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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 Bigum, with you on this Monday, August 4th, 2025.
You're listening to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
On today's program, the U .S. economy showing signs of strain amid Washington's tariff campaign against global partners.
Shizhong in southwestern China continues to make headway in the agricultural sector.
Conflict and shattered infrastructure continue to hamper aid efforts in Gaza.
In business, China's cultural and tourism sectors record strong growth in the first half of the year.
In sports, wrapping up the final action at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore.
pour in culture and entertainment checking in on china's surging summer box office now the day's top stories the u .s economy showing signs of strain amid the trump administration's escalating tariff measures despite repeated assurances from the white house that conditions remain strong president donald trump told reporters on sunday that his administration will name a new commissioner for the bureau of labor statistics within the next three or four days following the abrupt dismissal of the previous office holder.
The move came just hours after the release of disappointing employment figures, intensifying concerns over the economic impact of the administration's tariff policies.
According to the Bureau, U .S. employers added only 73 ,000 jobs in July, well short of the projected 109 ,000.
The agency also issued major downward revisions to employment data from May and June, slashing a combined 250 ,000 jobs from earlier estimates.
Excluding adjustments made during the pandemic, this marks the largest two -month revision to U .S. employment data since 1979.
For deeper analysis of the latest economic signals, Zheng Tao spoke with Professor Chu Cheng from Minzu University of China.
The latest figures certainly point to a weakening job market in the U .S. To what extent do you think this is a ripple effect of the Trump administration's tariff policies?
Well, I think this is absolutely a direct impact from Trump's tariff conflict against the whole world in the past three months.
I think the private sector's newly increased job market has been dropping ferociously, actually has been achieving like the lowest up point ever since the august of the last year so many major financial institutions they all think that this the financial war or the tariff war against all the other countries trade partners of the whole world actually uplifted the cost no matter from the raw materials or to the middle products or to the retailing prices so actually this kind of the the price up has been becoming the major impact towards the whole market, and also plus this is not just a one -time
impact. I mean, there is a whole series of uncertainties that are going to happen in the future because Trump is not saying this is going to be the end.
Trump says, okay, we are going to see what's going to happen and decided what kind of tariff we're going to put on our trade partners in the future.
So this kind of uncertainty will hamper the enterprises to increase their investment and hire new people and expand their operations.
So this kind of a negative circle has already been formed.
So that's the reason why we down, you know, tuned the job market data like out of everybody's expectation.
expectation. How might this weak labor data influence future monetary policy by the Federal Reserve, as well as potential economic policy shifts by the Trump administration?
Well, I think there are going to be a very, very tough decision to make for both the White House and also Federal Reserve and also their expectations for policies are very, very different right now.
I think for For the Fed, I think the futures market has already put on their bet.
They think by the end of September, probably the probability to lower the interest rate is going to be more than 80%.
And the Chairman Powell for many times said they're going to pay attention to the job market not only for just one month.
He wants to see how things are going to unfold in the future.
Not only this month, but maybe in the next two months or three months from now on, I mean, in the whole August and September.
I think that Federal Reserve wants to be very, very cautious.
For the Trump government, I think their view for the market is very short.
That is, lower the interest rate immediately, like the government or the Fed used to do when the COVID just outbreak.
rate uh lower them not only 25 percent maybe 50 by 50 baseline or or even more that is what trump wants we're going to see who he's going to you know win this arm wrestling but no matter who's going to win i think this conflict of a policy will put some toe on american market american consumers that was professor chu chung from minzu university of china u .s trade representative Representative Jameson Greer says there's little immediate room for negotiation on the new U .S. tariffs.
He says the rates are unlikely to change in the coming days.
New tariffs are set to take effect on Thursday.
Brazil is among the hardest hit countries, facing a 50 % levy on exports to the United States.
Trump's admitted that he's punishing Brazil for prosecuting former President Jair Bolsonaro.
Greer says it's not unusual for Trump to use tariffs as a tool for geopolitical purposes.
U .S. President Trump previously promised trade deals with 200 countries, while his administration said 90 deals in 90 days was possible.
Some of Washington's trade partners have made concessions to secure deals.
Ida Waringa tallies where the balance stands now for global trade.
Of the seven deals that the U .S. managed to complete, five were with Asian countries.
South Korea and Japan both struck deals for 15 % tariffs on their exports to the U .S. after long -drawn -out trade talks.
Duties on both auto sectors were also set to 15%.
In July, Vietnam agreed to a 20 % tariff, and Hanoi will also face a 40 % transshipping tariff on goods originating from other countries and transferred to Vietnam for final shipment to the U .S. Indonesia and the Philippines then made deals that would see both nations face a 19 % tariff from Washington.
Goods from the European Union will now face a 15 % baseline tariff rate, which was half the 30 % that Trump had previously threatened the bloc with.
The UK was first to strike a deal with the US.
It agreed to a 10 % baseline tariff, though up until now, details of the agreement do remain scanty.
