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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.
I'm Shane Biggum with you on this Wednesday, March 4th, 2026.
You're listening to the Beijing Hour coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
On today's program.
China's top political advisory body has opened its annual session in Beijing one day ahead of meetings by the country's lawmakers.
China's drone sector is transforming business in the skies and changing people's lives.
The U.S. and Israel continue pounding Iran with missiles as Tehran responds with attacks of its own.
In business, China's high-tech sector is emerging as a key driver of economic growth.
In sports, a Chinese teenager is up for a major international award.
In culture and entertainment.
China's National Traditional Orchestra has launched its Year of the Horse music season.
Now check in the day's top stories.
China's top political advisory body has opened its annual session in Beijing.
The fourth session of the 14th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee brings together over 2000 political advisors from different parties, social groups, sectors and organizations.
Its most important functions include political consultation, democratic supervision and deliberation of state affairs.
The opening session signals the start of one of the most important annual events on China's political calendar the two sessions which will also see the gathering of national lawmakers.
The advisors will meet for seven days.
National Committee Chair Wang Huning has delivered a work report at the opening session.
Part 1.
Review of our work in 2025.
The year 2025 was a crucial year for advancing Chinese modernization.
In the face of a complicated international landscape and the challenging domestic task of advancing reform, promoting development and ensuring stability, the CPC Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, has united the entire Party and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups and led them in meeting difficulties head on and forging ahead with determination, kept in mind both domestic and international imperatives.
As a result, the main economic and social development targets for the year were accomplished.
China's economy continued to embrace innovation and excellence despite challenges, achieving new outcomes in fostering new quality productive forces.
New strides were made in reform and opening up.
People's livelihoods were further safeguarded.
Social stability was maintained.
The 14th five-year plan was successfully concluded.
China's economic strengths, scientific and technological capabilities and composite national strengths rose to a new height and solid new strides were made in advancing Chinese modernization.
The fourth plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee was successfully convened a blueprint for development over the next five years.
And Aaron Liu has more on the two sessions.
The first collective interview of this year's CPPCC session took place at the members' passage.
Committee members highlighted investments in China's agriculture, quantum technology and the Suzhou Grassroots Football League.
The rise of home growth.
Sports events is boosting local history culture, consumption and economic growth, showcasing the warmth and vitality of Chinese cities.
Reflecting on the past year, political advisors focused heavily on formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan, deepening economic system reforms and cultivating new quality productive forces.
Their discussions also covered expanding domestic demand.
As China enters a new planning cycle, the two sessions offer a window into how the country intends to advance high-quality development and sustain reform momentum amid a rapid change in global landscape.
That was Aaron Leo reporting.
Many international figures are looking forward to the implementation of China's 15th five-year plan.
Fundación Catedra China Vice President Marta Montoro is one of them.
China's two sessions is drawing wide attention.
Many countries are looking to Beijing, eager to learn about China's next step development blueprint, the 15th five-year plan.
The Chinese path to modernization is a grand endeavor.
China has always taken a people-centered approach, while advancing coordinated development and paying attention to ecological and environmental protection.
At the same time, China adheres to multilateralism and advocates for peace, dialogue and cooperation to advance the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.
Zambian political scientist Jeff Ngoma speaks highly of the outcomes of China's development.
China has done tremendously well economically and socially.
You will agree with me that as it stands now, China is the world's second biggest economy.
And they have done tremendously well in terms of poverty reduction, GDP growth and the like.
And They are doing everything possible to ensure that they keep on going in that direction.
And Wojciech Nowak is a professor of political science and journalism at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poland.
And he says the two sessions are important for the world.
I believe the two sessions taking place in the beginning of March is not only huge and meaningful for China, but also for the whole world.
That's because the draft outline of the 15th five-year plan will be discussed.
President Xi has consistently and clearly stated that China today is committed to openness.
China is eager to cooperate with other countries and share the fruits of its development.
That was Polish professor Wojciech Nowak.
A spokesperson for the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress has unveiled the agenda of the National Legislature's eight-day annual session, which opens on Thursday.
Economic growth and domestic demand will top the agenda.
Lawmakers are set to review the draft outline of the 15th five-year plan, examine this year's National Economic and Social Development Plan and deliberate on the government work report.
Key legislation under consideration includes an environmental code and new laws on child care services, social assistance and medical insurance.
Deputies to the 14th NPC will also focus on measures aiming to boost consumer spending and strengthening the domestic market.
Spokesperson Luo Xinjian says China will expand the supply of high-quality goods and services, enhance consumer spending on services and improve consumer trade and programs.
Niaziat.
The country will speed up scientific and technological innovation to achieve independent control of core technologies.
In recent years, China has accelerated the development of its AI industry.
Computing power infrastructure is expanding and getting more sophisticated.
High-quality data sets are emerging more quickly.
Chinese AI models are leading the way in the open source innovation ecology.
