The unmissable news stories of the day.
This is the beijing hour, examining the events that impact and shape china and the rest of the world.
This is the beijing hour one hour of news and information brought to you every weekday.
Now here's your host, shane biggum, with you on this wednesday, november 26, 2025.
You're listening to the beijing hour coming to you live from the chinese capital.
On today's program, the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office has blasted officials of the Democratic Progressive Party Authority for hyping tensions across the Taiwan Strait.
China and Tonga are hoping that an economic and trade partnership will yield mutually beneficial results, and Ukraine says it's reached an understanding with the United States on a peace plan to end the conflict with Russia.
In business, Shanghai Stock Exchange is marking 35 years of trading.
In sports.
The flame-lighting ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics is coming up next week in culture and entertainment, and China's announced the mascot for next year's Spring Festival celebration.
Now the day's top stories.
A spokesperson on the Chinese mainland has blasted officials of the Democratic Progressive Party Authority for hyping up tensions across the Taiwan Strait for political gains.
Peng Ching-un of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office was responding to questions about high-level DPP officials defending the Japanese prime minister's recent remarks.
The mainland official warned the DPP authority that any attempt at independence will fail.
He also spoke about the phone call between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S.
President Donald Trump, where the two leaders reaffirmed the importance of the Taiwan question.
Zhang Yibing has more.
When asked about the phone talk between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S.
President Donald Trump on Monday.
What the spokesperson answered sends the powerful message to Japan and to the separatists in China's Taiwan region that mispopulation will not be allowed.
In the call between the two presidents, President Xi reaffirmed China's principled position on the Taiwan question and underscored the need for both countries to jointly uphold the post-war settlement.
His remarks provide important guidance for our work related to Taiwan.
We will work with compatriots across the strait to remember history, safeguard the outcomes of victory, cherish peace and create the future.
We firmly oppose separatist activities for Taiwan independence, advance peaceful cross-strait development and safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
Takahichi's remarks grossly interfere in China's internal affairs.
Japan should immediately correct its mistakes and retract the erroneous statements.
As for Lai Ching-te, he may enjoy his pro-Japan meal, but what he is doing is selling out Taiwan.
His words and actions are disgraceful and reveal his betrayal of the nation.
We sternly warn the Lai administration.
Those who rely on external forces will only humiliate themselves, and those who betray their nation will face the judgment of justice.
Takeuchi's remarks triggered sharp criticism and protests also in the Taiwan region.
At least 30 organizations on the island made a joint statement requesting Takeuchi to retract her wrong remarks.
Today's press conference, the spokesperson made a comment on the protests in Taiwan against the right-wing forces in Japan.
Resolving the Taiwan question is China's internal affair, and foreign forces have no right to interfere.
Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi's open, provocative remarks on the Taiwan question have crossed the red line, sparking strong condemnation from compatriots on both sides of the strait.
The vast majority of Taiwan compatriots have solemnly protested and demanded Takaichi to immediately retract her words and publicly apologize.
Japan bears historical responsibility to the Chinese people on the Taiwan question.
After the First Sino-Japanese War, Japan forcibly occupied Taiwan and carried out 50 years of colonial rule, committing countless crimes in Taiwan.
History cannot be overturned, achievements must be defended, and justice must be upheld.
Compatriots on both sides of the strait must uphold the greater good of the nation and resolutely oppose all Taiwan independence, separatist acts and foreign interference.
Well, the spokesperson also warns against Japan's deployment of offensive weapons in southwest islands close to China's Taiwan region.
He said, Taiwan is an integral part of China and China will never allow external forces to interfere in the Taiwan region and will never allow the Japanese militarism to rise again.
That was Zhang Yibing reporting.
China says Japan's claims that its position on the Taiwan question has not changed is nowhere near enough.
The foreign ministry questioned what Tokyo's consistent stance is and whether it still adheres to the one China principle.
A ministry spokesperson said trying to gloss it over with vague concepts while avoiding substantive issues will not work.
The official also stressed that resolving the Taiwan question and achieving reunification is entirely China's internal affair.
Hundreds of Japanese protesters have again gathered in front of Prime Minister Sanae Takeuchi's official residence in Tokyo, urging her to withdraw her statements on Taiwan.