The EU rather agreed to buy an additional $750 billion in U .S. energy products over the next three years and make investments worth $600 billion in the U .S. by 2029.
Also, the U .S. will not face reciprocal tariffs from the EU.
Tokyo will also invest $550 billion in the U .S., while South Korea agreed to invest $350 billion.
Indonesia and the Philippines agreed to remove tariff barriers on over 99 % of U .S. products across all sectors.
That was Ida Waringa on U .S. trade ties with the rest of the world.
Coming up, agricultural progress in southwestern China.
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Nine minutes past the hour.
Well, despite its inhospitable terrain and harsh climate, Shenzhen continues to make headways in the agricultural sector.
The Autonomous Region, also known as Tibet, achieved a record grain output of nearly 1 .1 million metric tons in 2023.
Shizhong has also been improving its farmland by building high standard fields and restoring unused land.
Modern farming methods are also expanding.
Farmers now use machines for planting and harvesting over 71 percent of major crops.
Shizhong now has over 11 ,700 farming cooperatives, 9 ,400 family farms, and 322 job assistance assistance workshops helping more than 5 ,200 rural residents find work.
And with more on this front we're now joined live by Niu Honglin from Shizan.
Thanks for joining us this evening and first I heard you visited a greenhouse site in Lhasa so tell me how was that?
It was fascinating because here we're at a altitude of over 380 meters above sea level and the oxygen in the air is quite quite scarce.
So we were experiencing a little bit short of breath everywhere, yet stepping into the greenhouse, I am thinking it's because of the plantation, the vegetable, as well as the fruits in the greenhouse.
I suddenly feel like I can breathe so easily.
It was very green. And since it's not only a farming site, because there are several greenhouses in the site, but we were stepping into also a demonstration area, showcasing different types of fruits and vegetables.
And also So they are designing what's not put into use just yet, but they are designing this area that is family friendly.
So little kids can come to the place with their family members or their parents.
They can pick strawberries in season and they can pick cherry if they want.
And they can pick the very freshly breathed vegetables just from the side and send them to an open kitchen area to see how they're cooked and brought onto the table.
So it was a fascinating experience.
Well, how different or difficult is it to grow vegetables and fruits on the high plateau?
Traditionally, it's very difficult because of the harsh environment.
I already mentioned the less oxygen percentage here in Cizang.
But at the same time, we're also looking at the sunlight that is too harsh.
Actually, I think annually Cizang enjoys or endures a 3 ,500 hours of sunlight.
and it's quite scorching if you're walking on just on the plateau.
At the same time, the temperature difference between day and night is also quite harsh.
So that means for species or for different breeds, to adapt into the environment in sisan can be quite hard. And that is to say not only are we talking about the kind of plant that we want to plant on the outside area, But even in a greenhouse, the greenhouse can only make sure the temperature is not that cold, but it cannot deal with oxygen.
And that is the reason even till 1990, people in Shizuoka are still having most of their vegetables that are imported to the region.
Yet today, in this Pacific greenhouse, we find over 30 different types of fruits and vegetables because they've improved the technology of different breeds.
They tried and successfully managed to cultivate different types of fruits and vegetables that can adapt to the environment here in Cizang.
Meaning that now they are sending a lot of their products to the market, to schools, to local people's dining tables.
Well, what are some of these advanced technologies that they're applying currently on the plateau?
I have visited a greenhouse four years ago.
At that time, it was already quite advanced, but this time I was once again surprised that not only are they using these smart technologies to monitor the temperature, the level of moisture in the greenhouses, they are also advancing or currently developing and researching this new technique.
It's kind of like breeding the fish and the vegetables together.
They use this huge tank to breed the fish, and the water in the tank would go to different pipes under the vegetables.
The water is definitely more nutritious, so the vegetables would grow better, and the water would be processed and recycled and sent back to the tank.
So it's a recycled economy or a recycled way of farming on the Plateau.
I was told that this August they would start operation and every one of this not very huge tank would be able to help around 200 square meters of vegetables to grow even better.
And since we're looking at a kind of method that is coexistence of fish and vegetable, it is not hard to imagine that all of these vegetables are not using any pesticides.
They're purely organic, so they're even much healthier.
Well, thank you very much for joining us this evening.
That's Niu Honglin reporting from Shenzong.
If you want to find out more about the southwestern region, you can subscribe to her podcast, Roundtable China, for more in -depth discussions.
Next up, we meet a bunch of young riders from the Shizhong Equestrian Team.
Chen Yilin visited their training grounds to find out how they're embracing tradition and becoming national champions on the race course.
At 6 a .m., the Shizhong Equestrian Team is already hard at work.
I've come here to meet with team leader Co Dong.
He introduces me to the main athletes excelling on the competition course.
But what impresses me the most is not just the athlete's performance on the field They are now actually doing a gastroscope for the horse But their deep connection to their horses I love talking with him Even though he can't speak, he understands me completely You're caring for your horse before yourself, aren't you?
I've loved riding horses since I was a kid My parents initially worried about the danger but they supported me once they saw my passion.
