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Examining the events that impact and shape China and the rest of the world.
This is the Beijing Hour, one hour of news and information brought to you every weekday.
Now here's your host.
Shane Bigham with you on this Wednesday, April 8th, 2026.
You're listening to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
On today's program, China has welcomed the two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran, as well as the mediation efforts of Pakistan and other countries.
The visiting chairperson of the Chinese Kuomintang Party has visited the mausoleum of Sun Yat-sen, a crucial figure who helped overthrow imperial rule in China.
And China's conservation efforts are in focus on International Rare Animal Protection Day.
In business, China's logistics sector records notable improvements in the March numbers.
In sports, some first-leg results from the Champions League quarterfinals.
In culture and entertainment, China's strong box office numbers for the recent Qingming holiday.
Now the day's top stories.
China says it welcomes a ceasefire between the United States and Iran.
A foreign ministry spokesperson said, China also supports mediation efforts from countries including Pakistan.
Mao Ning reiterated China's call for an end to the war, resolving disputes via diplomatic channels and achieving peace in the Middle East and the Gulf region.
She said China has also made efforts in this regard.
U.S.
President Donald Trump says Iran can now begin the reconstruction process.
He agreed to suspend attacks on Iran less than two hours before his deadline.
He threatened to destroy the Iranian civilization.
Iran said it'll stop its operations if attacks are halted.
Foreign Minister Abbas Arachi said safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible for two weeks under coordination with Iranian authorities.
Tony Waterman reports from Washington.
This is certainly a de-escalation from that shocking social media post that the president made, threatening to wipe out the entire Iranian civilization.
In this other social media post that the president put out, announcing that there's going to be a ceasefire.
He said that he has agreed to stop bombing Iran for two weeks, subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the complete, immediate and safe opening of the Strait of Hormuz.
He's called this a double sided ceasefire and said that the reason that he was agreeing to the ceasefire is because the US, in his estimation, has already met and exceeded all of its military objectives.
It was the political side of this that has always been the big question whether or not there was going to be long term change in Iran.
And long term change that would then be beneficial to America, which had spent Tens of billions of dollars on this conflict, has lost 13 US service members.
But this is a de-escalation, but it comes even as we had these intensifying US strikes in Iran.
More than 90 targets hit on Karg Island.
This is the oil infrastructure hub.
Although the infrastructure itself, according to US officials, was not touched, Israel has also been carrying out these targeted strikes against bridges and railways highways inside of Iran.
That was Tony Waterman reporting.
Iran's proposed 10 points as the basis for negotiations with the United States.
Tehran demands an end to US aggression, recognition of Iran's control over the Strait of Hormuz and recognition of its right to nuclear enrichment.
Tehran also seeks the lifting of sanctions and the termination of U.N.
Security Council resolutions against it.
Other conditions include war damage compensation, the withdrawal of US combat forces from the region and a halt to hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon.
The proposal was delivered by Pakistan, which has been acting as a mediator.
Pakistani Prime Minister, Shahbaz Sharif, has invited delegations from Iran and the United States to Islamabad for negotiations.
Ehsan Kevani has more from central Iran.
Iran's Supreme National Security Council says current negotiations with the US are national in nature and it's a continuation of the battlefield.
It urges all people, elites and political groups in Iran to trust and support this process overseen by the supreme leader of Iran, and to avoid divisive statements.
This suggests anticipation that hardliners inside Iran, who always oppose talks with the US, may be upset.
Iran's Supreme National Security Council says if the process will lead to a decisive political achievement for Tehran.
Iran will celebrate a great historical victory.
If not, it will fight until all Iranian demands are met.
It also warns that Hands are on the trigger.
Any enemy mistake will be met with full force.
There are talks of a possible meeting between U.S.
Vice President J.D.
Vance and Iranian officials in Islamabad in the coming days.
There is a wide gap between the U.S.
15 point proposal and Iran's 10 point plan.
But there must have been basic agreements facilitated by Pakistan.
We need to wait, probably until Friday, to see whether or not this thief buyer will lead to a peace deal.
That was Ehsan Kevani on possible arrangements during the truce.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office says Israel will support the two-week ceasefire if Iran immediately opens the Strait of Hormuz.
But it said the pause in fighting does not include Lebanon.
The Israeli military said Iran fired missiles towards southern Israel after the announcement of the ceasefire.
The Israel Defense Forces also reported a missile from Iran heading towards central Israel, including Jerusalem.
Media, citing a security official, say the Israeli Air Force is continuing airstrikes in Iran.
Jonathan Regev has more.
Israel has been taking in missiles and rockets from Iran.
We have seen that for a long time.
All the Israeli citizens had the chance to run to shelters due to sirens following missiles fired from Iran.
And therefore there is an understanding that there could be a missile fire, maybe even expanded missile fire, from Iran, also from Hezbollah in Lebanon, also from the Houthis in Yemen.
But these are things that Israelis have unfortunately dealt with for the past five and a half weeks.
Israel has been acting offensively in Iran, especially targeting the Iranian petrochemical industry.
More and more such facilities have been targeted.
The aim is to weaken the Iranian ability to produce more ballistic missiles, more components for those missiles which are manufactured in those petrochemical facilities.
The Israeli army claims that many of those facilities have been destroyed and that will prevent Iran from perhaps continuing to produce more missiles.
Having said that eventually, Iran still has the ability to fire into central, northern and southern Israel.
That was Jonathan Regev in Tel Aviv.