They also voiced opposition to her government's planned military moves.
Takeuchi made such a stupid statement.
She even proposed a significant increase in defense spending.
No matter what you think, all of this is tantamount to preparing for war.
As a japanese citizen, we must oppose this.
Friendship between japan and china is important.
The japanese had previously invaded china, causing great harm to the chinese people.
These are all historical facts.
We must build friendly relations between japan and china on the basis of profound self-reflection.
After Japan's defeat and surrender in World War II, it adopted Article 9 of the pacifist constitution.
We must firmly oppose any attempt to break this pacifist constitution.
For the people of Asia.
It is wrong that the Japanese government, after its defeat and surrender, has not only obscured its war responsibilities but also embarked on a path of military expansion.
Demonstrators held signs opposing war and military expansion.
We spoke with Okinawa peace activist Yoshiko Uema about the cost of war.
Uema worked at a U.S. military base during the Vietnam War.
And she spoke about the lessons from the Battle of Okinawa during World War II and shared her thoughts on the expansion of Japan's self-defense forces.
War may protect land, but it doesn't protect the people.
One of the lessons from Okinawa is that the military does not safeguard civilians.
One in four Okinawans were killed during the war.
It's been 80 years since then, but things haven't improved.
In some ways, they've gotten worse.
The majority of U.S. forces in Japan are still based here in Okinawa.
And now, the Japanese self-defense forces are expanding too in Yonaguni, Ishigaki and Miyako.
Japan's constitution says we will not maintain an army.
But in reality, the self-defense forces already function like one.
That promise in the Constitution is essentially being ignored.
War also consumes enormous amounts of money.
The spending we're seeing now will become national debt, and the young will be the ones who bear that burden.
And that was Japanese activist Yoshiko Uema on the consequences of war.
China's cancelled flights and issued travel advisories for its citizens, following Japanese Prime Minister Sonai Takeuchi's remarks on Taiwan.
Tsai Jafu, an art school teacher from Guangdong in southern China, says he's following the warnings.
I originally planned to visit Hokkaido during the winter break to see the snow.
As someone from the south, I've never seen real snow before.
But recently there's been a lot of negative news about the security situation in Japan, so I don't want to go anymore.
Luckily, flight cancellation are free now, and I'm just following the national policy.
Anyway, there are plenty of places in China that can be good alternatives.
I was also thinking of going to Harbin to see the snow, so this works out fine too.
Like Tsai, Zhou Jie from Beijing is also rethinking his travel plans.
Quite a few of my friends had planned to visit Japan at the end of this year, but now most of them are thinking twice.
Some can't get refunds for their flights or hotels, though they are still going as planned.
Others have simply decided to give up their trips.
Since most people still want to travel abroad, they are generally switching to other Southeast Asian destinations like Thailand, which is just.
The cancellations and travel warnings are also affecting airlines.
Several carriers are now rerouting flights, adjusting schedules and even suspending some services to Japan in response to lower demand.
For many travelers, the focus has shifted from long-planned international trips to safer, closer alternatives, highlighting how swiftly geopolitical tensions can ripple through everyday life.
Business owners in Okinawa's pillar industries, such as tourism and fisheries, are facing immense pressure under the loss of Chinese tourists and customers.
Seafood exports to China account for 15% of the prefecture's total export volume.
Local business owners have expressed hope for the diplomatic tensions to ease.
Shane Hamm has more from Okinawa.
The fallout from Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takeuchi's comments on Taiwan is resonating through ferry port terminals in Okinawa Prefecture.
Now.
Normally, this terminal would be buzzing with hundreds of travelers from all over the world, including China.
But just last week, local reports say a Chinese-run cruise ship carrying about 1500 passengers entered port at the nearby city of Miyakojima, then turned back without letting anyone off.
City authorities there now say at least three additional port calls have been canceled for next month.
To make matters worse, nearby business owners are feeling a knock-on effect with lighter foot traffic there.
There are also reports of group tour reservations and hotel bookings falling through.
Honestly.
Yes, I'm a bit worried about the political situation, but I also think things will go back to normal.