However, that passion was forged in hardship, a challenging path when resources were scarce.
I started as a stablehand because our team didn't have enough horses.
So they sent us to clubs.
I get up every morning to clean the stables, and I remember losing 10 pounds in just one week.
I sometimes wondered why I had to do all that work.
But the chance to ride so many horses made it all worth it.
This unwavering spirit has been the bedrock of the Shizong Necrustrian team since its creation in 1986.
Team leader Co Dong and Coach Dan Zeng were among the very first members.
Both have been devoted to the team for nearly 40 years.
The toughest time was 1986.
I used to get so nervous.
We were riding wild horses.
Back then, we didn't have the proper hats for dressage, so I wore a magician's hat instead.
The top of that hat was incredibly high.
As a Xizong athlete, my goal was simple, to fight for the team.
All I wanted was to bring honor to Xizong.
Thanks to the older generation's dedication, the team's younger riders now have the training and resources that were once unimaginable.
The team is now intensely preparing for this year's national games, with a new, even younger generation of athletes ready to take the reins.
Do you have any new, bigger dreams now?
My dream is to get to the world stage.
age. For these Shenzhen athletes, horse racing is far more than just a sport of speed and strength.
It is a profound legacy, a deep -seated love for their horses and a yearning spirit, fearless in the face of hardship, always bravely galloping forward. Now it's Chen Yilin speaking with members of the Shenzhen equestrian team in southwestern China.
Today we're continuing our special series, revisiting China's pivotal battles and heroic stories during the war of resistance against Japanese aggression.
After the July 7th incident in Beijing in 1937, Japan initiated the second stage of its wider invasion into China.
In a mountainous village in the northern province of Shanxi, a group of soldiers led by the Communist Party launched an ambush.
The heroic efforts of the Eighth Route Army played a defining role in China's fight against Japanese invasion.
And Zhou Jiaxin has the story.
This was the only trail that the Japanese army had for packed meals and horses to carry supplies for the front line in this part of Shanxi.
Late in October 1937, the Japanese army's 20th Division that had already advanced towards Pingding County in Shanxi was in critical need of military goods.
This Qigong village was on the supply line Liu Bochen, the chief staff of the 129th Division of China's 8th Route Army was determined to ambush resupply operations after surveying the mountainous terrain Some landmines were laid here Yes, right there Once they were detonated Falling stones injured and frightened mules and horses They ran around in all directions leaving no chance for the Japanese to retreat retreat.
Our soldiers hidden up in the mountain then attacked with stones and rifles.
Some came down with broadswords and spears and engaged in fierce battle.
A heavy blow to the Japanese side in a two -hour battle, with over 300 troops killed.
Among the captured military goods, the map exposing a fascist plan to seize cold -rich Shaanxi.
Xi their real intention was to occupy the province as a warfare base military leaders including chairman Mao Zedong strategically positioned the Shanxi battlefields of Taihang mountain as a barrier to block and wear down the aggressors despite the relatively backward weapons and equipment the Chinese army was able to achieve a surprise and significant victory And what made the battle classic is the consecutive ambush of the same enemy in the same place, in a short period.
This tactic is inconsistent with the rule.
Never strike twice with the same trick, which is a major taboo in military affairs.
After the first ambush on 26th, a meeting the next day realized that the rest of the Japanese troops still had to use the same supply route, and they believed no Chinese Chinese commander would dare break this rule.
When intelligence suggested the date, 28th, the second ambush moving westward was born.
Was the move designed to lure the enemy in deep?
Yes, after the first ambush, the second was prepared from Xuan Guan all the way to the Gaidao Temple.
Japanese escort troops heading to Xuan Guan were increased and began shooting randomly to test resistance.
The Chinese army's tactic was to attack the middle of the enemy stretched out column, which surprised the Japanese and slowed their advance.
That was quite an achievement on the eastern battlefield of World War 2." The Qigen ambush delayed the Japanese army's advance into Shanxi while rescuing about 1 ,000 Kuomintang -led troops, and it captured significant significant weapons, supplies, and most notably, military maps.
This high -stakes ambush could have been suicidal, yet it succeeded and became a model case of military strategy last century.
Military experts held the CPC late army's flexible tactics and battlefield foresight, a key factor in China's ultimate victory in the war of resistance.
That was Zhou Jiaxin reporting.
Coming up, aid efforts in Gaza continue to run into difficulties.
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 a lasting legacy for global peace and human progress.
Resolve and resilience.
The The main eastern battlefield of World War II, only on CGTN.
22 minutes past the hour.
Ongoing conflict and shattered infrastructure are crippling aid efforts into Gaza.
Sarah Davies from the International Committee of the Red Cross says medical teams are overwhelmed and urgent secure access is needed to deliver life -saving supplies to civilians in hospitals.
There really are unfortunately an incredible amount of obstacles.
There are physical challenges, there are destroyed roads, there are broken water pipes, there are of course the active hostilities that are taking place right now that do make it difficult for movement for not just humanitarian workers but for civilians to move around.