China and Russia vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for coordinated efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
China said.
The statement lacks balance and contains language highly susceptible to misinterpretation or abuse.
Mitch McCann reports from New York.
Ahead of the vote Bahrain, which holds the Security Council presidency for April, urged members of the council to approve a resolution that called for states to coordinate defensive efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
It also demanded that Iran immediately cease all attacks against merchant and commercial vessels.
The draft resolution before you does not create a new reality.
It rather constitutes a serious response to a pattern of recurring hostile Iranian behavior.
Behavior that must cease.
The resolution was debated by member states for weeks and had been slated to come to a Security Council vote on Saturday, but ongoing deliberations meant that couldn't happen.
That's because there have been diverging views on the language of the text.
Gulf states and Bahrain had hoped for a Security Council mandate to use force to secure the strait.
While others, including China and Russia, were reportedly concerned that this may have been allowed to happen without clearly defined limits.
China's permanent representative, Fu Tsong, stressed that Beijing does not go along with Iran's attacks on its neighbors or its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, but said it could not support the Security Council draft resolution because it failed to address what China sees as root causes of the conflict.
We have seen that China has vetoed this resolution.
We don't think the resolution is balanced and it doesn't even touch upon the root cause of the situation and then, in a very unbalanced manner, only accuse Iran.
And also I want to emphasize In particular the timing is very bad.
We all heard what the U.S.
President has said, and again this background, we think it is extremely dangerous for the Security Council to adopt a resolution like this.
Russia's permanent representative echoed that sentiment, saying that the draft text did not address its concerns about who was responsible for the conflict in the first place.
When it comes to the real causes for the current crisis in the Middle East, namely the US and Israel's illegal attacks targeting Iranian soil.
This was something which was not mentioned at all.
Russia's permanent representative announced that Russia and China will introduce an alternative draft resolution focusing on maritime safety and security.
The representative stated that the resolution will be concise, equitable and balanced, with further details to be provided in due course.
That was Mitch McCann on opinions at the U.N.
Security Council over navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's ambassador to the United Nations has acknowledged the vetoes of China and Russia at the U.N.
Security Council meeting.
Amir Saeed Irvani said the two countries helped prevent the abuse of power at the Security Council.
Their action today prevented the Security Council from being misused to legitimize aggression.
In fact, Russia and China ensured the Security Council would not be instrumentalized to legitimize aggression, and in doing so they stood firmly on the right side of history.
The ambassador also said a personal envoy of UN Secretary General, António Guterres, is heading to Tehran to discuss the Strait of Hormuz.
The Middle East conflict is forcing ships to take longer routes around Africa.
It's reshaping global trade flows and putting new pressure on logistics hubs across the continent.
Adnan Chawachi spoke with specialists in Morocco.
Africa's largest container port, Tangiamat, is at the center of a major shift in global shipping.
Rising security risks and key waterways are forcing major carriers to move away from traditional routes through the Suez Canal.
Morocco is strengthening its position as a key player in global trade, leveraging its strategic location at the Strait of Gibraltar, one of the world's most important and secure maritime corridors.
At a time of rising regional instability and increasing risks along major shipping routes, Morocco is emerging as a reliable transit hub, ensuring the continuity of maritime flows between Europe Africa, the Americas and Asia.
Tangier Med is benefiting from shifting global shipping routes, serving as a key hub for transit and maritime services.
And in these conditions, rising shipping costs are a natural consequence of longer routes and higher operating expenses.
Instead, vessels are taking the longer route around the Cape of Good Hope, adding up to two weeks to transit times, increasing fuel consumption and putting pressure on global shipping capacity.
What we are witnessing today is not just a temporary shift in shipping routes, but a real stress test for logistics infrastructure across Africa, at the center of it, Tangio Medport.
The diversion of part of global trade toward the Cape of Good Hope places Morocco under a dual strategic responsibility.
On one hand,
The crisis is reinforcing the port's position as an indispensable hub in the Mediterranean and North Atlantic.
Shipping companies are already passing on the impact, introducing new charges such as war risk and deviation fees, which can range from 1500 to 3300 per container, and even higher for specialized cargo.
A number of vessels from the Gulf countries have arrived at the Tangier Med Port, as well as the specific terminals in Nador Port, reflecting the diversity of Morocco's entry points.
Morocco is not limited to Tangier Med alone.
The port is part of a broader integrated national port system.
While the impact is still developing, early indicators suggest a rise in vessel traffic at Moroccan ports.
A key challenge will be handling high volumes without congestion, while maintaining efficiency and turnaround times.
That was Adnan Chowachi, reporting on Morocco's vulnerabilities to disruptions in shipping and measures to mitigate them.
Coming up, the visiting Chinese Kuomintang Party chairperson is now in Jiangsu province.
Pause Plus, a selection of the best podcasts in China, covering history customs music, literature and in-depth dialogues.
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Fourteen past the hour.
Chinese Kuomintang chairperson Chong Lihuan has led a delegation to pay homage at the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in Nanjing.
Sun is a founding figure of the KMT and a revered revolutionary leader who played a pivotal role in overthrowing imperial rule in China.
He was buried in the eastern city in 1929.
Visiting his mausoleum has been an important part of Kuomintang chairperson visits to the mainland.
A Chang expressed wishes for sustained peace.
We hope that today, not only for the Chinese people on both sides of the strait, but also for all of humanity.
We can plant the seeds of peace.
Let each of us diligently water and fertilize this tree every day so that it can spread its branches and leaves and grow into a towering tree for generations to come.
