent years, with the increasing protection of intangible Cao Chiu heritage, people's understanding of ethnic culture has deepened, and the ancient textile art of Li Breguet has gradually shown new vitality.
Li ethnic girl Chen Mon -Li has had a deep emotional attachment to Li Breguet since childhood.
After graduating from college, she chose to return to her hometown.
In addition to organizing Li Breguet's prediction on her own, Chen's story has established close cooperation with intangible Cao Chiu heritage workshops and weaving cooperatives throughout the island, connecting the industrial chain links of design, production, and sales.
I started this collection store to conveniently showcase and sell some of our craftspeople's works.
They are responsible for production, while our company is responsible for sales.
The inheritance and development of intangible Cao Chiu heritage require inheritors to continuously learn and grow.
In 2023, the city of Wuzi -Shan in Hainan signed a talent -training agreement with the Shenzhen School of Italy's top art school, Instituto Marigone, to cultivate Li Breguet talents and help the art go global.
I have been attending the training for over a year, and it is the third phase now.
I have learned a lot, including the use of colors and the enhancement of inspiration.
I think I have achieved a lot.
Regardless of age differences, each inheritor is continuing the development of Li Breguet with great passion, allowing the traditional art that has been passed down for over 3 ,000 years to write a new touching chapter in Hainan.
That was Skauhan reporting.
The Peking Union Medical College Hospital in Beijing has signed agreements with over 150 county -level hospitals from neighboring Hebei Province.
The move aims to expand medical resources to more county -level hospitals.
The Peking Union Medical College Hospital is one of the best in the Chinese capital.
Liu Xingqing has more.
The Internet Plus Medical Alliance policy aims to introduce high -quality medical resources into county -level hospitals and speed up the development of a tiered diagnosis and treatment system.
It also seeks to build a close -knit medical alliance and strengthen medical and health services at the grassroots.
The national strategy is playing an important role in expanding high -quality medical resources from big cities into remote regions so more people can gain better medical access closer to home.
The framework agreement that we have signed today is mainly focused on remote medical cooperation.
We start with remote consultations and training talents.
In the future, we'll open up more educational resources to these grassroots -level hospitals.
By establishing a medical cooperation system with help of an online platform, county -level hospitals can achieve clinical image and text sharing, remote video conferencing, and the remote interconnection of medical equipment.
It promises to improve the level of grassroots medical and health services.
The connection with medical resources from the capital allows our patients to enjoy high -quality medical services without having to travel to Beijing.
This initiative can help better meet the medical needs of our people.
So we are very glad to have this opportunity to solve the problem of inefficient access to suitable medical resources.
We need to get this cooperation framework known by more people at the same time.
We will build an efficient implementation system to make sure we can fully tap into high -quality medical resources after introducing them into our grassroots -level hospitals and make full use of the Internet Plus Medical Alliance platform.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the coordinated development of Beijing -Qianjin Hebei region.
Sharing medical resources is an important part of regional integration.
With Beijing -Qianjin to Hebei Internet Plus Medical Alliance, the ladies step toward narrowing the gap between urban and rural medical services.
That was Liu Xinchen reporting.
Two giant pandas are getting ready for their public debut in Hong Kong.
Beijing gave the pandas to their special administrative region to mark the 27th anniversary of the city's return to China.
They will meet the public on Sunday.
Hong Kong hopes that the pandas can help the city regain its position as one of the top tourism destinations in Asia.
Laura Westbrook has more.
Five -year -old An An is feeling comfortable in his new home.
It's been upgraded to house the male panda along with female Kirk who arrived in Hong Kong from a conservation research center in Sichuan Province in September.
The excitement to see the pandas is running high.
We don't have pandas in the Philippines so and it's one of the things that we really want to see here in Ocean Park, especially here in Hong Kong.
Ocean Park is banking on the pandas to lift its fortunes after posting a 9 .2 million US dollar deficit for the past fiscal year.
These national treasures are the third pair of pandas gifted by Beijing and it takes the total number of pandas here to six after their neighbor Ying Ying gave birth to twins in August.
The park attendants tell me they're doing well and are now used to their environment after 30 days in quarantine and another month acclimatizing.
Officials are hopeful the pandas will help to boost tourism in Hong Kong which is yet to recover to pre -pandemic levels and have encouraged businesses to capitalize on the popularity of the new bears to create a so -called panda economy.