We do see also that civilians are displaced continually and they don't know where to go that is safe and this also means means it's very difficult to continually assess where the greatest needs lay.
Gaza's health ministry reports six more people have died from starvation or malnutrition in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 175, including 93 children.
Neighbouring countries continue to send assistance.
Jordan's carried out seven joint airdrop missions, delivering 61 tonnes of humanitarian and food aid.
Egypt has dispatched a new convoy of relief leaf supplies.
And the United Arab Emirates has also airdropped dozens of tons of food into the strip.
Meanwhile, the mass says it's willing to coordinate with the Red Cross to deliver aid to the hostages it holds in Gaza, but only if Israel meets certain conditions.
Israeli officials say 50 hostages remain in Gaza.
Only 20 are believed to be alive.
Rami Amagari has more from Gaza.
Let me just begin with a picture behind me.
This is a line of people trying to get some clean water under the lack of water and basic supplies essential supplies here and the territory this is the way the life goes on here and the Gaza Strip unless more aid come in the territory more aid supplies come in the territory and as United Nations just said that there needs to be six hundred to seven hundred truckloads of aid to enter the Gaza Strip in order to alleviate the suffering, the paramount suffering that the Palestinian population is going through over the past several weeks or several months, actually.
Today, for example, new dozens of truckloads will enter in a very chaotic way, the way they have entered over the past week.
In a week, 30 people or more than 30 people have been so far killed today.
Those who are seeking food aid in the northern Gaza Strip, borderlines and also in southern Gaza Strip, where distribution of aid is going on in a very chaotic way.
The international community is demanded by the population to get involved in the delivery of aid for the population so that they can have it in a very organized way the way they have been doing going they have been used to to having before this crisis began when israel broke the ceasefire on 18th of march citing hamass's breaches of violations of the ceasefire deal that was reached in january uh in the the beginning of this year.
That was Rami Amagari reporting.
In northern Gaza, Palestinian women and children are struggling to access aid amid chaos near the Israeli -run distribution hub in Zikam.
Mohammed Medeiros, a young boy whose father was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Saturday, walked among the empty aid trucks holding out a plate.
I'm the eldest of my siblings now that my father is gone.
He was killed in an airstrike yesterday.
today. I'm just asking anyone for a plate of flour or meal from the aid that arrived today.
It's the first time we have seen any.
Makbullah Adas, caring for her injured husband and eldest child, is also struggling to feed her family.
We never get a fair share of the aid.
My husband is is paralyzed, and many women like me, widows and mothers, can't feed their children.
Hospital officials say Israeli forces killed at least 33 Palestinians on Sunday as they attempted to reach aid.
Witnesses reported gunfire at sites operated by a U .S. and Israeli -backed contractor.
The U .N. says 859 Palestinians were killed near aid sites between May 27 and July 31, with hundreds more dying along UN food convoy routes.
Experts warn that Gaza, home to over 2 million people, faces a worst -case scenario of famine due to the ongoing blockade.
Gaza's health ministry reported six more adult deaths from malnutrition in the past 24 hours, raising the total to 82 adult deaths over the past five weeks.
Since the beginning of the war, 93 children have also died from hunger.
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben -Gavir Has publicly conducted a Jewish prayer At the Al -Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem That violates an arrangement Covering one of the most sensitive sites in the Middle East Under a decades -old agreement with Muslim authorities Jews can visit the site but may not pray there Ben -Gavir's visit to what Jews call the Temple Mount Took place on a fast day mourning the destruction of two ancient Jewish temples that stood there centuries ago.
The compound is the third holiest site for Islam and considered the most sacred place in Judaism.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has condemned the visit, along with Turkiye, which said that Ben -Gavir had crossed all red lines.
Thai armed forces have reportedly entered the Anses area in neighboring Cambodia, laying barbed wire despite a ceasefire in place.
This comes just days after military attaches from 13 countries visited the site, affirming it as Cambodian sovereign territory.
Cambodia has condemned this as a blatant ceasefire violation and a threat to regional peace.
Authorities in Phnom Penh have also urged the international community to demand an immediate withdrawal and affirm a respect for Cambodia's sovereignty.
sovereignty we're at 29 past the hour beijing has issued the highest alert for imminent rain storms most parts of the city can now expect over 100 millimeters of rain within six hours 23 degrees this evening tomorrow's cloudy in 30 nanchang's down to 29 and sunny in 36 hong kong's 26 this evening with heavy downpours the rain continues through the day tomorrow with 29 degrees elsa and asia islamabad's at 24 overnight a slight rainfall and 31 degrees for Tuesday.
BNTN's down to 26, followed by a slight rain at 35.
Phnom Penh's 25 this evening, then some rain at 33.
It's time for a short break.
So far this hour, the U .S. economy is showing signs of strain amid Washington's tariff campaign against global partners.
Shenzhen and southwestern China continues to make headways in the agricultural sector, and conflict and shattered infrastructure continue to hamper aid efforts in Gaza?