The Kuomintang Party delegation arrived in Shanghai on Tuesday.
The trip covers Shanghai, Jiangsu Province and Beijing.
The State Council Taiwan Affairs Office has voiced the mainland's willingness to engage with political parties in the Taiwan region to promote cross-strait relations.
Mainland spokesperson Zhu Fenglian reiterated that the Taiwan question is China's internal affair.
Both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one China, and the people on both sides are Chinese members of one family.
The affairs between the two sides are family matters of compatriots across the strait which should naturally be discussed and handled by the family members themselves.
Compatriots on both sides have ample wisdom and capability to resolve our own issues.
We are willing to work with all political parties, groups and individuals in Taiwan, including the Chinese Kuomintang, on the common political foundation of adhering to the 1992 consensus and opposing Taiwan independence.
The spokesperson said the KMT leader's visit to the mainland reflects mainstream public opinion in Taiwan, calling for peace, development and greater cross-strait cooperation.
This year marks the 160th anniversary of Sun Yat-sen's birth.
A people from the Chinese mainland in Taiwan hold the pioneer of China's democratic revolution with high regard and respect.
Taiwan-based historian Chi Chow-lin shared his thoughts on the commemorative events in Nanjing.
It holds significant historical importance for the Chinese nation.
Dr. Sun Yat-sen visited Taiwan three times.
The people of Taiwan were inspired by his great personality dedicated to saving the nation.
Therefore, they were engaged in armed and unarmed resistance against Japanese colonial rules for over 50 years.
The driving force was derived from Dr. Sun Yat-sen's spiritual pillar.
In fact, our commemoration about him is to focus on learning his spirit, which is consistently aimed at saving the nation, and he persisted in it until he passed away.
Thus, when we look forward to the future of both sides of the Taiwan Strait, we cannot carry out the policy of desinicization in Taiwan, especially expanding arms purchases, to use force to resist reunification.
Such acts that divide the nation are unacceptable.
The historian urged all compatriots to seize the opportunity and work together to resolve difficulties together.
He said, anything can be discussed within one family the business community in Taiwan's closely following the Kuomintang delegation's visit on the mainland.
And Juju spoke with executive director Li Xuewen of the Wuxi Association of Taiwan Investment Enterprises about their expectations.
What first attracted you to invest in Wuxi.
What stood out to me is that this city really understands both agriculture and taiwanese businesses.
The industrial park where i'm based is actually jones's first national level entrepreneurship park for taiwan farmers.
Here we give real policy support, like the 21 measures for agriculture and forestry.
But even more importantly, wuxi has a strong foundation in the Internet of Things industry, which makes it perfect for combining technology with agriculture.
Over the years in agriculture here, what complementary opportunities have you seen from cross-trade cooperation?
Both sides have their own advantages.
Taiwan has experience in agricultural branding, marketing and promotion, while the mainland has a huge domestic market and strong digital infrastructure.
If we can set up a regular exchange mechanism for young people, like jointly built rural revitalization demonstration, the Taiwan YouthKung Brain Technology, here and take results back home.
That's true integrated development.
So Chairperson Zhang's visit this time is actually very positive for us, and it's something many business people have been actively advocating for.
I hope that through this kind of exchange, Chairperson Zhang Brain a ray of light, giving young people the chance to really take root in areas like agriculture, cultural creativity and beyond here on the Chinese mainland.
That was Taiwan business executive Li Shuiwen, with his vision for future opportunities between the two sides.
Taipei-born Wang Houqie is a fourth-generation successor of a family-run pharmaceutical company.
He's witnessed the transformation of Suzhou on the mainland into a modern manufacturing base.
And now leading a group of young people from the post-90s generation Wang, is charting a new chapter in China's healthcare industry.
I believe that to succeed on the Chinese mainland, one must maintain the attitude of continuous learning.
The reason the Chinese mainland has been able to develop so rapidly is largely due to the swift pace of policy-driven advancements.
It truly requires constant daily learning and there is no room for stopping.
Due to the contributions of my great-grandfather and grandfather, I see this enterprise more as a responsibility and a sense of mission.
Wang is now the vice president of Suzhou Chenghua, which she said is the first Taiwan-invested pharmaceutical company to operate on the Chinese mainland and among the earliest to pass pharmaceutical good manufacturing practice certification.
They're aiming to independently research, develop and produce innovative drugs within the next few years.
Coming up, China's marking International Rare Animal Protection Day.
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21 past the hour.
Wednesday is International Rare Animal Protection Day.
China's party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
To get some insights on China's efforts and achievements in protecting its wildlife.
Bridget Mutambira spoke with Dr Zhou Mi at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation.
Dr Joe, could you share some of the country's most representative rare species and what legal frameworks or policies are in place to protect them?
As we all know that the giant panda is one of the symbol for China.
WWF, they have the logo of the giant panda.
We have recovered the wild population of the giant panda from about 1100 in the 1980s to almost 1900 today.
So you know, for the giant panda, it's really getting more and more.
You know the wild populations and it's threatened levels, also downgraded from the endangered to vulnerable.
Another one example is Crested Ibis.
It was discovered as the first only seven individuals in 1981, but now there are already 7,000
If you're looking at the efforts of the Chinese government, they are really working very hard.
In my understanding, there may be four kinds of measures.
We have the wildlife protection law.
It is regularly updated to reflect the new situation.
And we also have a dynamic national key protected wildlife list.
This list expands coverage according to the development and also the wildlife itself.