I feel like this might just be temporary, so I'm not too concerned.
Honestly, China is probably the most important country for Japan, in terms of both imports and exports.
If Japan lost China, the economy would collapse.
So I don't think things will escalate into a real conflict.
Officials say the cancellations appeared tied to escalating tensions between China and Japan after the Japanese prime minister indicated the country could come to Taiwan's defense in a crisis.
Here on Okinawa, where the local economy leans heavily on tourism shops restaurants, hotels and docks appear to already be feeling the effects of the diplomatic chill.
That was Shane Hamm reporting.
Coming up, China and Tonga hope for a mutually beneficial trade deal.
India has fully restored global visa services for Chinese travelers.
What's behind the policy change?
Can they realistically expect a quick rebound in Chinese tourist numbers?
What are the biggest factors holding Chinese travelers back?
And could this full restoration of visas become a genuine turning point in China-India relations?
Tune in for insights beyond the headlines in this week's Chat Lounge, wherever you listen to podcasts and on CGTN Radio.
At 12 minutes past the hour.
China and Tonga said they hope negotiations on an economic and trade partnership will yield mutually beneficial outcomes.
In a joint statement issued during Tongan King Tupou VI's state visit to China, the two sides congratulated each other on the signing of a framework deal on upgrading the economic partnership.
The two countries also agreed to further align the Belt and Road Initiative with Tonga's strategic development framework.
Tonga reiterated its commitment to the One China principle and expressed support for or China on issues related to Hong Kong Shenzhen, Xinjiang and human rights.
China pledged assistance in various fields.
King Tupou VI and his wife have visited the Museum of the Communist Party of China in Beijing.
Chen Mengfei has more.
Opened in 2021, the year of the party's centenary, the Museum of the Communist Party of China welcomed its latest royal guest on Tuesday afternoon.
King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasi Pau of Tonga toured the museum's vast halls as part of their packed itinerary in a week-long state visit to the country.
Accompanied by the Chinese ambassador to Tonga, the monarchs walked through exhibitions covering the past 100 years of the party and the country's journey from revolution and war to modernization and prosperity.
Tech-enhanced displays such as immersive cinemas and simulated rides were woven throughout the nearly two-hour tour, which concluded with the gift exchange ceremony.
This is King Tupou VI's second stay visit to China, seven years after his first.
His trip is expected to end on Thursday.
Now as Chen Mengfei in Beijing.
A trade volume between China and Tonga hit nearly $70 million last year, up more than 21%.
More than 400 Tongan students have pursued studies in China on scholarships, while China has provided nearly 1500 training opportunities to support local capacity building efforts in Tonga.
China's fifth medical mission to the Pacific Island nations treated over 3000 patients, bringing essential health care services to some of the country's most remote communities.
Chinese agriculture experts are helping diversify local crop varieties, introduce advanced farming technologies and train more than 9000 Tongans in modern agricultural skills.
The two nations are also cooperating in climate and energy initiatives.
A Chinese-assisted wind power project is now fully operational to meet nearly 7 of Tonga's total electricity demand.
That's sufficient to power 5000 households.
We spoke with Tonga China Friendship Association Secretary-General Ciamolai Latu, who said the King's state visit also confirms the strategic role of China in the Pacific Islands and outlines the strategic planning for bilateral relations.
This is the second state visit of His Majesty to the People's Republic of China.
First of all, I'd like to mention here that the cooperation between China and the Kingdom of Tonga I think the second visit of His Majesty the King reaffirmed our stance, our firm assurance of our support of one China principle, first of all.
And I think this state visit really confirmed the strategic role of China in the Pacific Island, including Tonga, that Xi Jinping announced during his first visit to the South Pacific Island in 2014, to Fiji, to meet the Pacific Islands leaders.
And first of his visit that he announced is to build a strategic partnership featuring mutual and common development.
China's role is to respect the social system and development paths chosen by each of the Pacific Island countries in line with their national conditions, which is very important.
And secondly, he announced, you know, to enhance the high-level exchanges, signed out, welcome leaders from Pacific Island, including this state visit by his bachelors, in order to outline strategic planning and top-level designing for bilateral relations.