Some businesses have used the birth of the two panda cubs to promote their products while 2 ,500 panda sculptures are set to go on display in areas around the city as part of the largest panda themed exhibition.
But analysts say the key to driving the economy and bringing in more tourists is to offer something unique and different to other places.
It may not be a game changer to fully change the challenges that Hong Kong is facing right now and of course having pandas can actually give businesses more ideas to cross -sell and etc but at the end of the day it also depends on the quality of the products that they offer.
The pandas are no doubt a draw to the city's ocean park.
Experts say that for businesses the challenge will be how to commercialize the panda idea and drive more consumer spending.
That was Laura Westbrook reporting.
You're listening to the Beijing Hour.
Coming up the Syrian military confirms that rebels have entered the city of Hama.
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It's about 26 past the hour.
The Syrian military has confirmed that rebels have entered the strategic city of Hama.
The army says it's redeploying forces outside the city to preserve civilian lives and prevent urban combat.
The defense minister says the loss of Hama is only temporary and that government forces remain in the vicinity of the city.
He says the army is ready to reclaim lost areas from rebel forces describing the withdrawal from Hama as tactical.
Government forces and rebels have engaged in clashes around Hama for nearly a week.
The rebels capture of Hama leaves Homs the last major site for the Syrian military to defend Damascus.
Tens of thousands of people in Homs have started fleeing fearing that the rebels will continue to advance.
The sounds we hear and what is happening are absolutely unnatural.
No one can endure this, so it took our belongings and I headed north until things calmed down.
And then we will return.
Rebel forces have seized Aleppo and Townsend villages in the southern parts of Idlib.
UN Secretary -General Antonio Guterres has called for an end to the conflict in Syria.
After 14 years of conflict, it is eye time for all parties to engage seriously with Gerd Pedersen, my special envoy for Syria, to finally chart a new inclusive and comprehensive approach to resolving this crisis in line with Security Council Resolution 2254.
It's time for Syria's dialogue.
He also urges all those with influence to do their part for the long -suffering people of the country.
Now it's 28 past the hour.
Let's check the weather.
Beijing is down to minus three on Friday evening.
Saturday we'll see sunny skies with a high of four.
Nanchang is night to night, tomorrow overcast with a high of 12.
Elsewhere in Asia is Lamabadi 6 this evening.
Saturday we'll see sunny skies with a high of 18.
Vientiane is 21 overnight.
Tomorrow we'll see sunny skies with a high of 31.
Penoben is 25 overnight, tomorrow sunny and 34.
Now it's time for a short break.
So far this hour, South Korea's ruling party has warned of dire consequences if President Yung Seok -kyo remains in power.
Do -hoon -hee with you.
Stay with us here on the Beijing Hour.
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Examine 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.
Doking you with you on this Friday, still to come.
In business, China says it's unwilling to see trade frictions with the European Union.
In sports, the first win for a Chinese mixed doubles table tennis team since the Paris Olympics.
In culture and entertainment, the fusion of modern tastes with traditional porcelain making in eastern China.
To contact us, you can email radio at cgtn .com or follow our ex -account at cgtnradio.
First check in today's headlines.
Here's Tian Lu. Thank you Hong Yu.
Chinese Premier Li Qian will hold a dialogue with the heads of 10 international economic organizations in Beijing on Monday.
The organizations include the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organization.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry says the dialogue aims to strengthen policy coordination and promote global economic governance.
Senior Chinese and French officials have discussed measures to strengthen economic and financial cooperation.
Chinese Vice Premier Hurley Fong held talks via video with French Finance Minister Antoine Amand on Thursday.
The Chinese Vice Premier urged the two sides to implement the major consensus reached by the two heads of state and work for mutual benefit.
The French officials said his country is ready to enhance coordination with China to expand cooperation.
China and India have agreed to further ease tensions at the border.
The latest consensus came during their latest meeting on border affairs in New Delhi on Thursday.
According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, both sides spoke highly of the existing solutions regarding border issues.
Based on the important consensus reached by leaders of the two countries, the two sides focused on preparations for the next round of the special representatives meeting on the China -India -Bangri question.
Both parties also agreed to continue to maintain communication through diplomatic and military channels and safeguard sustainable peace and tranquility in the border area.
A China Coast Guard fleet has patrolled the territorial waters around the island of Daoi Dao.
The CCG said the patrol aims to protect China's interests in accordance with the law.