Shane Bingham with you.
Stay with us here on the Beijing Hour.
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Examining the events that impact and shape China and the rest of the world.
This is the Beijing Hour, one hour of news and information brought to you every weekday.
Now here's your host, Shane Bigum with you on this Monday.
Still to come, in business, China's cultural and tourism sectors record strong growth in the first half of the year in sports wrapping up the final action at the world aquatics championships in singapore in culture and entertainment checking in on china's surging summer box office to contact us you can email radio at cgtn .com or follow our ex account at cgtn radio but now checking the day's headlines chinese president xi jinping has emphasized soliciting public opinion online as part of formulating the 15th five -year plan he calls it a vivid example of whole process people's democracy.
President Xi says party committees and governments at all levels must always adhere to a people -centered approach, understand public concerns, and pool collective wisdom for advancing Chinese modernization.
China earlier launched an online public consultation to collect opinions.
The campaign received more than three million submissions, providing valuable references for drafting the 15th five -year plan.
Chinese weather Other authorities have renewed an orange alert for rainstorms, the second highest level.
The alert covers 12 provinces and regions across China.
Beijing has just issued the highest alert for imminent rainstorms, the second time in a week.
The city has relocated over 70 ,000 people to safer areas.
Heavy rainfall at the end of last month killed 44 people in the city.
In the Taiwan region, heavy rain triggered landslides and floods, killing at least four people.
The weather has forced nearly 6 ,000 people from their homes.
Extreme downpours are also in the forecast for Hebei province in the north and Guangxi and Guangdong in the south.
On Sunday, U .S. President Donald Trump said the Special Envoy Steve Witkopf may travel to Russia on Wednesday or Thursday, just days before Trump's newly imposed deadline for progress on peace talks with Ukraine.
Witkopf's mission is to pressure Moscow into agreeing to a ceasefire, and Trump has threatened new economic sanctions if no progress is made.
Yeah, I get a deal where people stop getting killed.
They had a number that just came out that a tremendous number of Russian soldiers are being killed and likewise Ukraine, a lower number, but still thousands and thousands of people.
And now we're adding towns where they're being hit by missiles.
So it's a lot of people being killed in that ridiculous war.
All this comes after Trump last week gave Russian President Vladimir Putin a shortened deadline, August the 8th, to advance peace efforts.
While threatening additional sanctions, Trump also explained his decision to reposition two U .S. nuclear submarines, citing highly provocative statements by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who recently raised the possibility of full -scale war in online remarks.
The South Korean Defense Ministry says the country has begun dismantling propaganda loudspeakers along the border with North Korea.
The ministry says the move aims to help ease tensions between the two sides.
The administration of President Lee Jae -myung switched off propaganda broadcasts criticizing North Korea shortly after he took office in June.
North Korea said it has no interest in talking to South Korea.
Iranian President Massoud Pazeshkin has met Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif in Islamabad The two leaders condemned Israel's attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities in June and called for stronger measures by the international community to curb Israeli aggression in Gaza Pazeshkin and Sharif also pledged to deepen cooperation in trade, energy, and security Local media said Pezeskian had indicated before the trip that the two countries could increase economic ties to $10 billion.
The Iranian leader also met his Pakistani counterpart.
Pezeskian arrived in Pakistan on Saturday for his first official visit since taking office.
Spain and Portugal have warned their residents of extreme hot weather ahead of another heat wave. The Spanish weather agency says persistent heat is likely to last until at least next Sunday, with temperatures in parts of western and southern Spain as high as 42 degrees Celsius.
A street thermometer in the southern city of Seville measured 41 degrees on Sunday.
Firefighters have battled to contain a fire which has ravaged 570 hectares of land in the country's northwest. west lisbon and neighboring portugal's extended a high risk wildfire alert until thursday as firefighters fight several places fires have destroyed over 25 000 hectares in portugal since early this year the twin iberian nations saw the hottest june on record you're listening to the beijing hour coming up in business china's cultural and tourism sectors record strong growth growth in the first half of the year.
Stock markets on the Chinese mainland closed higher on Monday.
The Shanghai Composite was up nearly 0 .7%, while the Shenzhen Component gained almost 0 .5%.
The aviation equipment and the precious metal shares were among the top gainers.
Elsewhere in China, the Hong Kong stock market ended higher as well on this trading day, with the Hang Seng index increasing over 0 .9%.
In Japan, the Nikkei dipped almost 1 .3%.
China's culture and tourism sectors have seen significant growth in the first half of the year.
Residents made around 3 .3 billion trips, up over 20%.
Domestic tourism spending topped $3 trillion, were just under half a trillion US dollars, marking an increase of about 15%.
The performance market has also demonstrated robust momentum, driven by a rebound in cultural consumption and supportive policies.
During the May Day holiday alone, ticket revenues for major shows in first -tier cities, including Shanghai and Beijing, reached 1 .2 billion yuan, up over 5%.
Now with more, Zheng Junfeng spoke with Jin Yuchen, vice president of Shanghai Jinqiao College.