The reality is, the key to SciTech innovation and development lies in having homegrown risk-controllable core technologies.
During the 15th five-year plan period, we will strengthen research on original innovation and critical core technologies, speed up the integration of SciTech innovation and industrial innovation and drive decisive breakthroughs in critical core technologies across entire chains in key fields.
SciTech innovation cannot be separated from an open, inclusive and mutually beneficial global environment.
We are ready to work with all parties to foster an open fair, just and non-discriminatory environment for science and technology and allow the results of SciTech innovation to benefit more countries and people.
Lawmakers will also conduct oversight on efforts to build a unified domestic market and advance rural revitalization.
The fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress will deliberate on a bill put forward by the Standing Committee on reviewing the draft law on national development planning.
With more.
Zhao Ying spoke to Dr Xiao Liu from the National Academy of Development and Strategies, Renmin University of China.
Could you give us an overall briefing on how this draft law on national development planning will better boost China's national development in the future?
We know that this year that would be the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress right.
And actually, if we go back to the previous session, we can clearly grasp the essence or the task or function of each and every year's National People's Congress session, particularly the session in March.
So, for example, in the year 2023, in the year 2024 and in the year 2025, in each of these National People's Congress sessions, there was only one national law draft.
They're sending to the deputies into the delegation and the discussion.
But this year, there will be at least three national level, this kind of a legal draft, a law draft.
And one of them is the National Development Planning Law, That draft is actually not a very new one.
Well, if we have a basic understanding of China as a five year plan or the five year planning session, we know that actually, ever since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Chinese central government or Chinese central authority has already used this five year plan to do this kind of a long term management of social development.
So this kind of activities, this kind of practice has been done for more than 70 years, but there is no law, there is no legal foundation to to support, to regulate and to coordinate, for example, central government activity, local government activity and enterprises activity.
So I think this law will be mainly focusing on the top-level designing and also this coordination, the dynamism between central government, local government, central SOE and local state-owned enterprises to coordinate this development, focusing on the nationalization or, let's say, the unification of the economic development.
So I think this is very important.
That's what we can expect from this year's National People's Congress.
And one of the highlights is that the draft law says the formulation of national development plans should uphold the unity of top-level design and public consultation, while leveraging the supporting role of industry associations.
What is your take on this?
We know that this national development planning law originated in 2009.
Actually back in 2009 there would be the first kind of initiation of this legal kind of legislation.
But actually the first kind of draft or the first delegation was in last year, april 27 2005, and the third kind of delegation was actually in december.
So in the third draft to the public, published in 25 actually it was the first time added the the industrial association, because the industry association is one of the important power or actors in China's national economy.
So, with that being said, I would like to say that this balance between the national level, or the central government, and local government, and also this industry association, illustrate one of the characteristics of China's governance, that would be the coordination.
That would be the whole process, people's democracy.
And that would also be the rationalization of national governance, rationalization of national and social governance.
And also one of the purpose of the modern state is to balancing the relation between government, the market and also the society.
So I think this would be a good point for us to understand the governance of China, or governing China, particularly in the new era.
That was Dr. Xiaolu from Renmin University of China.
Coming up, China's drone economy is transforming business in the country.
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Around 13 past the hour.
China's embarking on a new era of development, with groundwork underway for the next five-year plan.
From cutting-edge science to rural revitalization, the country's long-term strategies are transforming people's daily lives.
Shu Hua reports from Shenzhen.
As the hum of drones fills the sky, there's a sense this technology has reached the new heights.
And in China, the low altitude industry is pushing the limits even further.
Every day from 1030 am in Shenzhen, drones take to the skies from Qianhai to deliver parcels to neighboring cities Zhongshan and Zhuhai.
What used to be an hour-long road trip is now a quick flight overhead.
With hundreds of drones crisscrossing the skies, one question stands out.
How is all of this managed?
The answer lies in this nerve center, where a real-time control screen tracks every drone's flight path and cargo.
We currently have 168 drones actively operating in Shenzhen alone, managing 383 established routes, with daily flight sorties surpassing 1000.
In other cities across the country, like Beijing, Shanghai and northwest China's Wurundjeri, companies are using drones to deliver fresh food, medicine and packages, or in minutes.
And fly-in taxis are being developed to create a new layer of urban transport.
In this factory, drones are being built not for delivery, but for firefighting, maritime rescue and reaching places humans can't.
This is the other crucial side of the low-altitude economy.
This particular production line is dedicated to drones for agriculture and plant protection.
As General Manager Li Xiaoliang explains, a drone like this is 40 to 50 times more efficient than manual labor.
But what makes it so reliable?
Three key elements.
A reliable flight controller for steady operation in all conditions.
A precise positioning system, like China's Beidou system.
And artificial intelligence enabled obstacle avoidance and path planning.
Together, these ensure safety and reliability.
This reliability is what's attracting customers worldwide to this technology.
Our main markets are Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
Last year we exported over a thousand agricultural drones.
This is not just one company's story.