That was the former Tongan ambassador on the kingdom's developing ties with China.
Coming up, Ukraine says it's reached a common understanding with the U.S. on a peace plan.
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17 minutes past the hour.
Ukraine says it has reached a common understanding with the United States on a peace deal aimed at ending the conflict with Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says the peace plan discussed in Geneva could be developed further.
Kyiv's National Security Chief says Zelensky could visit the US soon to make a deal with President Donald Trump.
Audrey McAlpine has more from Kyiv.
There were largely positive feelings coming out of these peace talks between Ukraine and the United States.
Zelensky, in his address, he spoke to that.
Let's hear what he had to say.
Our team has already reported today on the new draft of steps, and this is truly the right approach.
The sensitive issues, the most delicate points, I will discuss with President Trump.
Ukraine will never be an obstacle to peace.
This is our principle, a shared principle, and millions of Ukrainians are counting on and deserve a just peace.
We will do everything for this.
We are ready to work as quickly as possible.
Now, while Zelensky is hopeful to have a meeting with President Trump to discuss some of the more important, some of the more controversial points of this 28-point plan, we have heard reports from Caroline Levitt, the spokesperson for the White House, that there are no current plans for this meeting between the US president and between Vladimir Zelensky.
Now we do know that the plan, the architecture of this plan, has changed slightly, from what was a 28-point peace plan now to a roughly 19-point peace plan.
I guess a lot of these points that have been removed have to do with Europe and NATO succession.
But at the moment, while Zelensky is hopeful to meet with the president, there is no firm date on when that might happen.
Kremlin says U.S.
President Donald Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, is visiting Moscow next week.
The U.S.
Army says American officials held talks with Russian officials earlier in the week in Abu Dhabi on the draft proposal.
Washington says neither side in Sudan's civil conflict has accepted a US proposed peace plan, despite the paramilitary RSF's announcement of a unilateral truce.
A U.S. envoy said they have presented the plan to the Sudanese army and the rapid support forces.
The U.S. has rejected demands for preconditions.
The Sudanese army has accused the RSF of staging an attack despite declaring a ceasefire.
Nabet Moheddin has more from Port Sudan.
Despite the diplomatic efforts and pressure by the US to keep their momentum alive, the situation on the ground is still the same.
Neither the RSF or the Sudanese army have not yet committed or accepted the ceasefire plan without conditions.
We saw earlier that the Sudanese army has some conditions.
They said they are conditioning some people some things before signing any agreements or before any agreement will be binding to the Sudanese army and the Ba'ath government.
But U.S. is apparently rejecting any conditions to the humanitarian ceasefire.
And they said any proposal should be neutral, operational and, of course, focusing on protecting civilians.
So at this time, the progress is very slow.
On the RSF side, the picture also is not clear.
Despite that, the RSF made headlines on Monday by saying they are accepting unilateral cessation of hostilities.
But people who are close to the talks and analysts also think that there is no assurances that the RSF offer still stands.
So it's unclear whether the RSF are just making a political maneuver by saying that they are accepting unilateral cessation of hostilities, or it's a step towards the peaceful resolution.
On the ground, nothing has changed.
Since the proposal started on September, the two parties have put conditions in order to build the trust between the two parties and to go in any negotiations.
Analysts on the ground and observers say the upcoming days will be very critical if the two parties can be pursued without conditions, which will be a rare opening towards resolving the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, because the three-month humanitarian ceasefire is designed to at least allow the humanitarian aid delivery for millions of people who are still trapped in the country, especially in conflict zones.
So the upcoming days will determine whether the two That was Nebo Moheddin reporting.
As Thanksgiving approaches, millions of American families are struggling to put food on the table.
Prices have surged nearly 30% since 2020.
And the recent government shutdown, the longest in US history, left many federal workers and families on food assistance scrambling.
While the shutdown's over, hunger remains a concern in communities across the country.
Nitsa Soledad Perez reports from a food assistance point in Miami.
The line stretches almost to the highway in West Kendall, Florida.
Hundreds of families waiting for a free Thanksgiving turkey they otherwise couldn't afford to buy.
Right now, everything is super expensive.
Groceries with 100 bucks, you can't buy anything, basically.