We have the 789 key territory wildlife habitats.
And finally, the national park system.
We have the five pilot national parks, which is very important for those animals to be settled and protected.
In China.
What concrete actions are being taken by the government organisations and the public to ensure the long-term survival of these rare species?
The long-term practices depend on what we really have.
In my understanding, Chinese companies are playing a very important role.
In recent years.
For us, we have given more advice to the companies, who should be of more awareness of the CSR, the corporate social responsibilities, and also for the ESG problems environment, social and governance.
So for the companies who are doing the businesses, maybe in China or in foreign countries, they have to take care of this very fragile environment.
One example is coming from China's sea grid.
They had a project in Brazil in the rainforest.
They are going to support that country to build the state grids.
And they have a long-term investigation before they choose the place to place those poles.
I think this idea is not just trying to save those spices, but trying to make the people know the importance of doing that.
It's not just for the government.
It also should be taken by the enterprises themselves.
That was Dr. Joe Mi on China spreading awareness for wildlife conservation.
To hear more.
You're welcome to check out the new episode of our podcast China-Africa Talk this weekend.
Gaza's health sector is near collapse on World Health Day, despite a ceasefire signed six months ago.
Doctors and health workers warn that hospitals remain devastated, with shortages of medicines and equipment.
Dr. Hassan Al-Shayer is medical director of Al-Shifa Medical Complex in the Gaza Strip.
The health situation is catastrophic.
We're now facing challenges across various medical specialties, not only in dealing with injuries.
There are major difficulties with cancer patients, as medicines have become extremely scarce and what is available does not exceed 15 of the total medications these patients need.
We're also facing a rodent problem and the additional health risks that may result from it due to the accumulation of hundreds of thousands of tons of rubble and thousands of tons of garbage spread across Gaza City.
The region has seen widespread destruction to hospitals and medical centers.
Health services were pushed into a cycle of acute dysfunction.
Authorities say ceasefire-era casualties are reaching about 700 and around 1,900 people are injured.
At Al-Shifa Hospital, destruction is visible everywhere.
Many schools turned shelters now serve as basic clinics but only offer first aid and painkillers.
Medics say they see up to 200 patients daily with minimal staff.
Restrictions on medical supplies continue and recovery remains out of reach.
Afghan authorities say extreme weathers killed over 20 people and injured dozens of others within a 24-hour period.
Heavy rainfall caused roofs to collapse in Nangarhar province, killing at least 13 people in and around Jalalabad.
Local resident Mohamed Sabir says villagers worked together to save their neighbors.
There was very heavy rain.
It was around 5.30 in the morning when we heard the sound of the collapse.
We came out of the house and arrived here, and this room had collapsed on people.
All the villagers in the area cooperated in time and due to their efforts, four people were rescued.
In this incident, five people were killed and four women survived.
Over the past couple of weeks, storms and flooding have left more than 130 dead across the country.
Major roads linking Kabul to the other provinces have been closed.
Afghanistan is highly vulnerable to extreme weather.
More than 300 people died in spring floods in 2024.
At least three people are missing in the Solomon Islands as Tropical Cyclone Myla intensifies to a Category 5 storm in the Solomon Sea.
As of Wednesday, the cyclone was around 170 kilometers off the west coast, with gale force winds and heavy rains.
Emergency warnings also remain in place in Papua New Guinea.
Police in the Solomon Islands have activated operations centers and urged the public to take precautions.
The Artemis II astronauts have made history with the first ever moonship-to-spaceship radio call, speaking with the International Space Station from 230000 miles away.
Commander Reid Wiseman said they've been waiting for that moment.
The call marked a reunion for astronauts Christina Cook and Jessica Meyer, who performed the first all-female spacewalk in 2019.
Cook described Earth's beauty and the surrounding blackness from the moon.
The crew has sent back over 50 gigabytes of data, including an Earth-set photo.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman says the public can see those images online.
This is the first time humans have documented some parts of the far side of the moon.
These images will be publicly available on NASA's website, our digital platforms and the White House actually released the now iconic Earth set photo.
The administrator sees it as a good beginning. well i mean i'd say for this mission we're we're certainly off to a good start i mean clean launch and the vehicle has been doing well um you know i've made commentary early on that i like that we're we're talking about you know uh you know water access valves and uh cabin temperature and even plumbing issues for that matter for all the things that we could have been potentially talking about prior to the mission underway But I'll breathe easier when we get through reentry and everybody's under chutes and in the water.
And the astronauts are set to splash down off San Diego on Friday, wrapping up a nearly 10-day test flight.
At 29 past the hour, Beijing will be seeing a light rainfall overnight.
It's down to 9 degrees.
Thursday is getting more rain and 14.
Shanghai will see some rain as well.
It's down to 15.
Moderate rainfall and 29 tomorrow.
Chongqing is cloudy overnight and through tomorrow.
A low of 19 and a high of 29.
Nanchang will be cloudy and down to 19.
Then moderate rainfall and 32.
Last is cloudy and plus 3.
Showers and 12 tomorrow.
It's time for a short break.
So far this hour, China's welcomed the two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran, as well as the mediation efforts of Pakistan and other countries.
The visiting chairperson of the Chinese Kuomintang Party has visited the mausoleum of Sun Yat-sen, a crucial figure who helped overthrow imperial rule in China.
And China's conservation efforts are in focus on International Rare Animal Protection Day.
Shane Begum with you.
Stay with us here on the Beijing Hour.
Shh, listen up.