It's an entire ecosystem in Guangdong province, built on a cluster of 15000 specialized firms driving Chinese drones to take over 70 of the global market.
The Greater Bay Area is a global hub for the low altitude economy, with leading companies and a complete supply chain.
It's not just a factory.
It's a living lab for innovation, transforming how we handle logistics, delivery and connectivity from cities to across borders.
This model is now a template for the world.
Data from China's Civil Aviation Administration projects a country's low-altitude economy will reach a market size of 35 trillion yuan, or over US500 billion, by 2035.
It's one of the strategic emerging industries outlined for growth in China's upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan, and with drones increasingly becoming part of everyday life, that future is no longer a distant vision.
It's already here.
That was Shuhua reporting.
A Chinese political advisor is urging a major push to boost the services sector, seeing it as crucial for the next stage of economic growth.
In a recent conversation with Songri Xin.
Liu Ming, an economics professor at Shanghai Jiaocheng University's Anti-College of Economics and Management, said rising income should shift consumption from goods to services such as education, health care and tourism.
He added that this transition will require more leisure time and higher quality services.
Professor lu, what are the key issues you are most focused on during this year's two sessions?
I would like to discuss two problems.
The first one is the overtime work in china, because many people work very hard and over time in factories in their companies.
This is very harmful for the consumption in chinese economy and also the workers welfare is also harmed.
I would like to call for a regulation from the central government to improve the life quality and work condition, to reduce the work time over work time in China, so that can allow people to rest a lot and consume a lot, especially for consumption in services.
That's the first one.
The second thing is how to increase consumption in China, especially in services, because in today's China the consumption of materials is already enough.
So in the future, I expect that the Chinese people will consume more services as their income rises, so that I call for some policies to improve the consumption in services.
In 2025, China's service retail sales grew by 55 year-on-year and per capita consumer spending on services rose by 45, which is now accounting for over 46 of total household consumption.
How do you interpret these figures?
First of all, people's income rises.
The consumption's contribution to GDP growth will rise continuously.
I think that's a general rule in economic development.
That's the first thing.
The second thing, which is also very important if you compare China with other countries, we can see that, at the same stage of economic development, China's consumption over GDP ratio is still relatively low compared to other countries.
And China has a structural issue that we have overcapacity in a lot of manufacturing sectors.
But in services, the supply side is still not enough to satisfy people's need.
If you look at people's service demand like education, medical care, even amusement and tourism, people always complain that the quality and quantity are not enough to meet people's need.
So I think in the future we still need to increase the supply and improve the quality of the services to satisfy people's everyday life.
Then if we look at these figures, do this growth rate and spending share fall within your expectations?
I think so.
Because in recent years the Chinese central government has already implemented a lot of policies to boost consumption.
And on the other side the overcapacity on the production side issue is also dealt with by the government seriously.
For example, the fair competition review by the central government is regulating the oversupply of manufacturing goods.
But on the service side, the supply side, quality and quantity are being improved by the government.
So I think this is very helpful for us to see a rising contribution of the services and consumption in the GDP growth.
That was Lu Ming from Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
Coming up, heavy fighting continues in Iran and other locations across the Middle East.
Global financial giant UBS has downgraded US stocks as markets stumble into one of their worst starts in decades.
Is this a routine reset or a warning shot?
Where is capital moving now?
Are emerging markets the real story?
And with geopolitics heating up and the Fed in play, is this a short-term wobble or the start of a structural shift in global capital?
Join us at this week's chat lounge as we break down dollar risk fading buybacks, stretched valuations, policy volatility.
Listen wherever you get your podcasts and on CGTN radio.
21 minutes past the hour.
The U.S.
Israeli attacks on Iran and Iran's retaliatory strikes continue.
Qatar says Iranian missiles have hit the largest U.S. military base in the Middle East.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says it's hit a second U.S.
THAAD anti-missile system in West Asia.
The Israeli military has responded saying it's begun a large-scale wave of strikes targeting infrastructure in Tehran.
Meantime, the U.S.
Central Command said U.S. forces have destroyed 17 Iranian ships since the start of the operation.
The Arab League has rejected the war that now threatens to engulf the entire Middle East.
During a recent interview, spokesperson Jamal Rushdie said the League believes diplomacy still has a chance.
Arab countries did not want this war.
Some Arab countries, as we all know, has worked diligently for weeks to mediate between Iran and the United States to avoid the situation we are facing now in the Middle East, to avoid the war.
The risks for this situation to go out of hand are high.
We are monitoring closely the ramifications on the economic front, especially with regard to the maritime straits like Hormuz.
And we call on Iran to refrain from attacking Arab targets, knowing that expanding the conflict will not serve the Iranians and will further escalate the situation.
There is always a room for a diplomatic solution to this crisis.
Oman has worked for weeks to mediate between Iran and the United States.
As the Omani foreign minister stated clearly before, there was a clear opportunity for a settlement.