China's ceramic town Jingdezhen is proving a lot of fun, especially with ceramic and art lovers attracting large domestic and international travelers.
What can you tell us about this emerging trend of experience -focused tourism?
Obviously, Jingdezhen is not just a tourism city.
It's actually known for its cultural and historical significance on a global stage.
And obviously, through the old Silk Road and also the Silk Road by sea, Chinese ceramics are exported to the rest of the world.
And this is a very important town of historical importance.
And increasingly, we're seeing cultural tourism becoming a very important component of the overall consumption story here in China.
And we're seeing an increase per capita spending in this industry.
It used to be that the majority of the experience is just sightseeing.
And right now, today, in addition to sightseeing, there's also this experience -driven tourism that's taking place, which means that tourists get to stay longer, experience the deep culture that the city provides, and at the same time makes more consumption in this area.
So this is very important both to the Chinese tradition and the Chinese economy.
If you think about it, it really takes more.
It definitely, you know, I mean, it takes participation for this tradition to be passed down, for the history to be passed down.
And at the same time, this also means an overall consumption story, meaning that, you know, increased consumption can contribute, you know, greater to the economy and which is also very important yeah you talk about a consumption China's domestic tourism spending jumped 15 % the first half of the year trips up 20 % what is driving this surge in domestic travel right I'm in the two figures I saw earlier of basically three billion trips being made within the first half of 2025 and over three trillion yuan you know generated in this sector, which represented a huge surge from last year.
And so this is a very significant trend, and this is a long -term trend.
I think there are two major factors playing into this.
I mean, first of all, it's just inbound tourism, the booming inbound tourism participated by domestic tourists, and people really focus on this immersive, experience -driven experience.
And also, a lot of the experiences are powered by the latest technologies, such as AR and AI, to make the whole experience more immersive and more in -depth.
And the second factor I want to mention is basically the visa -free policies initiated by the Chinese government, which really helped international tourists, brought a lot of international tourists over to China.
We saw an almost 40 percent surge this year.
And this definitely helped with the overall experience -driven, you know, cultural tourism within China.
There was Vice President Jin Yuchen of Shanghai Jinqiao College talking about China's culture and tourism sectors.
Now, just as our guest speaker mentioned, China's historic porcelain capital Jingdezhen is offering people unique experiences and opportunities, ranging from bustling markets to creative ceramic spaces.
Aaron Liu reports. I arrived in Jingdezhen, a popular destination for study tours and a city with a thousand years of history, known as the porcelain capital.
Every year, it attracts tourists from all over the world to experience its ceramic culture.
It feels really fun and novel.
I love pottery. I might as well come straight to Jingdezhen.
This popular experience zone is located in Taoxi Chuan, the former old factory buildings and workshops have now become a creative ceramic cultural space.
This place used to be all production workshops.
After the renovation, part of it has become a base for tourists to experience ceramic creation.
In recent years, Qingdezhen has been transforming from the porcelain capital to a global handcraft center.
center. As night falls, the market section is the highlight of the Taran Fair, with over three hundred stalls full of variety.
There are many small shops and items that you can't find online.
Many of them are hand -painted by the shop owners themselves.
The income isn't fixed, but it's around 20 ,000 yuan each month.
Jingdezhen is still the most convenient place.
We can buy raw materials and most importantly there is a market here.
I can create and sell quickly.
There are many small shops and items that you can't find online.
Many of them are hand -painted by the shop owners themselves.
Each stall is like the small art exhibition, showcasing the unique creativity and skills of the creators.
The biggest feature of the Taoyuan Fair, different from traditional markets, is its diversity.
It not only has ceramics but also various handicrafts.
Jingdezhen has a great advantage in combining the creativity of young creators with traditional handicrafts.
Every year more than 400 artists from around the world choose to set up their studios here, turning Jingdezhen into a global art dream platform.
An artist from Canada has been in Jingdezhen for 39 years, documenting the changes of this thousand years old art capital with his brush.
And then this one here is almost the complete.
There's no old Jingdezhen in this one.
It's all new. And then you see the new Jingdezhen I did in the Qinghua Cobalt.
So, because right now, this is when people 100 years from now, they're going to be seeing this as old Jingdezhen.
So the concept of history and time is kind of changing a little bit.
This is the traditional yet modern Jingdezhen that I see.
Will it become your must -visit spot this summer?
Come join me. There was Aaron Liu reporting.
Several government bodies have held mid -year meetings to better support economic growth for the rest of the year.
The People's Bank of China has pledged to maintain a moderately accommodative monetary policy while ensuring ample liquidity to further support the real economy.
To fully unleash domestic demand, the Finance Ministry has committed to rolling out subsidies for personal spending and business loans in the service sector.
Meanwhile, the National Development and Reform Commission has also announced plans to issue a fourth batch of ultra -long special treasury bonds worth 69 billion yuan, or about US $10 billion, in October, targeting trade -in programs for consumer goods.