Can you hear the heartbeat of our world?
It's vibrant and pulsating with the essence of life itself.
From the stem of trees to the gurgle of rivers.
From the silent strength of mountains to the icy whispers of glaciers.
Even the solid ground beneath our feet, right there in the midst of all, beats the heart of humanity.
What if those other heartbeats were to stop?
Would ours keep on ticking?
Ever wondered what's actually going on in Africa through the perspective of an African?
How are things really going between China and Africa?
What's the narrative of this relationship?
Well, get a perspective with China-Africa Talk.
Hear from African diplomats, entrepreneurs, academics, Chinese natives, and more.
Get on our wavelength every week To find out what's real with China.
After the talk, find us on your favorite podcast.
We'll see you there.
Examining the events that impact and shape China and the rest of the world.
This is the Beijing Hour.
One hour of news and information brought to you every weekday.
Shane Begum with you on this Wednesday.
Still to come.
In business, China's logistics sector records notable improvements in the March numbers.
In sports, some first leg results from the Champions League quarterfinals.
In culture and entertainment, China's strong box office number is for the recent Qingming holiday.
To contact us, you can email radio at cgtn.com or follow our ex-account at CGTN Radio.
But now with the check of the day's headlines, here's Tianyu.
Thank you, Shane.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is calling for improvements in the service sector.
The president urged efforts to promote specialization and high-end value.
He said more China service brands should be created.
The instructions were conveyed at a conference held in Beijing on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Chinese Premier, Li Chang, spoke at the meeting and urged new growth points at enhancing the digital and intelligent transformation of the sector.
The premier called on authorities to expand opening up and create a good environment.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit North Korea on Thursday and Friday.
The Chinese foreign ministry says China and North Korea are friendly neighbors and the upcoming visit is an important move by both sides to implement the consensus between the leaders of the two parties and two countries.
It says Beijing stands ready to work with Pyongyang to enhance strategic communication and cooperation.
Iran and the United States have agreed to a two-week ceasefire, announced less than two hours before the deadline set by US President Donald Trump.
Trump said that he has agreed to suspend attacks on Iran, provided Iran agrees to the immediate and safe reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Pakistan mediated the deal with Pakistan's prime minister announcing an immediate ceasefire, effective everywhere, including Lebanon.
However, Israel says the truth does not include Lebanon.
The Iranian foreign minister said Iran will cease defensive operations if attacks stop and promised safe passage through the straits.
Trump said the US received a 10-point proposal from Iran, which he described as a workable basis for negotiation.
China said it welcomes the truce between Washington and Tehran, while expressing support for mediation efforts.
Oil prices dived, bonds rallied and stocks surged after news of a two-week ceasefire in the released spurt market relief.
The U.S. oil benchmark plunged nearly 7%.
US crude futures fell around 165 to 94 a barrel, the SP 500 futures leaped over 2 and the dollar fell broadly.
Global markets have been volatile since the end of February when the US and Israel attacked Iran.
The six-week conflict has sent oil prices surging, stoking worries of inflation and leaving countries scrambling to adjust to the energy shock.
Madagascar has declared a 15-day state of emergency across the entire territory to address a major fuel supply crisis.
The government says the situation is largely due to the conflict in the Middle East, which has disrupted energy imports.
The emergency allows for rapid measures to restore power, ensure essential services and protect the economy.
Local media report that since mid-March, petrol stations have faced low storage and temporary shortages.
Madagascar relies heavily on imported refined petroleum, especially from Oman.
The government pledges to mobilize all resources to overcome the crisis and limit its impact on daily life.
An explosion near the bridge of the Americas over the Panama Canal has killed at least one person and injured two firefighters.
Security video shows the blast and flames spreading under the bridge.
Authorities say the victim was believed to be a company employee.
Edwin Lewis, with Panama's Ministry of Public Works, said the decades-old bridge may have structural damage from intense heat.
The Bridge of the Americas is a structure that is over 60 years old.
Due to the effects of the fire.
If the metal structure was subjected to excessively high temperatures, it may have sustained damage that could lead to a partial or total failure of certain elements in the area where, as can be seen in some images, the fire affected it.
Officials say the bridge remains closed until deemed safe, disrupting traffic around the capital.
They have not yet determined the cause of the explosion.
And finally, South Korea's special counsel is seeking a 15-year prison sentence for the wife of former president Yong Suk-hyo on corruption charges.
The Seoul Central District Court sentenced Kim Kyung-hee to 20 months in prison in January.
She was accused of receiving valuables from Unification Church officials in exchange for favorable treatment of the religious group in 2022.
Thank you very much.
That's Tian Nu with Headlines.
Coming up in business, China's logistics sector records notable improvements in the March numbers.
The Beijing Hour, your window on China and the rest of the world.
37 past the hour.
Stock markets across the Asia-Pacific region surged on Wednesday after Iran and the United States announced that two-week ceasefire
South Korea's KOSPI composite index surged almost 7%.
Japan's Nikkei rallied nearly 5.4%.
Stock markets on the Chinese mainland also closed higher.
The Shanghai composite was up nearly 2.7%.
The Shenzhen component increased nearly 4.8%.
Electronics and precious metal shares were among the top gainers.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index gained more than 3%.
China's logistics sector showed notable improvements in business activity in March.
The index tracking the country's logistics market was 502 last month, up 27 points from the previous month.
Indices for total business volume, new orders and inventory turnover.
All registered strong recoveries.
Business volume across major sectors all improved on a monthly basis.