There was a possibility, a room for a breakthrough in the negotiations.
We think that at the end of the day, this conflict could only be resolved on the negotiating table.
There is no other way.
That was Arab League spokesperson Jamal Rushdie.
U.S.
President Donald Trump has threatened to cut off all trade with Spain after the country refused to allow the use of its bases for attacks on Iran.
During talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the Oval Office.
Trump also said he's not happy with the UK.
He told The Telegraph he was very disappointed in Prime Minister Keir Starmer for blocking him from using UK air bases for strikes on Iran.
French President, Emmanuel Macron, said the US-Israeli operations are happening outside of international law.
In a televised address to the nation, Macron said French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is heading to the region in response to the deteriorating situation.
Damage has been confirmed at Iran's Natanz nuclear facility.
The International Atomic Energy Agency says recent satellite imagery shows damage to entrance buildings at the underground Natanz fuel enrichment plant.
The agency stresses that there are no expected radiological consequences and no additional damage detected at the site.
Amid ongoing airstrikes, thousands of Chinese nationals have fled Tehran, making the overland journey to Azerbaijan before flying home.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry says more than 3000 Chinese citizens have left since the attacks began.
Chen Mengfei is caught up with one of the first groups of evacuees as they arrived at Beijing Capital International Airport.
It has been nearly five days since the United States and Israel launched military strikes on Iran.
Now, one of the first groups of Chinese nationals who fled Iran has made it back to their home country.
Now that I'm back in my home country, I feel happy, relaxed, at ease.
I can finally get a good night's sleep.
In the early hours of Wednesday morning, flight J267 from Baku touched down at Beijing Capital International Airport.
Among its passengers was a small group of Chinese nationals escaping a war that began with loud explosion in Tehran on the morning of February 28th.
Scared, very scared.
I felt extremely That night, Ms.
Ai joined other Chinese nationals who rented a car and drove through the dark toward Iran's northern border with Azerbaijan.
The Astara crossing is the closest one to Tehran, and the road conditions are relatively good.
The Astara crossing is one of five land border points recommended by the Chinese embassy.
Chinese nationals can enter Azerbaijan visa-free, but the group still face delays at the border.
After hours of coordination by Chinese embassy staff, they were able to cross.
Many others have since followed the same route.
The Chinese embassy greeted the group in Azerbaijan with hot tea and bread and took them to the capital Baku by bus.
While some chose to rest in Baku, others booked the first flight they could find, despite the hefty price tag.
As they returned, the conflict has continued and widened into a regional war.
I felt very emotional when we entered Chinese airspace.
At last, I was back in my home country.
I felt relieved, but I'm still worried about the people back in Iran.
Despite the ordeal they just went through.
For these business people, returning to Iran is a question of when, not if.
My business is all in Iran.
I spend most of my time there.
If I really had to come back to China for good, I wouldn't know what to do.
They choose to hope that peace will come soon because the alternatives are simply unthinkable.
That was Chen Mengfei reporting.
Thousands of Iranians have gathered to mourn 165 students killed by US-Israeli strikes on a school in the southern city of Manab.
In Minab, families are mourning children killed in the strike.
Fresh graves have been prepared as neighbors gather to offer condolences.
Atena, a seven-year-old first-grade student at Shajada Tayiba Girls Elementary School, was among those killed.
I spoke with her grandmother.
I am 18 as grandmother.
She was seven years old and a first-grader.
I am proud to be her grandmother.
Thank you for your condolences.
Her aunt also shared her grief as well as memories she has of Atena.
I am Atena's aunt.
I see nothing but beauty in Atena.
I have been to Karbala more than 10 times, but I see Karbala now with my eyes.
Those who killed these children should know we have other children who can carry the Iranian flag, just like Atena.
I also spoke with the head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society, who confirmed the scale of the tragedy and described the immediate rescue efforts.
The first attack targeted a girls' primary school in the city of Minab.
It was a brutal and sad incident, unprecedented in the history of humanity.
More than 168 children aged 7, and at most nine years old were martyred.
The school was attacked in two phases and unconventional weapons were used in this assault.
Images of children's backpacks and shoes left scattered in the aftermath have circulated widely, intensifying public grief and anger.
Iranian authorities say the strike constitutes a violation of international law.
So many children have lost their lives in Minab.
Families have been forced to bury their little ones, and the depth of their grief is beyond measure.
For many here, the hope is simple.
Never again must tiny graves be dogged.
It's time for a short break.
So far this hour.
China's top political advisory bodies opened its annual session in Beijing one day ahead of meetings by the country's lawmakers.
China's drone sector is transforming business in the skies and changing people's lives.
And the US and Israel continue pounding around with missiles, as Tehran responds with attacks of its own.
Shane Begum with you.
Stay with us here on the Beijing Hour.
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.
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We'll see you there examining the events that impact and shape china and the rest of the world.
This is the beijing hour one hour of news and information brought to you every weekday.