Official data shows China's corporate sales revenue maintained steady growth in the first half of the year.
Sales revenue of enterprises in high -tech manufacturing rose nearly 12%.
Companies in the innovation -driven high -tech industries posted a 14 .3 % yearly increase in sales revenue.
Fueled by the consumer goods trade -in program, household appliance firms saw their retail sales surged nearly 57%.
Industry data shows the penetration rate for new energy vehicles in China hit over 44 % in the first half of the year, setting a record high for the period.
The NEV penetration rate refers to the proportion of NEV sales among total vehicle sales within a certain period, which is also a gauge of popularity.
In the year 2020, China set the goal for NEVs to become mainstream, aiming for them to account for more than 50 % of total auto sales by 2035.
The Asian Development Bank has announced that it is continuing the expansion of its local currency bond program.
According to the bank, the move enables its members to access local currency financing at competitive rates while mitigating borrower's currency risks.
The ADB issued its first Uzbekistan currency bond in June, raising over 310 billion Uzbekistanis som, or around $24 .4 billion.
The organization disbursed proceeds of this bond to support women -owned enterprises outside the capital.
Thank you very much. That's Wang Zaheng with Business.
Coming up in sports, wrapping up the final action at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore.
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47 past now and turning to sports.
Here's Yong Guang. Thank you, Shane.
We start in Singapore with the final day of the World Aquatics Championships.
In swimming, China's Tang Chiantian claimed silver in the women's 50m breaststroke, while Lithuania's Rutha Milutait won gold in the event for the fourth straight time.
The 21 -year -old Tang has been battling injury recently.
She said she was thrilled with her performance.
I feel very happy. On the last day of competition, all the fatigue really accumulated over the meet.
It was really difficult to take the silver.
This event is a new challenge for me and I had to deal with an injury which I had not been through before.
Tang is also among the Chinese squad that won the bronze in the women's 4x100m medley relay.
Team USA broke the world record in the relay, the final event of the meet, slicing 0 .29 seconds off the previous record they set at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Australia took the silver.
The eight -day swimming competition concluded in Singapore on Sunday with three world records and 15 championship records, showcasing the continued dominance of the United States and Australia.
The Chinese squad finished sixth in swimming with two golds, six silvers and six bronzes.
Meantime, China wrapped up the diving competition in Singapore with nine golds, three silvers and four bronze medals.
The squad, blending veterans with emerging talents, was named the best diving team of the championships.
However, there was an upset in Man's 10 -meter platform on Sunday, as Australia's Kasel Russell claimed the gold, while China failed to finish on the podium for the first time since 1986.
Russell was also the 2023 world champion in Fukuoka, Japan.
I kind of think it shows just how much training I've had for the past year and how good the training has been.
Because the year before the Olympic year it hasn't been that good, I had lots of downs in that year but coming into this year I've kind Kind of done my own programs and like the support team has kind of changed and new psychologist, new physio, keep working with my coach AD.
It's just been such an amazing year for me, yeah.
This marks the second Olympic diving event at the Singapore Worlds in which China failed to win gold following the man's three -meter springboard. A number of Chinese athletes have made new breakthroughs at the 2025 Chinese Athletics Championships in Chuzhou.
On Monday, Wu Rui -ting broke the 16 -year -old man's triple jump Asian record by 9cm.
The new Asian record moves Wu to 2nd on this season's world list behind Italy's Andy Diaz Hernandez, who won the world indoor championships in Nanjing in March with 17 .8m.
On Sunday, China's Yan Zhiyi added more than 1m to her own world U -20 javelin record. The 17 -year -old took the victory in the fifth round despite an ankle injury during the third throw.
On Saturday, Zhang Jialuo won women's hammer throw gold, improving her own World U -20 hammer record by more than two meters.
The 18 -year -old won the World U -20 title in Lima last year.
Zhang is now the third -best female hammer thrower in Asia of all time behind compatriots Wang Zheng and Zhang Wenxiu.
The Athletes Village for the 12th edition of the World Games has officially opened in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu.
The venue will provide service for around 7 ,000 participants.
Among them is Levin Konrad who is with the Swiss floorball team.
I feel so excited because this is my first trip to China as well as most of my teammates.
I am happy to participate in such a grand event and besides playing matches, we also and also plan to see pandas at the Chengdu Research Base.
We will have two to three days of free time during the World Games, and we want to spend them exploring the whole city.
Meanwhile, the main media center for the Chengdu World Games opens its doors on Monday, welcoming around 2 ,000 journalists from 200 media organizations covering the event.
The World Games officially gets underway on Thursday.
It's the highest -level international multi -sport event outside the Olympic Games.
In cycling, Olympic champion Pauline Ferrand -Privol became the first French woman to win the Tour de France Fair Mise on Sunday.
The 33 -year -old pushed through three punishing climbs to win the final stage, ahead of 2023 champion Demi Vollrain.
Ferrand -Privol seized the leader's yellow jersey from Akin -Lacourte on Saturday.