Air logistics, postal and express delivery, and road transportation all showed strong rebounds.
Labor demand rose as well, with the employment index standing at 497, up 14 points from the previous month.
According to the China Logistics Information Center, logistics companies have strengthened their service capabilities in digitalization and supply chain integration, helping to lift the sector's overall performance in the first quarter.
Meanwhile, investment in the logistics sector continued to recover steadily.
The fixed asset investment completion index reached 514 and that's up 08 points on a monthly basis.
The business activity expectation index climbed to 542, up 32 points, indicating that businesses remained optimistic about their future development.
China's electronic manufacturing industry recorded robust performance in production, exports and investment in the first two months of the year.
The value-added output of surveyed producers grew more than 14 on a yearly basis in the January to February period, outperforming the overall industrial growth rate by 79 points.
Major players in the industry generated more than 26 trillion yuan, or about US381 billion in total business revenue, up 143.
Exports rose 1.2%, driven by strong overseas demand for integrated circuits.
Investment returned to the growth zone after logging a decrease last year.
From AI-powered diagnostics to smart healthcare, China's medical equipment sector is now pushing new frontiers.
At the recent medical equipment exhibition in Chongqing, Zheng Shuang finds out how Chinese innovations are going global.
This large model for advanced medical management, which leverages artificial intelligence for in-depth analysis, has attracted significant attention.
It has already been implemented in numerous top-tier Class A hospitals across the nation.
China's medical equipment market is projected to reach 144 trillion yuan in 2025, showing an approximate annual growth of 7.
Industry's annual development index is expected to increase by 118 points from 2024, reaching 1623 points.
For instance, while our indigenous robots have seen significant advancements, the global challenge of lacking force sensing capabilities at the robotic end-effector remains unsolved.
Our multidisciplinary team at Zhejiang University has successfully addressed this critical issue, resolving a worldwide engineering problem.
Furthermore, we've tackled the 170-year-old challenge in laparoscopic surgery of anastomosing hollow viscous stumps, thereby eliminating the need for colostomy.
Our nation's medical equipment sector has achieved a strategic breakthrough in deep market cultivation and expansion overseas, with the export value reaching US45796 billion in 2025, a 624 increase from 2019.
Internationally.
For instance, we know that the United States has developed precision contrast agents for lung cancer imaging.
The challenge lies in the absence of equipment capable of illuminating these contrast agents, a device where our technology is leading globally.
Our laparoscopic devices are already widely deployed internationally, with sales in various countries.
In Latin America, for example, we hold the number one market share among domestic products.
This ultrasonic joint massager, built upon the same foundational ultrasonic technology, brings a precise, safe and non-invasive experience into the home, enabling joint care anytime and anywhere.
This robot is primarily designed for companionship in healthcare and wellness settings.
It can engage in conversations, tell stories to the elderly and remind them to take their medication.
While diagnosis is undoubtedly critical, we still have much to learn from the advancements in Asia, particularly regarding their highly sophisticated preventive health care strategies, which significantly surpass those in the Western world.
This strategic direction emphasizes accelerating high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening, fostering the growth of innovative drugs and medical devices, and promoting emerging fields such as biomanufacturing, brain-computer interfaces and embodied intelligence as new economic growth drivers.
That was Zhang Shuang reporting.
China successfully launched the seventh batch of network satellites for the Qianfan constellation into their preset orbits.
Qianfan is the country's low-Earth orbit satellite internet system.
It focuses on meeting the needs of the Belt and Road Initiative and Chinese enterprises going global, providing high-speed, real-time and reliable integrated solutions and services.
Despite Britain's efforts to transition to renewables,
Fossil fuels remain dominant in its energy mix, leaving it at the mercy of energy shocks from the war in Iran.
Yellow App Daffodil has more from London.
Motorists in Britain are paying more for petrol and diesel than they were a month ago.
While the UK still has a dwindling source of oil from the North Sea and buys petrol from refineries in Belgium and the Netherlands, importing diesel is much more expensive.
The war in Iran is now having a direct impact on millions of British drivers.
I filled up about a month ago and it was 131 per litre and now it's 155.9.
It's pretty outrageous, isn't it?
Being a musician my line of work I need to travel quite often at weekends, or the trains actually don't get me to where I need to go.
So I need my car and I need fuel in my car, so it's really important.
Blocking Hormuz's shipping lanes starves the world of some 20% of the global flow of oil.
Just under half of Britain's diesel comes from UK refineries, but the rest is imported and approximately 7 of its crude oil is transported directly from the Middle East.
Many UK businesses depend on an affordable and an easily available supply of fuel.
There's an expectation that the crisis could escalate.
Until there's clarity about when the war finishes and also, very importantly from an economics perspective, clarity about when the Strait of Hormuz will reopen, we're likely to see continued high energy prices.
The longer the war continues in Iran at the Strait of Hormuz, remaining dangerous for tankers and cargo ships, the higher are the fuel prices for motorists and delivery companies in Britain.
The price rise in the past month is the fastest ever recorded in the UK.
Aviation fuel is another expensive headache for oil importers.
UK airports don't depend on oil tanker deliveries as there's a network of oil pipelines in Britain.
But between 50 and 60% of aviation fuel in Britain still has to be imported.
What's the problem in the UK?
It's a combination of factors.
We're transitioning from a fossil fuel environment to a renewables environment.
History and geography, or policy choices, shall we say have led to gas still occupying a high part of the energy mix in the UK.