Now here's your host, shane biggum, with you on this wednesday, still to come In business.
China's high-tech sector is emerging as a key driver of economic growth.
In sports, the Chinese teenager is up for a major international award.
In culture and entertainment.
China's National Traditional Orchestra has launched its Year of the Horse music season.
To contact us, you can email radio at cgtn.com or follow our ex-account at CGTN Radio.
First, with the check of the day's headlines, here's Tian Li.
Thank you, Shane.
China's top political advisory body has opened its annual session in Beijing.
National Committee Chairman Wang Huning delivered a work report.
Over the past year, we hosted 98 consultation and deliberation sessions in various forms.
The National Committee received a total of 5992 proposals, of which 5061 were accepted, for processing.
The response rate for accepted proposals was 999.
During the seven-day session, national political advisers will deliberate on the work report and another report on the handling of proposals.
China says its neighborhood diplomacy remains a top priority, as the country works to promote regional peace, stability and development.
Luo Qingjian, spokesperson for the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress, says how a major country engages with its neighbors reflects its worldview and values.
On China-US relations, Luo said the two major countries should respect each other and pursue peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation.
He added that China is willing to strengthen communication with the United States at all levels to expand space for bilateral cooperation while firmly safeguarding its sovereignty, security and development interests.
Liu also said China stands ready to work with Europe to expand cooperation.
Israel has threatened to kill whoever Iran picks to be the country's next supreme leader.
Defense Minister Israel Katz says every leader to Iran chooses to continue the plan to destroy Israel and threaten the United States will be a target for elimination.
On Tuesday, Israel targeted a building linked to Iran's Assembly of Experts, which will select the new supreme leader.
Reports suggest the selection may be postponed until next week.
Iran has announced that the funeral for late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei is taking place on Wednesday, with ceremonies lasting for three days.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has responded to threats made by U.S.
President Donald Trump to cut off trade between the two countries over Madrid's opposition to the bombing of Iran.
In a televised address, Sanchez said the government's position could be summarized with the words Meanwhile, the Spanish government says it has the necessary resources to contain the potential impact of a trade embargo.
The government said it will support sectors that may be affected and promote supply chain diversification.
U.S.
Homeland Security Secretary, Christine Noem, has defended her department's immigration enforcement tactics in front of a Senate committee.
Noem also pushed back against criticism from Democrats, who said she wrongly disparaged two protesters killed by federal officers in Minneapolis earlier this year.
This was her first congressional appearance since the shooting deaths of the protesters sparked widespread opposition to how the Trump administration is executing its deportation agenda.
During the hearing, Noam defended her agency's treatment of immigrants caught up in enforcement activities and blamed activists and others for attacks against officers.
The immigration tactics of Noam's department have triggered a clash in Congress over its routine funding, although a spending bill passed last year granted it an infusion of cash for the deportation policy.
Authorities say at least 41 people have died in Peru amid this year's rainy season.
The health ministry says dozens of others suffered injuries.
Last week, the government declared a 60-day state of emergency across several regions to address the risks posed by ongoing intense rainfall.
Australian researchers have developed a rapid and low-cost saliva diagnostic tool that could enable early screening for several common cancers.
The team at Queensland University of Technology developed a saliva test for a protein biomarker linked with several kinds of cancers.
The testing technique uses paper coated in gold and silver nanoparticles to create a sensor.
Experts say the method could shorten diagnosis time to minutes instead of hours or days, and is cost effective.
Thank you very much.
That's Tianli with Headlines.
Coming up in business, China's high-tech sector is emerging as a key driver of economic growth.
Thank you Shane.
Major stock markets around the world have seen sharp falls because of the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.
South Korea's market led the losses in Asia, prompting the country's sports operator to trigger circuit breakers following a bout of panic selling.
The benchmark KOSPI tumbled nearly 500 points, or around 12%.
Japan's Nikkei lost over 3.6%.
Stock markets on the Chinese mainland also closed lower on Wednesday.
The Shanghai composite was down nearly 1%.
The Shenzhen component lost almost 0.8%.
Forestry and grid equipment shares led the gainers.
Also on Wednesday, the Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong declined over 2%.
Analysts have warned the global economy could plunge into a dire situation, as US-Israel strikes on Iran will deal a heavy blow to global energy supplies, trade and equity markets.
China reported accelerated integration of technological and industrial innovation in 2025, with high-tech emerging as a key driver of economic growth.
High-tech sales revenue rose nearly 14% on a yearly basis.
Lithium battery manufacturing, integrated circuits and biological medicines reflected notable breakthroughs in strategic industries.
The AI Plus initiative has rapidly gained traction, feeling a more than 60 revenue spike in consumer robotics manufacturing.
Meanwhile, generative AI is penetrating deeply into daily life and production.
By December, China boosted over 600 million generative AI users, representing nearly 43 of all netizens.
With over 6000 AI enterprises, China has become the world's largest holder of AI patents, providing strong momentum for the country's digital and intelligent transformation.