She won gold in women's cross -country mountain biking at last year's Paris Olympics.
It was the day that didn't start really good because I was a bit too far back in the first downhill.
I think I was just a bit scared, you know, with the pressure of this jersey.
And yeah, so the teammates had to ride and they did a massive effort to bring me back at the front.
After that I said, OK, now I have to stick to the front and to just try to stay there.
I said to the DS, yeah, I would like to win in yellow, so if you can make it, yeah, why not?
defending champion can't see in a new meadova philly finished the third overall all right thank you very much that's yung guang with sports just ahead in culture and entertainment checking in on china's surging summer box office numbers so from north to south east to west people in china are chasing their dreams and leaving their mark want to know how they beat the odds and made a difference footprints brings you the true Life stories of their journeys.
52 past the hour. Turning to culture and entertainment, a film about the Nanjing Massacre has maintained its dominance at China's summer box office.
Dead to Rights has grossed over 1 .5 billion yuan, roughly 210 million U .S. dollars, within just 10 days of its July 25th debut.
The film draws on verified photographic evidence of Japanese wartime atrocities during the Nanjing Massacre.
It tells the story of a group of Chinese civilians who seek refuge in a photography studio during the brutal occupation of Nanjing by Japanese aggressors.
When the story in the film ended and we returned to reality, seeing the beautiful city of Nanjing as it is today, witnessing its development, I felt that we are truly fortunate.
That was the moment that moved me the most near the end of the film.
As someone from Nanjing, the most important thing is to remember history.
We are also Nanjing locals.
Our textbooks have taught us about this part of history.
Seeing so many real images as Nanjing natives, we have felt deep sorrow.
This film uses an authentic visual language to portray certain scenes that truly strike a chord. I think it's highly educational for our generation, who live in an era of peace.
Mao Shuahao is the photographer whose photos you see at the end of the film.
MAO SHUAAO, PHOTOGRAPHER, The pictures were taken in the autumn of 2016.
Back then, I traversed almost the entire city of Nanjing, overlaying old photos with scenes of today's Nanjing.
They bear witness to the suffering of the Chinese nation during the war.
I've watched Dead to Rights several times to contribute to such a great work.
That is the honour of my life.
When audiences walk out of the theatre after the movie, and see the lights shining from countless homes, that is what we truly wish to express.
We hope everyone remembers history and strives to create an even more brilliant China for future generations.
War -themed films are trending in China, as the country marks 80 years of victory in the the Chinese people's war of resistance against Japanese aggression and the world anti -fascist war.
Among them, Mountains and Rivers Bearing Witness, set to premiere on August 15th, is the first panoramic documentary to depict the arduous war that was fought by the Chinese people.
Historical drama titled 731, scheduled for release in September on the 18th, tells the story of the Japanese invasion forces conducting bacterial warfare experiments in Harbin.
The release date coincides with the September 18th incident in 1931, which marked the beginning of Japan's 14 -year invasion.
As of Sunday, China's summer box office has reached 7 billion yuan in total earnings.
A Disney and Marvel superhero film, The Fantastic Four First Steps, held the top spot at the North American box office for the second weekend in a row.
It grossed nearly $200 million after 10 days of release in North America for a global cue of $368 million.
The reboot is based on the Marvel Comics superhero team, the Fantastic Four.
It's the 37th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Universal's animated comedy film, The Bad Guys 2, came in second place on the weekend.
Rather, another newcomer, The Naked Gun, landed in third place.
italian musical the divine comedy is taken to the stage in beijing as part of his first ever nationwide tour in china to mark the 55th anniversary of china italy diplomatic ties the iconic musical is adapted from the long narrative poem written by italian poet dante in the 14th century.
It depicts an imagined journey through hell, purgatory, and paradise with blended music genres such as rock, pop, and opera.
The performance dazzled Beijing audiences with a contemporary interpretation of classic Italian literature.
The musical will also visit other Chinese cities including Guangzhou, Xiamen, Shenzhen, Suzhou, Shanghai, and Hangzhou during its 2025 China tour.
We're at 57 minutes past the hour.
checking the forecast before we go for the day and beijing's issued the highest alert for imminent rainstorms most parts of the city can expect over 100 millimeters of rain within six hours 23 degrees overnight cloudy conditions and 30 on tuesday nancheng's down to 29 this evening followed by sunny skies and 36 hong kong's at 26 this evening heavy downpours in the forecast that rain will continue with a high of 29 degrees celsius on tuesday day.
And that's it for this edition of the Beijing Hour.
Making news today, the U .S. economy showing signs of strain amid Washington's tariff campaign against global partners.
And Shidong in southwestern China continues to make headway in the agricultural sector.
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 We meet you on podcast and on air Every weekday The Beijing hour Your window on China And the rest of the world He can't live without the Yellow River In his eyes The Yellow River is so noble And elegant Both my grandpa and dad made the living from the river.
Would you like to move away from the Yellow River?
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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.
China. Today, about 100 million people live within its water basin, making up nearly 9 percent 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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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.
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