Pastor Conrad Molleda's church has run this food distribution event recently. for 15 years.
He says this year, the need is different.
We have little old ladies that show up to our distribution and break out in tears because they didn't know where their next meal was going to come from.
The nonprofit group Feeding South Florida operates a warehouse in Pembroke Park, where daily demand quadrupled during the recent US government shutdown and is expected to rise further still.
Starting October 1st, we had about 40 folks that were coming in.
And then by the end of that month, by the end of October, we were looking at 120 folks coming into our facility.
Now we're up to 160 and we're projecting that we're going to have, closer to the holidays, 180 per day coming to our pantry.
Many who come here struggle with the shame of needing help.
This woman works at a pharmaceutical warehouse but still cannot make ends meet.
What I make is not enough to pay for food.
I need to pay rent.
Life is hard right now.
The 43-day government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history, hit federal workers first.
Then the ripple effect spread.
And a lot of these families who were negatively impacted by the shutdown through no fault of their own are folks who take care of everybody else, right.
Folks who are taking care of us at the airports, folks who are taking care of us at the seas and the borders, folks who are taking care of us at the checkout lines at the restaurants.
Government data show food prices are up 29% since 2020.
Yet Congress voted to cut 186 billion from the federal food assistance program over the next 10 years, as outlined in the Trump administration's so-called Big Beautiful Bill.
That was Nitsa Soledad Perez on Americans struggling with hunger.
Palestinian UN Ambassador, Riyad Mansour, has urged countries that have not recognized the state of Palestine to take this courageous step, noting that Palestinians have recognized Israel since 1993.
He was speaking at a UN meeting marking the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Our people are still enduring the devastation of the war in Gaza and continued violations in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
The occupation's policies of settlement expansion and annexation, along with settlement-driven violence carried out under army protection, continue to inflict deep human suffering and serious breaches of human rights and international law.
UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock said self-determination is a right, not a privilege.
The next steps are clear.
The ceasefire agreement must be implemented in all its phases leading to a permanent end of hostilities, including a political plan.
Hamas laying down its weapons, Israel's army to withdraw in full end of settlement and demolishment in the West Bank, unifying West Bank and Gaza.
Meantime, Chinese President Xi Jinping also sent a message to the meeting.
He called on the international community to secure a lasting ceasefire in Gaza and prevent renewed fighting and improve humanitarian conditions.
The Chinese president stressed that reconstruction should respect the will of the Palestinian people and that efforts must focus on a two-state solution for an early political settlement.
The United Nations has officially launched the selection process for its next Secretary General.
General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock says the world is looking to the next UN chief for strong, effective leadership on peace and security, human rights and development.
She described the selection as a pivotal moment for the organization and said the decision will send a powerful message about the UN's commitment to serving all people, including women and girls.
I'm convinced that the decision about the future leadership of this organization is also about credibility to practice what we preach on transparency and inclusivity.
As a decision does not only concern a few, but all of us in and outside the United Nations.
Candidates will submit a vision statement, CV, and campaign financing disclosures.
Antonio Guterres' current term as UN Secretary General ends on December 31, 2026.
Paris prosecutors have announced four more arrests in connection with the Louvre Museum jewel heist, valued at more than 100 million US dollars.
The suspects, two men and two women from the Paris region aged 31 to 40, are now in custody.
But authorities have not detailed their roles in the October 19th theft.
The stolen items, including a diamond and emerald necklace gifted by Napoleon to Empress Marie Louise, remains missing.
Police had previously arrested other members of the four-person team believed to have carried out the robbery.
The BBC's chairman says the broadcaster was too slow to respond to a misleading edit in a documentary about US President Donald Trump, but denies its impartiality is under threat.
Samir Shah told lawmakers that delays in correcting mistakes only turn issues into political footballs.
He and other BBC leaders were questioned by Parliament after the Director General and Head of News resigned and after Trump threatened a billion-dollar lawsuit.
The dispute stems from a documentary aired just before the 2024 US election, where a production company spliced together parts of Trump's January 6th speech to make it sound like a single call to fight like hell.
Shaw has apologized to the White House, but the BBC says it did not defame Trump.