China's purchasing managers' index for manufacturing eased in January due to seasonal factors, while business confidence improved and high-tech manufacturing maintained growth momentum.
The PMI came in at 49, down 0.3 points from the previous month.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the extended Spring Festival holiday temporarily weighed on corporate production and business activities, leading to an overall decline in manufacturing activity.
Industries, including agriculture, food processing, as well as computer communication and electronic equipment, all saw their production and new order indices remain in expansion territory.
The PMI for high-tech manufacturing stood at 515, outperforming the overall manufacturing sector, maintaining sound growth momentum.
The PMI for consumer goods rose 05 points on a monthly basis to 488, revealing an improvement in the business climate.
Meanwhile, the PMI for the non-manufacturing sector came in at 495 last month, up 01 points from the previous month.
Boosted by the Spring Festival holiday industries, including accommodation catering, sport and entertainment.
All recorded readings above 60, indicating strong growth in business activity.
For more, Lily Lu spoke with Associate Professor Shi Fanqi from Peking University.
If we look at services PMI data, that number actually has been seeing a long-term expansion.
What do you think is underpinning this expansion and how sustainable is it?
I believe there are three main reasons behind it.
First is because of the pandemic and the current sustained social pressure.
So, because of the pandemic and the sustained social pressure, there is the shift of consumer preferences toward immediate experiences.
So that's why we see the service sector is expanding rapidly.
And the second factor is that we see nowadays there are a lot of powerful online intermediaries such as Douyin and also like Jingdong, etc.
So these kind of intermediaries, they drastically improve accessibility of offline services so that a better integration of offline online services.
So that's why we see that there are more actually supply or actually more consumption of these uh of the service sector.
The third thing is uh, over the past uh two years.
So china's slightly opening up, so we see more inventory that also contributes to the growth in the civic sector.
This is not only a short-term path but probably a little bit of a long-term trend, but of course it's not guaranteed.
So one thing I've stressed is that we still face sustained social pressure.
So when there is sustained social pressure, people tend to go for immediate gratification.
But only if there is a sufficient, there's still a reasonable amount of income.
But if this uncertainty lingers on, then we are not so sure about this sustained growth in the service sector.
How is AI going to change the services sector?
Is this going to reshape services consumption and productivity?
Yeah, I believe so.
I believe that is a global phenomenon.
One thing very special about the service sector is that most service sector jobs are like intermediaries, for example, like delivery services, customer services.
So actually an influential published in one of the leading economics journals, Journal of Political Economy last year, Edie and Telemus.
They basically formulated a model where they showed that the AI will basically serve as the lowest quality or lowest ability problem solver or intermediary.
Going into the practical phenomenon, that means that many simple and standardized intermediary jobs, such as customer services, food delivery, could face the largest disruption.
That's the first aspect.
The second aspect is we see that the emergence of AI does bring very significant productive gains across many services sectors, such as healthcare, finance and retail.
So basically, in these sectors, they can significantly complement existing services.
And the third aspect is that we also see, because of the emergence of AI, there is actually growing or paradoxically, there is actually growing demand for human-centered services, such as those services that involve human interaction and mental comfort.
And examples like that include like counseling or high-end sales.
So that means there are likely to be a huge disruption, probably at least in the short run.
But in the long run then we can shift toward those human-centered services which may be a long way forward.
That was Associate Professor Xu Fengqi from Peking University.
Global air travel has been thrown into chaos.
Thousands of flights have been cancelled worldwide, leaving passengers stranded.
The UAE is launching flights to help repatriate those affected, while major European airports face mass cancellations.
A small number of airlines are beginning to restore limited routes.
Ray Addison has more from London.
We know that we've had at least 4,000 canceled flights since the conflict began.
We are starting to see some good news.
The UAE Civil Aviation Authority say that special flights to begin operating across the UAE airports to allow departure of stranded passengers.
So Fly Dubai said they'd be operating four flights to Russian destinations.
And also services from three airports in Pakistan and one from Somaliland will be returning to Dubai.
Of course, here at London Heathrow, we know that there's been at least 28 cancelled flights alone.
But of course, it's not just Heathrow, it's Gatwick.
It's Stansted, it's smaller airports here in the UK like Birmingham as well.
They've all been impacted too.
If we look a little bit wider across Europe, we've heard a little bit of good news rather bad news from the German Airport Association.
They've said that their eight largest airports in Germany have cancelled more than 450 flights right up to March the 5th.
So that is certainly not good news there across Europe.
We've also seen cancellations from Aegean in Greece, Air France, KLM.
I could go on and on.
And as we look at the rest of the world as well, we're seeing that airlines such as Virgin Australia, Air India, Cafe Pacific, Japan Airlines as well, have all been impacted.
Although we have heard from Air India Express, they plan to resume operations to and from Muscat in Oman.
The beginnings of some airlines starting to schedule the flights, mainly focused on getting stranded passengers back home.