And that transition has left the UK vulnerable to this energy shock.
Some are already calling for a rethink by the UK government on its planned fuel duty rise next September.
Before then there are local elections in England and national elections in Wales and Scotland, where voters are likely to vent their feelings.
Rather as the latest rising trend in the smart electronics sector.
Smart window cleaning robots, ranging from small bots for home use to large ones for cleaning skyscrapers, are delivering a spotless finish to the often difficult and sometimes dangerous work of window cleaning, which he is a robot manufacturing facility in Suzhou, or is at such a facility in Suzhou, and says the plant has been operating at maximum capacity since January, with more than half of its orders now coming from Europe.
In this year's first quarter.
In the first quarter of this year, we saw remarkable growth in markets such as North America, Australia and parts of the Middle East, with some regions achieving triple-digit growth, representing a breakthrough.
At the same time, we received our first orders for window cleaning robots from several Eastern European countries, including Romania.
Market researchers say the global window cleaning robot market will grow from US583 million in 2025 to US22 billion by 2032.
You're listening to the Beijing Hour.
Coming up in sports, some first leg results from the Champions League quarterfinals.
Sideline Story brings you all things sports related.
The hottest topics, latest events, juiciest stories, all with a very personal take.
Subscribe to Sideline Story Podcast for heated sports discussions covering events that are happening in China and around the world.
At 47 past the hour and turning to sports, here's Yang Guang.
Thank you, Shane.
We start with football.
Bayern Munich claimed a 2-1 first-leg victory over Real Madrid, taking a slim but crucial advantage in their Champions League quarterfinal.
Bayern struck just before halftime.
One.
Serge Gnabry threaded the pass to Luis Diaz, who slipped past the offside trap to finish low past Andrew Looney in the 41st minute.
Seconds after the restart, Michael Alisi set up Harry Kane to double the lead from the edge of the box.
Bayern head coach Vincent Kompany praised his team's danger on the ball and highlighted the performance of goalkeeper Manny Neuer.
Any win in the Bernabeu in Madrid is an important result.
It's something that we can build on.
Of course, we have respect for the quality of Real Madrid.
You saw the players as well.
It's normal that they create some moments as well.
They were incredibly dangerous at times.
But most importantly, we stayed really dangerous as well.
So the idea is when we go and play the next game at home to try and go and win the game.
Manu is one of the very few.
He's not just able to do it for a very long time but for a very, very long time.
And to still perform like he does now, I think it's...
That is something that not many goalkeepers, even the top ones, are able to do.
Real put one back through Kylian Mbappe in the 74th minute, but Neuer made key saves to keep Bayern ahead.
The winners over two legs will face either Paris Saint-Germain or Liverpool in the semi-finals.
In other action, Arsenal claimed a 1-0 first leg win at Sporting thanks to a stoppage time goal from substitutes Kai Havertz.
Havertz, who came on for the injured Martin Odegaard in the 70th minute, was set up unmarked inside the box by Gabriel Martinelli and calmly slotted the ball past goalkeeper Rui Silva to break the deadlock.
Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, said he was pleased with the team's performance, highlighting the players' determination and tactical discipline.
Yeah, extremely happy, obviously.
It was a big night, a big moment in the season, especially where we're coming from.
I think we had a point to prove.
And yesterday I talked about identity and the things that I wanted to see on that pitch.
Sertali happened.
Sertali was a shifter and then we played an opponent.
That is very tricky, very difficult to play.
That's the reason why they won 17 games in a row here.
They haven't lost for a long, long time and really had to earn it.
We had moments of real dominance with a lot of situations in and around the box without creating enough threat sometimes.
Lacking to be a bit crispier, the movement a bit sharper, the final ball.
Earlier in the game, shots from Maxi Arojo and Noni Maduaki hit the woodwork, and David Raya made several key saves to keep Arsenal ahead before the return leg next Wednesday.
Also in football, China edged Thailand 1-0 in Bangkok in the EFC U-20 Women's Asian Cup to secure first place in Group A.
China struck first in 29th minute when Xiao Yanfei unleashed a long-range shot that the Thai goalkeeper deflected into her own net.
China had other chances including a Yu Jiaqi strike that hit the post in the 40th minute.
Midfielder Xiao praised their focus on the coach's plan and their determination to stay grounded.
Of course there were difficulties, but we worked hard together, followed the coach's plan step by step and managed to win the match.
I think we just have to take it one step at a time and stay grounded.
I'm sure we will achieve the results we want.
Team China advanced from the group stage unbeaten with 9 points and will face the best third-place team from Group B or C in the quarterfinals on Saturday.
China got off to a strong start at the Rifle and Pistol World Cup in Spain, with reigning champions Wang Zifei and Sheng Lihao winning the 10m air rifle mixed team event.
In a closely fought contest, Wang and Shen overcame a slow start and a late deficit, with Shen delivering a decisive final shot that helped the duo regain the lead and secure gold ahead of the Hungarian team.
Earlier, in the 10m air pistol mix team event, Yao Qianxun and Hu Kai took silver, with India claiming the top spot.
In tennis, Yannick Sinner advanced to the third round at Monte Carlo Masters with a straight sets win over Hugo Ambert.
Coming off his March Sunshine double wins in Indian Wells and Miami, Sinner looked comfortable on clay, breaking Ambert's serve twice to take the first set 6-3.
The second set was dominated by the 24-year-old, as he controlled rallies and converted the break at love to complete the sixth love win.
Cena will face Francisco Sarandolo in the round of 16.