Legal experts say Trump is unlikely to win a case in either the UK or the US, noting that he was ultimately elected president in 2024.
A pioneering EU project to store planet-warming carbon dioxide beneath the North Sea is set to launch next year.
Enneos Energy says its Greensand future site will begin by storing fossil fuels 400000 metric tons of CO2 a year, scaling up to 8 million tons by 2030.
Supporters say carbon capture is part of the climate solution and note the EU has plans to expand CO2 storage to 280 million tons annually by 2040.
Critics warn that carbon capture remains small-scale and energy-intensive.
At 29 past the hour, Beijing cloudy through tomorrow with a low of minus 1.
Wednesday has a high of 6. or rather minus 1 Wednesday evening, a high of 6 on Thursday.
Baotou will see sleet with a low of minus 11, and then Thursday sunny and 4 degrees.
Nanchang is down to 9, then sunny with a high of 17.
Elsewhere in Asia, Islamabad's 8th this evening, Thursday sunny and 20.
Vientiane will be overcast through tomorrow with a low of 13, a high of 25.
Phnom Penh will be overcast tonight and tomorrow.
The low is 20, the high is 27 degrees Celsius.
Time for a short break.
So far this hour, the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office has blasted officials of the Democratic Progressive Party Authority for hyping tensions across the Taiwan Strait.
China and Tonga are hoping that an economic and trade partnership will yield mutually beneficial results.
And Ukraine says its recent understanding with the US on a peace plan to end the conflict with Russia.
Shane Begum with you.
Stay with us here on the Beijing Hour.
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And 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?
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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.
Still to come.
In business, Shanghai Stock Exchange is marking 35 years of trading.
In sports, the flame-lighting ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics is coming up next week.
In culture and entertainment.
China's announced the mascot for next year's Spring Festival celebration.
Contact us.
You can email radio at cgtn.com or follow our ex-account at cgtnradio.
But now at the check of the day's headlines, here's Wang Zihang.
Thank you, Shane.
A mainland spokesperson says Chinese President Xi Jinping's remarks during the phone call with his US counterpart, Donald Trump are of great guiding significance for the Chinese mainland's work related to Taiwan.
During the call on Monday, President Xi clarified China's position on the Taiwan question, emphasising the need for China and the United States to jointly safeguard the victorious outcomes of World War II.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese aggression and the restoration of Taiwan to China.
A spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office said the mainland will unite compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to oppose Taiwan independence activities.
The spokesperson also called for promoting the peaceful development of cross-strait relations, maintaining peace and stability and creating enduring well-being for the Chinese nation.
The Chinese ambassador to the United States says the two countries can overcome differences and write a new chapter of friendly cooperation.
In a video addressed to the Kulian Forum in New York, Ambassador Xie Feng said China and the US must shoulder major country responsibilities and safeguard the post-war international order.
He said, with China hosting the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting next year and the US holding the G20 summit, the two countries should support each other and achieve more results that benefit both countries and the world.
Kulian is a hillside on the outskirts of Fuzhou in southeast China.
Foreign expats have built summer villas since the 1880s, creating a community where cultures blended and friendships flourished.
China Space Agency has released an action plan to encourage commercial space firms to pursue international cooperation over the next two years.
The China National Space Administration has pledged to fold commercial space projects into China's international cooperation agenda.
It said it will select commercial players through open competition to take part in key space programs.
Travellers are facing the usual Thanksgiving crush of traffic, crowded airports and winter weather.
The US Federal Aviation Administration a week after lifting flight restrictions from the government.
Shutdown is handling its busiest Thanksgiving in 15 years.
It has scheduled more than 360000 flights between Monday and next Tuesday, screening over 178 million passengers.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says air traffic controller staffing has stabilized just in time for the record travel week.
Passenger Walker Powell, flying from Denver to Louisiana with his family, said the trip had gone relatively smoothly.
When I think of Thanksgiving week travel, I think of millions of people flooding through a place all together at once, which has been the case sometimes.
When I fly Wednesdays, the day before Thanksgiving, it can be like that.
But this time we flew out Tuesday, and so far it's been quite a bit better.