And hopefully more flights will follow, which would be good news for travelers.
There was Ray Addison reporting.
Now, a China pavilion has debuted at the 2026 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
It features major Chinese companies, including China Mobile, Huawei and Xiaomi, showcasing their latest advancements in mobile communications and AI technologies.
This year's Mobile World Congress focuses on intelligent infrastructure, AI connectivity and integration, and enterprise-level AI applications.
Attendees have highlighted the persuasive impact of artificial intelligence on personal routines and professional workflows.
Network capabilities centering around AI applications have also dominated discussions, where many companies unveiled their vision for 6G technology.
I was a one song with business.
You're listening to the Beijing hour coming up in sports a Chinese teenagers up for a major international award.
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.
47 past now, and turning to sports, here's Yang Guang.
Thank you, Shane.
13-year-old Chinese swimmer, Yu Zidi, has been nominated for the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Awards, making her one of the youngest contenders in the event's history.
She claimed the bronze in the 4x200m freestyle at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, becoming the youngest swimmer ever to win a World Championship medal.
Yu also reached two individual finals, finishing fourth in both.
Her rivals include Formula One champion Lando Norris, World Darts champion Luke Littler and Paris Saint-Germain footballer Dizihi Dewey.
The Laureus Award ceremony takes place in Madrid on April 20th.
In football, Atletico Madrid are through to the Copa del Rey final for the first time since 2013, but not without a scare.
This came despite a 3-0 defeat away to Barcelona on Tuesday, as their 4-0 first leg win in Madrid secured a 4-3 aggregate semi-final victory.
Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick says his side must accept the result.
I think it was an amazing game from us.
I think also we had created a lot of chances to score out some more goals.
So at the end it didn't happen.
So we have to accept it.
Barcelona dominated from the start, knowing they needed four goals to force extra time mark.
Bernal struck twice with a rafinha penalty in between to spark hopes of a dramatic comeback.
But barcelona could not find the fourth goal they needed, despite late pressure.
Atletico will face either Real Sociedad or Athletic Club in the final on April 18th.
In the English Premier League, the struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers stunned Liverpool 2-1 at Molineux on Tuesday.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slott admitted his side must address their habit of conceding late goals if they are to rescue a troubled season.
Same old story.
Recently, we are picking up points because we've scored many times from set pieces.
But what did not change in the last five six, seven games is that we struggle and find it very hard to score from the open play chances that we do create.
Not as much as I would like from all the ball possession we have, but enough, and far more than the other team.
It was Liverpool's ninth league defeat and could see the defending champion slip to sixth if Chelsea beats Aston Villa on Wednesday.
The top four qualify for the Champions League, with the Premier League also in line for a fifth spot, due to a strong European result.
Liverpool now trails leaders Arsenal by 16 points.
Como and Inter Milan played out a squally straw in the first leg of their Italian Cup semi-final on Tuesday.
The two sides managed just one shot on target between them.
Inter has won the Italian Cup nine times, while Como is chasing their first top-level trophy.
The second leg is scheduled for April 22.
Real Madrid has announced that Brazilian forward Rodrigo suffered a knee injury during Monday's 1-0 loss to Getafe.
He will undergo surgery and will be out for at least nine months, ruling him out for the rest of the season and the FIFA World Cup in the summer.
The setback comes a day after the club confirmed Kylian Mbappe sidelined with a knee strain just a week before their Champions League last-16 first leg against Manchester City.
Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti has his assessing players and organising preparations ahead of this year's FIFA World Cup in North America.
The five-time champions opened Group C against Morocco on June 13th.
They will play two friendlies later this month against France in Boston on March 26th and Croatia in Orlando on March 31st.
Felipe Luiz says he leaves Flamengo with no regrets following his dismissal as head coach.
The former Brazil international thanked the club's board, players and fans in an Instagram post.
His exit comes three months after leading Flamengo to the Copa Libertadores and the Brazilian League titles.
During 17 months in charge, he oversaw 63 wins, 21 draws and 16 losses, securing five trophies.
Local media report Portuguese manager Leonardo Jardim is the leading candidate to take over.
And finally, in the NBA, the San Antonio Spurs crushed Philadelphia 76ers 131-91 on Tuesday, bouncing back from their first loss in 12 games.
Dylan Harper and Devin Vassell each scored 22 points, while Victor Wimbanyama added 10, as the Spurs hit 18 three-pointers and led by 49 after three quarters.
Philadelphia missing Joel Embiid and Paul George managed just 11 points in the third quarter.
Thank you very much.
That's Yong Guang with sports.
You're listening to the Beijing Hour.
Coming up in culture and entertainment.
China's National Traditional Orchestra has launched its Year of the Horse music season.
People in China are chasing their dreams and leaving their mark, Want to know how they beat their odds and made a difference.
Footprints brings you the true life stories of their journeys 52 past the hour.
Turning to culture and entertainment.
The China National Traditional Orchestra has launched its Year of the Horse music season.