A third consecutive Masters title would also give Cena the chance to reclaim the world number one ranking from defending champion Carlos Alcrez, extending his remarkable run in Masters 1000 events.
Thanks, that was Yong Guang with sports.
You're listening to the Beijing Hour, coming up in culture and entertainment.
China's strong box office numbers for the recent Qingming holiday.
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.
At 52 past the hour.
In culture and entertainment, China's film market posted solid gains over the Qingming holiday, with total box office revenue surpassing 300 million yuan over that three-day break.
That's close to $44 million.
This year's holiday lineup offered audiences a wide mix of genres, from revolutionary historical films to heartwarming dramas, while several early releases also continued to perform strongly.
Beyond ticket sales, Movie Plus initiatives added fresh momentum to holiday spending.
In Beijing and other cities cinemas, paired tickets with merchandise, limited-edition drinks and discounts at nearby stores, encouraging further spending in the community.
Film-themed tourism also gained popularity in Haikou, Hainan province, where scenic locations and interactive performances drew crowds.
Diagrams are usually seen as tools to explain ideas or visualize data, but they can also be creative, surprising and even beautiful.
A new exhibition in Shanghai is exploring this, and Zheng Hong has more.
What is a diagram?
At its simplest, a diagram is a way to explain ideas, visualize knowledge or present data in a form we can quickly understand.
A new exhibition at Rongzhai brings together more than 150 works spanning from the 12th century to today, revealing how diagrams cut across disciplines, cultures and time.
Take the Ming Dynasty encyclopedia San Cai Tu Hui.
Instead of relying only on text, it uses diagrams to explain everything from the cosmos to everyday life.
Something that is almost 400 years old, somehow had this idea of representing knowledge through a lot of diagrams.
I think one of the characteristics of the book that it's a written book, of course, but they do a wide use of visualization and diagrammatic visualization to explain things, which is exactly what it was fascinating for us.
And then we had interesting overlaps with some of the themes that we have seen, for example about medicine, about a built environment, about geography, about organization.
So that was kind of something that resonates with the structure that we had given to the exhibition.
In another section, the human body appears in completely different forms.
A diagram, Nei Jing Tu imagines the body as a landscape, while a modern poster treats the body as a machine.
And, in architecture, diagrams became tools of analysis.
A study by Liang Sicheng maps the evolution of Chinese pagodas, compressing centuries of design and technology into a single visual logic.
On one side there is time, so you see evolution through time, and on the other side there is technology, so different technology with the pagoda are being built.
It was quite interesting to see how it tried to summarize a century of history of architecture and history of technology through a series of diagrams.
But diagrams are not neutral.
They're powerful and sometimes deceptive.
They can clarify information, but they can also frame it, distort it or guide how we interpret reality.
That question feels even more urgent today, where diagrams are increasingly generated by AI.
That was Jung Hong reporting from Shanghai.
The original symphonic music drama based on the classic novel Dream of the Red Chamber has premiered in Urumqi.
The Suzhou Symphony Orchestra.
Production combines orchestral music, vocal performances and narration.
Presented in seven sections, including Prologue, into the City, Entering the Dream and Dream Shattered.
The work follows the themes of city, garden and dream.
The performance also features orchestral adaptations of music from the 1987 television version, including compositions by Wang Liping, such as Funeral of Flowers.
Commentators say the show marks a new stage interpretation of one of China's best-known literary classics.
Art Science Museum in Singapore has opened a new exhibition Flesh and Bones the Art of Anatomy as part of its 15th anniversary celebrations.
Running through August 16th, the show features more than 160 artifacts and artworks tracing how different cultures have understood the human body across history.
The exhibition spans early anatomical drawings, contemporary installations and a dedicated gallery on traditional Chinese medicine, highlighting Western and Asian perspectives.
We're at 57 past the hour.
Checking the forecast before we go.
Beijing will get a light rainfall overnight.
It's down to 9 degrees.
That rain continues tomorrow.
The high is 14.
Shanghai will see some rain in 15 this evening, then moderate rainfall in 29.
Chongqing's cloudy overnight and through the day tomorrow.
A low of 19, a high of 29.
Nanchang is cloudy in 19, then moderate rain in 32.
Lassa will be getting clouds in plus 3 this evening.
That's followed by showers in 12 degrees Celsius.
And that's it for this edition of the Beijing Hour.
Making news today.
China has welcomed the two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran, as well as the mediation efforts of Pakistan and other countries.
And the visiting chairperson of the Chinese Kuomintang parties visited the mausoleum of Sun Yat-sen, a crucial figure who helped overthrow imperial rule in China.
On behalf of the staff, Shane Biggum, in the Chinese capital, hoping you'll join us for the next edition of The Beijing Hour and open a window to the world together.
Find The Beijing Hour at precisely 6 p.m.
Beijing time.
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The Yellow River is so noble and elegant.
Both my grandpa and dad made the living from the river.
Would you like to move away from the Yellow River?
I don't think I will.
I love it so much.
The Yellow River, the second longest river in China, is regarded as a shaping force in the history, economy and culture of northern China.
Today, about 100 million people live within its water basin, making up nearly 9 of the country's population.
How is climate change felt at its headwaters? and what are the locals doing to cope with it?
What are the descendants of the boatmen doing?
What has kept some people from leaving their home village by the river?
And what has drawn others back?
Could the fading fishing community revive in a time of digital transformation?
From 2021 to 2024.
Our reporters visited the upper, middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, 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.