The head of South Korea's governing party has called for suspending the constitutional powers of President Yong Suk -yo for imposing martial law this week.
People Power Party leader Han Dong -hyun accused the Yoon of ordering arrests of key politicians under claims of anti -state activities.
The President is not even admitting that it was wrong to declare martial law, therefore if President Yong Suk -yo is allowed to continue running the government affairs, there was a significant risk of extreme actions like reattempting to impose martial law, which could potentially put the Republic of Korea and its
citizens in great danger.
The move came as the South Korean National Assembly prepares to vote on an impeachment motion against the President.
Han said he would work to defeat the motion even though he criticized the Yong's martial law declaration as unconstitutional.
Main opposition party leader Lee Jae -myeon has also called for immediate suspension of President Yong.
Impeaching Yong required support from two -thirds of the National Assembly or 200 of its 300 members.
The opposition parties who jointly brought the impeachment motion have 192 seats combined.
Israel has launched airstrikes on the Muhwasid tent camp for displaced Palestinians in Hanyunas, killing at least 21 people.
The Israeli military says its aircraft struck senior Hamas militants involved in terrorist activities in the area, which Israel had designated as a safe humanitarian zone.
Displaced Palestinians are protesting the strike, saying no place is safe in the Gaza Strip.
I was surprised by the missile coming down and the heating here.
There was more than one missile, a bombardment.
There was more than one explosion.
The explosion that happened yesterday was not normal.
It caused deaths and left people missing body parts.
Those who say that almost always is a humanitarian zone and a safe area for the displaced, no, this is not a safe area.
There is no place in the Gaza Strip that is safe.
Every place in the Gaza Strip can be bombed and face killing at any moment.
Israel has repeatedly targeted the main tent camp in southern Gaza, which houses hundreds of thousands of people.
Besides the more than 20 people killed, the latest Israeli strike has left large piles of bloodstained belongings and burnt shelters.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has outlined key priorities for his country's presidency of the European Union in the first half of 2025, emphasizing security, energy and competitiveness.
Tusk was speaking on Thursday after talks with European parliament President Roberta Metzula.
I am glad that almost everyone, there are different views and different voices, but we all appreciate the importance of the priorities that Europe faces, which are shared by most of the participants in this meeting, and which will be the priorities of the Polish presidency, that is, security in many
dimensions. And energy is one of the main conditions for gaining full competitiveness on the part of the European Union.
Tusk said Warsaw's presidency comes amid geopolitical challenges such as the Russia -Ukraine conflict, the upcoming presidential elections in Belarus, and other global tensions.
But he also expressed the hope for the Polish presidency to be a breakthrough time for the EU.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a State of Emergency Declaration to quickly move resources to areas impacted by a 7 .0 -magnitude earthquake.
The earthquake shook a large area of northern California on Thursday, prompting a brief tsunami warning for the U .S.
west coast. Newsom says state officials are concerned about damage.
earthquake struck near Ferndale in Humboldt County, and smaller aftershocks followed.
People around 430km away in San Francisco also felt a rolling motion for several seconds.
Local templar struck, covering the edge of California's Monterey Bay north into Oregon.
The warning was in effect for roughly an hour, leading to evacuations in some coastal areas of northern California and San Francisco Bay.
NASA has announced new delays in the U .S.
Base Agency's Artemis program to return astronauts to the moon for the first time since 1972.
The newly announced delays came after NASA concluded an examination of the Orion crew capsule and its heat shield, which cracked and partially eroded during reentry into Earth's atmosphere during its 2022 debut test mission Artemis 1.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson says the Artemis 2 mission of sending astronauts around the moon and back has slipped to April 2026.
We have decided NASA unanimously in our decision makers to move forward with the current Artemis 2 Orion capsule and heat shield with a modified entry trajectory.
Assuming the SpaceX lander is ready, we plan to launch Artemis 3 in mid -2027.
NASA says replacing the Artemis 2 heat shield would have caused a much longer delay of at least a year.
The Artemis 2 mission will carry astronauts around the moon but without a landing.
It has already experienced several delays.
The Artemis 3 lunar landing mission involves Orion transferring the astronauts onto Starship, which will land them on the surface.
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It's 40 into the hour turning to business.
Stocks on the Chinese mainland finished higher on Friday.
Timothy Pope has more.
The Shanghai Composite Index added another 1 % and the Shenzhen component rose about 1 .5%.
Both of these indices hit multi -week highs during the session.