It opened on Lantern Festival on Tuesday and will run through Chinese New Year 2027.
Each concert is themed around the changing seasons, traditional festivals and solar terms, with musical pieces designed to reflect these cultural rhythms.
The grand opening concert was at Beijing's National Center for the Performing Arts.
Across China, stage productions seem to be finding new ways to bring tradition to life.
Familiar cultural symbols like kung fu and Chinese poetry are being reimagined for modern audiences.
Lin Lin explores how creators are blending artistry, imagination and even new technology to produce these performances.
In Chinese culture, spring rain carries the promise of renewal and new beginnings, themes that resonate deeply with the Spring Festival.
For the 2026 Spring Festival.
Gala producers saw it as a perfect image to bring to life through dance.
To evoke falling rain, the team drew on attire from the Tang Dynasty.
Bamboo hats lined with strands of beads that sway and shimmer as the dancers move.
This hat lets us capture the flow of raindrops, like pearls falling onto a jade plate.
It makes the rain feel real, almost something you can touch.
Behind the visuals, the choreography draws from classical poems, their descriptive language, shaping the rhythm, flow and mood of the performance.
We selected a few keywords from ancient Chinese poems to guide the dance.
Lian Xian captures the slow, gentle drizzle, vertical lines of rain with subtle swaying and slow up and down motions.
Taozhu as small bounces with feet tapping and twisting to mimic raindrops.
The gaming place where the beats fan out like silver threads of falling rain, sometimes even invoking a heavier downpour.
Chinese martial arts have a long history, but seeing them performed by humanoid robots feels like a glimpse into the future.
At the 2026 Spring Festival Gala, the robots move with greater precision and flexibility.
Leaner, smoother, and more capable than before.
We wanted to present something fresh to the audience while showing how far the technology had come.
Just a year ago, robots were trolling handkerchiefs.
Now they're performing sophisticated martial arts fight sequences.
Last year's robot was bigger and less agile.
This year it's smaller, only 132 meters tall, but it moves smoothly, with strength and precision almost like a real human.
The technical advancements reflect quantum leaps and robotics, where machines are learning to see, decide and move with increasing coordination.
That was Lin Lin reporting.
Chinese films are expanding rapidly on the global stage in 2026, moving from limited screenings to wide international releases.
American producer Andre Morgan says the shift reflects higher production standards and stronger global storytelling.
So kudos to the Chinese industry in terms of pulling up their socks and now being able to generate world class from a production point of view, films and from an entertainment point of view, films that can engage audiences outside of China.
On the first day of the Chinese New Year.
Titles including Scare Out, Blades of the Guardians and Panda Plan, The Magical Tribe, premiered in markets across North America Britain, Singapore and Malaysia.
According to Malaysian media, China Press Blades of the Guardians earned nearly 26 million in Malaysia.
57 past the hour.
Checking the forecast before we go.
Beijing will see a light snowfall.
That's tonight and through tomorrow.
A low of minus 2.
The high is plus 2 on Thursday.
Shanghai's overcast and 8 degrees this evening.
Then a light rainfall in 14.
Chongqing's cloudy and down to 12.
Then a light rain in 20.
Nanchang's overcast and 8 degrees this evening.
Then cloudy in 16.
Last is minus 2 overnight.
Then sunny and 18.
Elsewhere in Asia, Islamabad will be cloudy and down to 17.
Then Thursday is overcast and 32.
Vientiane is getting a light rain.
Overnight and tomorrow, a low of 21, a high of 32.
Phnom Penh is getting some rainfall, rather 23 this evening, then moderate rain and 34.
In Africa, Nairobi is getting heavy rainfall and 22 degrees on Thursday.
And that's it for this edition of the Beijing Hour.
Making news today, China's top political advisory bodies opened its annual session in Beijing one day ahead of meetings of the country's lawmakers.
And China's drone sector is transforming business in the skies and changing people's lives.
On behalf of the staff.
This is Shane Biggum in the Chinese capital, hoping you'll join us for the next edition of The Beijing Hour and open a window to the world together.
Find The Beijing Hour at precisely 6 p.m.
Beijing time.
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 a living from the river.
Would you like to move away from the Yellow River?
I don't think I will.
I love it so much.
The Yellow River, the second longest river in China, is regarded as a shaping force in the history, economy and culture of northern China.
Today, about 100 million people live within its water basin, making up nearly 9 of the country's population.
How is climate change felt at its headwaters? what are the locals doing to cope with it?
What are the descendants of the boatmen doing?
What has kept some people from leaving their home village by the river?
And what has drawn others back?
Could the fading fishing community revive in a time of digital transformation?
From 2021 to 2024.
Our reporters visited the upper, middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River.
Talk to the herders farmers boatmen, fishermen and eco-activists who share a close bond with the river.
And present their stories in pictures, podcasts and videos.
All in our 12-part series, The Yellow River Mosaic.
Available only on CGTN Radio.