Despite the crowds.
Officials say planning ahead and staying aware of schedules can help travellers get to where they are going safely.
The armed wings of Hamas and Islamic Jihad have handed over the remains of another Israeli captive to the international community of the Red Cross in the Gaza Strip.
The remains of the hostage, whose identity has not been revealed, were found on Monday.
Israel confirmed the transfer, saying two more hostages' remains are still in Gaza.
The Sudanese armed forces says it has repelled an attack by the rapid support forces in West Kordofan state a day after the paramilitary ISF declared a unilateral three-month truce.
The army said it killed a number of ISF commanders and hundreds of fighters and seized combat vehicles.
Meanwhile, volunteer group Sudan Doctors Network accused the ISF and its allied group of attacking a mine in South Kordofan, a corps de fen and a starting more than 150 young men.
The network said the attack violated international humanitarian law and the ISF's unilateral truths.
All right, thank you very much.
That's Wang Ziheng with headlines.
Coming up in business, Shanghai Stock Exchange is marking 35 years of trading.
The Beijing Hour, your window on China and the rest of the world.
36 past the hour.
And with business now, here's Tianyu.
Thank you, Shane.
Stock markets on the Chinese mainland closed mixed on Wednesday.
The Shanghai composite was down nearly 0.2%, while the Shenzhen component gained over 1%.
Telecommunications equipment and consumer electronics shares were among the top gainers.
The Hong Kong stock market ended higher as the Hansen index increased over 0.1%.
In Japan, the Nikkei also gained almost 1.9%.
Wednesday marks the 35th anniversary of the Shanghai Stock Exchange.
Since its 1990 launch with just 30 securities, China's modern capital market has grown into a global powerhouse.
The SSE now lists over 2,000 stocks plus bonds, funds, and derivatives.
In 2020, it overtook Japan to become the world's third-largest exchange.
Its market capitalization has surpassed 60 trillion yuan, or about 8.5 trillion US dollars.
The Shanghai Stock Exchange also launched the Stock Market, a tech board that has become the hub for indigenous innovation.
Looking ahead, China has committed to guiding the SSE towards high-quality growth and accelerating its transformation into a world-class exchange.
For more, Vivian Nunes spoke with Hong Hao, chief economist at Grow Investment Group.
Now the Shanghai Stock Exchange has grown from just eight stocks at its inception 35 years ago to over 2000 today.
What have been the primary drivers behind that expansion?
Yeah well, I would say that you know it was the reform and open that has been going on for the past 50 years, especially after the 90s right,
So China establishes a stock market and also discovered that equity issuing can be a great source of funding for financial and capex spending.
So ever since then, you know, we set up the Shenzhen Stock Exchange and Shanghai Stock Exchange and many of the old, All the stocks that were listed way back then actually gave people very good investment return.
So I think it is the reform and open.
It is the need for expanding the economy and also it's the investment return.
These are the key factors that have been driving the growth in the stock market and also the return.
China's 15th five-year plan proposes accelerating the building of a strong financial nation.
What do you see the key implications of this goal being, specifically when it comes to the development of Chinese mainland equity markets?
Yeah, I think, even though the Chinese stock market has come a long way right in the past 30 years, but still, you know, it's still in its infancy.
For example, a lot of structured product has not been fully developed and therefore, you know, financial instruments to manage risk has been quite limited.
And also education for the general public.
You know, viewing a stock investment, that's a risky investment that may not be able to guarantee all of the return and the principal, et cetera, et cetera.
You know, there's still a very long way to go.
I think, to develop a financial market.
Strong financial market, you know, basically means that you know firstly, the market can be a funding source for further economic development from here.
And secondly, the financial market can be a great tool for risk management, for the general economy and also for the financial market.
And I think certainly you know, we should see increasingly more people allocate their capital towards the stock market rather than, you know, putting it in a bank account.
You know, earning 1 interest rate.
I think you know when that happens.
No one would doubt that the Chinese financial market would be the biggest stock market in the world.
That was Chief Economist Hong Hao at Grow Investment Group.
Official data shows that outbound investment by Chinese companies grew 7 in the first 10 months of the year to more than 1 trillion yuan.