A lot of this optimism is running ahead of next week's Central Economic Work Conference in Beijing.
That's going to be setting China's economic targets for 2025.
This of course is a key policy meeting and some of the more vocal fund managers have been talking about the potential for the release of more stimulus measures and other policy support when that meeting happens on Wednesday and Thursday next week.
One side effect of this is that we're seeing a big jump in margin financing.
That's investors who are borrowing to make leveraged bets on the market and outstanding margin loans were at a nine -year high of around 1 .85 trillion UN which is definitely a sign of some increased optimism.
Tech stocks were rising.
These companies are expected to be singled out for some extra support.
There are some worries growing about trade disputes with the US ratcheting up under the incoming Trump administration and financial and healthcare stocks were also up pretty strongly.
That was Timothy Pope in Shanghai.
In Hong Kong, the Heng -seung index surged 1 .6 % in Japan.
The Nikkei dropped 0 .8%.
The Ministry of Commerce has stated that China does not want trade tensions with the European Union to intensify and hopes the EU will refrain from misusing trade remedy measures.
Spokesman Huya Dong made these comments in response to the dumping duties on titanium dioxide imports from China.
China has always advocated resolving disputes through dialogue and consultation and we do not wish to see further escalation of trade frictions between China and the EU.
We will closely monitor the EU's actions and firmly defend the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies.
This year, the EU has initiated 15 trade remedy investigations targeting China.
Products manufactured by foreign -funded companies in China will be as eligible as domestic goods in government procurement bids.
The Ministry of Finance says the policy will treat domestic and foreign -funded enterprises equally, reflecting China's strong commitment to further opening up its economy.
The new measures are open for public feedback until January.
Scholars, academics and researchers from developing countries, also known as the Global South, are gathering in Shanghai to discuss opportunities for collaboration.
Chen Tong has more.
The Global South and Global Modernization is the theme of this year's forum.
Vijay Brahaat, one of the keynote speakers at a forum, said a new mood is brewing across the Global South.
In the recent period, a new mood has developed.
In Asia, Africa, Latin America, countries are saying, look, we are now ready, once again, to demand a place in the sun.
We don't want to be second -class citizens.
We don't want to be half humanity.
We want to be entirely human.
Prashant says cooperation in the Global South is key.
Meanwhile, scholars and attendees say China has been playing a crucial role in the cooperative process.
There are many progress developments that you can learn from China, and also, I mean, I come from the trade union.
So particularly, the interest where you see the rapid industrialization, growth of manufacturing.
So I think that the lessons that China, in terms of how it has pursued those, we can, if those lessons can be shared with us, it would be very important.
China is also trying to help to support the development of other Global South countries.
Let's say, for instance, with, of course, the Belt and Road Initiative, that mobilize around $1 trillion investments for infrastructure in the Global South, but also in different platforms like the BRICS, like the High Corporation Organization.
But other countries of the Global South are also more and more aware that we need to build more unity, and to have more strength to deal with the challenges of the empire and the Western powers.
Solventy and solidarity are two keywords that have been repeatedly mentioned in the forum.
It's become clear that sovereignty is the reality that global nations want, and solidarity is the catalyst to reach that goal.
The Global South academic forum is held by East China Normal University.
Scholars from all over the world will share their souls on economy, world peace, and communication during the two -day event.
That was Chen Tong reporting.
China's futures market registered double -digit growth in turnover last month.
The total turnover hit over US $8 .5 trillion, up over 13 percent from a year earlier.
Among the most actively traded futures in November were gold, glass, palm oil, and lithium carbonate.
In the first 11 months of the year, the market's total turnover exceeded US $77 trillion.
By the end of November, China had 143 listed futures and options products.
China now has over 4 .1 million 5G base stations.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology says greater efforts will be made to promote collaboration among telecom providers, application developers, and businesses across the entire industrial chain in order to strengthen the 5G ecosystem.
As part of these efforts, an action plan released last month outlines the goal to achieve a 5G user penetration rate of over 85 percent by the end of 2027.
Housing markets in major Chinese cities are showing signs of recovery.
In November, Beijing saw the sale of over 18 ,000 pre -owned homes, an 8 percent increase from October and the highest level in 20 months.
Chengdu in the southwest has also experienced a significant rebound in its housing market, both for new and pre -owned homes.
In November, the provincial capital of Sichuan recorded over 14 ,000 home sales, marking a 57 percent rise compared to the previous month.
Industry experts believe the positive trend in Chengdu's real estate market is likely to continue into the first half of next year.
Finally, Hainan has pledged to accelerate the development of its low -altitude economy.
The tropical island province in southern China aims to attract and nurture 200 businesses related to the low -altitude economic -industrial chain, targeting an industry scale of 30 billion yuan or over US $4 billion by 2026.
The plan sets several key goals, including the construction of nine general -purpose airports and the establishment of 500 takeoff and landing sites for low -altitude aircraft.
Since becoming one of China's first pilot provinces for low -altitude airspace management reform in 2010, Hainan has been a leader in advancing these initiatives.
Now you're listening to the Beijing Hour coming up in sports, the first win for a Chinese mixed doubles table tennis team since the Paris Olympics.
It's 48 into the hour, turning to sports, here's Yang Guan.
Thank you, Hong Yu.
We begin in table tennis.
Wang Chuchin and Sun Yingsha have won their first match as a mixed doubles pair since the Paris Olympics over a Hong Kong team.
The men's and women's world number one players teamed up to complete a clean sweep of Wayne Lam won and Kuan Touyu at the mixed team World Cup in Chengdu.
Their win helped China's mainland team defeat Hong Kong 8 -0 in the second phase of the tournament.
China is sitting comfortably at the top of the table after six wins in a row.
In basketball, Jiang Su has snapped a 13 -game losing streak at the expense of 11 -time CBA champion Guang Zhong.
Jiang Su's 100 -98 win on the road was the first victory of the season.
Achi Guduan contributed a game high 38 points, with 10 rebounds and 4 assists.
In other results, Tong Xi defeated Sichuan 97 -83.
Over in the NBA, Nikola Jokic's triple double was not enough to salvage Denver's 9 as they fell to Cleveland 26 -14.
Donovan Mitchell scored 28 points and Darius Garland added 24 to help the Cavaliers improve to 13 -1 at home.
The Cavs made a season -high 22 -3 pointers.
elsewhere in the NBA, the Washington Wizards slammed to a record -tying 16 -game losing skit after a 1 -37 -1 -1 loss at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks.
Western Conference leaders Oklahoma beat Toronto 1 -29 -92.
Manchester City and Juventus will be in the same group at the club World Cup next summer.
Pep Guardiola's side will also face teams from Morocco and the United Arab Emirates in the group stage of the reformed tournament.
City won last year's competition in the previous format.
Other results from the draw saw Paris Benjamin and Atletico Madrid going into Group B and Group E collecting River Plate, Inter Milan and Rua Red Diamonds.
The United States is hosting the new 32 -team club World Cup with a final set for MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 13.
In other football news, PSG coach and Luis Enrique insist that his relations with the squad are good despite the speculations that there is tension in the locker room.
The Paris club is in danger of elimination from the Champions League.
Enrique said he is happy with his job and concentrating on things within his control.
It is really strange.
The dressing room is magnificent, exceptional and the personal and human level is really top notch.
The professionalism is excellent too.
I've always praised the players and the team.
However, I'm not going to respond to any rumours or lies that may be spread.
I don't think it's my place to come here and justify this or that.
I'm not going to play that game.
I repeat, this team is really magnificent.
PSG has only four points from five games in the Champions League.
In tennis, Zhang Xingwen is leading Chinese players in women's singles at the Australian Open.
Zhang Zhezhen, Shang Juncheng and Buen Chokter are playing the men's competition.
Organizers say former Wimbledon finalists Nick Kyrgis and Tokyo Olympics Gold Medalist Belinda Banjic are returning to Grand Slam competition with protected rankings at Melbourne Park.
Kyrgis has not played in the Grand Slam since 2022 because of injuries.
Banjic has been away after becoming a mother in April.
Defending champions Yannick Sinner and Arena Sabalanka will be the top seats.
Novak Djokovic is eyeing a record 11th Australian Open title and a 25th Grand Slam.
Finally, Luis Hamilton says he massively underestimated how hard it would be to leave Mercedes for Ferrari.
The seven -time world champion said he's departing with fond memories.
Mostly remember the good bits and I think it's just the, I'm just incredibly proud but also just so grateful to every single individual both here that are here at the track but also back at the factory that have just worked tirelessly and you know been supporting me for all these years you know from day
one. Hamilton said it has been an emotional year after he announced the decision to switch teams next season.
He is racing for Mercedes for the last time in the season ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this weekend.
The 39 -year -old is saying goodbye after 12 years with the German team.
He won six of his seven world titles with Mercedes in the most successful partnership in F1 history.
Hamilton and the rest of the drivers are going to Abu Dhabi with max Verstappen having secured a fourth driver's title.
Chinese driver Zhou Guangyu is also competing in his last race after early announcing his living kick sober after three years with the team.
Thank you very much that was Yang Guang with sports coming up in culture and entertainment the fusion of modern tastes with traditional porcelain making in Eastern China.
You're listening to the Beijing Hour 60 minutes of comprehensive news your window on China and the world.
53 minutes into the hour turning to culture and entertainment.
Chinese officials say UNESCO's decision to inscribe the spring festival onto the intangible cultural heritage list will enhance China's cultural identity and influence.
The UN's cultural agency recognized China's most important festival as the intangible cultural heritage of humanity for its wide array of rituals and unique cultural elements that engage all of Chinese society.
Xiaonan from the cultural and tourism industry says they will foster closer ties among people of all countries.
Following the inscription China now has 44 items on UNESCO's heritage list the highest number in the world.
We will seize this opportunity to organize colorful and diverse spring festival celebrations worldwide making it a shared moment of happiness for people across the globe we will also continue to act on the global civilization initiative promoting cultural understanding among people of all countries
and fostering exchanges between civilizations.
The ongoing UNESCO session also added three other items from China to its representative list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity including traditional lead textile techniques the new year festival of the qiang ethnic group and traditional chinese wooden arch bridges.
Jingdezhen in eastern China is renowned for its porcelain making that dates back more than 1000 years.
Artists in the porcelain capital of China are bringing a modern taste to this traditional craft.
Zhang Mengyuan spoke with some of them about merging contemporary art with ancient practices.
Integrating contemporary art and ceramics.
Chang Nanli world ceramic art toy town features trendy toys and aims to establish itself as an international hub for avant -garde artistic creations while attracting a diverse group of contemporary artists.
Huang Haijun has created a series of artworks based on the image of the poet Li Bai from the Tang dynasty.
He has invited 12 contemporary artists to collaborate on this theme.
The artists draw inspiration from Li Bai's life experiences and philosophies.
Shen Jingdong depicts an inebriated Li Bai has his face flushed.
Xu Feng's creation is titled the Li Bai in distress it conveys the idea that life requires patching and mending.
This is referred to the master Li Bai as the theme for the 2023 Guangzhou design week was a surprise I chose to show him blindfolded.
The big bowl is a cultural landmark in Chang Nanli showcasing works from artists from across the country.
The concept behind this work primarily draws from traditional chinese saudiac animals while integrating elements from modern anime culture.
It also incorporates traditional ceramic craft techniques making it quite successful with high sales racked up online.
Many artists have joined the town project to showcase their understanding of both traditional and contemporary arts.
Ceramics can serve practical purposes whereas materials like soft rubber or pvc cannot perform such functions thus there is still significant potential for innovation and the concept of art toys will continue to evolve.
Chang Nanli world's ceramic art toy town is emerging as an exciting new venue that integrates art exhibitions trendy culture and leisure entertainment.
It has emerged as a new landmark in the ancient porcelain capital of Qingdezhen.
That was Zhang Mengyuan reporting.
Holiday box office revenue in China has topped 1 billion Yuan that's nearly 140 million US dollars.
Online data shows that moviegoers have purchased more than 25 million tickets during the period.
Her story with a focus on female empowerment is leading the chart.
Now it's about 58 past the hour.
Let's check the weather.
Beijing is down to minus three on Friday evening.
Saturday we'll see sunny skies with a high of four.
Nanshan is nine tonight tomorrow overcast with a high of 12.
Elsewhere in Asia is Lamabadi 6 this evening.
Saturday we'll see sunny skies with a high of 18.
Vientiane is 21 overnight.
Tomorrow we'll see sunny skies with a high of 31.
Penoben is 25 overnight.
Tomorrow sunny and 34.
In Africa, Nairobi will see sunny skies with a high of 27 on Saturday.
Kampala is 18 overnight.
Tomorrow we'll see sunny skies with a high of 29.
That's it for this edition of the Beijing Hour.
Making news today, South Korea's ruling party has warned of dire consequences if President Yongsuk -kyo remains in power.
On behalf of the staff, this is Dokhong Yui 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.
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