That's about 141 billion US dollars.
Nearly 85 were non-financial investments to 152 countries and regions, a 6 increase from a year ago.
China's investment in Belt and Road Initiative participating countries jumped more than 22, exceeding 230 billion yuan.
It made up more than a quarter of the country's non-financial outbound direct investment.
U.S. retail sales and consumer sentiment showed signs of softening in September.
Retail sales rose just 0.2% on a monthly basis, marking the slowest pace of growth in four months.
Meanwhile, according to a survey by the Conference Board, consumer confidence fell to its lowest level since April, when President Donald Trump launched the global trade war.
On the production front, wholesale inflation climbed 03 from August, rebounding from the previous month's decline driven largely by higher food and energy costs at the factory gate.
As winter setting across the U.S., heating American homes is becoming more expensive.
Electricity costs are rising, in large part due to the proliferation of data centers.
Powering AI is leading to ordinary Americans shouldering the expense.
Papin Puntin has more.
Artificial intelligence, the next technological frontier, causing excitement in many sectors for its powerful data management and computing prowess.
Billions of investment dollars are being poured into building a network of data centers to support AI, a priority for large technology companies as well as the US government.
For example, Microsoft is developing a data center in Wisconsin to the tune of $7 billion.
And Amazon recently paid 700 million for a data site in Virginia, a state that already has the highest concentration of data centers in the world.
Utility customers in neighboring Maryland and Washington DC are some of the first in the country starting to see the impacts of the data center boom showing up on their residential electricity bills.
The US is already home to more than 4000 data centers, far more than any other industrialized nation, and construction of new facilities is continuing at a rapid pace.
Now that's a huge draw on the country's energy grid, with one government analysis projecting that data centers could consume up to 12 of US electricity by 2028.
Underpinning AI advances.
The huge-scale data centers that power them are driving up electricity prices for ordinary Americans.
The cost of electricity has climbed more than 40 percent in the last five years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In Georgia, The proposal of a 1 million square foot data center is angering local residents.
Initially, a lot of people said, oh, we need AI, we need computers.
But they had no idea the scale of what we're talking about putting in these communities.
So-called broligarchs are doing everything they can to shove this down all Americans and other country people's throat, as if this is inevitable, and all that it's about is that they want to make trillions and trillions and trillions of dollars.
Making rising electricity costs worse and aging electric grid infrastructure.
Much of the electric grid was built more than 50 years ago.
Upgrading power lines and transmission towers is expensive, especially with the tariffs the Trump administration has levied on essential components like steel and aluminium.
Costs utility companies are passing off to American consumers.
That was Poppin Punting reporting.
China's SF Express has successfully launched a cargo flight carrying lithium batteries, equipped with a newly developed active safety system.
The cargo flight to Shenzhen departed from Ezhou Huahu International Airport in central China.
This marks a breakthrough in resolving global bottlenecks regarding safe air transport of risky energy products.
The AI safety system, created by Chongqing Jiao Tong University, monitors 12 critical factors like temperature and gas levels.
If it detects danger, it can issue a warning in a millisecond and automatically activate safety protocols to contain the threat.
Industry experts say this technology fills a critical gap in the domestic industry and places China at the international forefront of hazardous material aviation safety.
As the world's largest battery producer, China saw the output of its lithium battery industry exceed 12 trillion yuan, or about US170 billion in 2024.
The country's lithium battery air transport volume surged 21% to 645,000 metric tons last year.
And finally, China's small and medium-sized banks in rural areas have seen steady expansion in scale, with their overall growth becoming more stable and sound.
According to the China Banking Association, as of the end of 2024, total assets reached nearly 58 trillion yuan, or about 82 trillion US dollars, up more than 6.
Their liabilities surpassed 53.6 trillion yuan, also up over 6%.
Outstanding loans at these banking institutions accounted for more than 55% of their total assets.
The banking association says rural small and medium-sized banks are embracing multiple strategic opportunities such as rural revitalization and coordinated regional development.
They are also confronting multiple challenges, including intensifying market competition and lagging digital transformation.
All right.
Thank you very much.
That's Tianyu with Business.
You're listening to The Beijing Hour.
Coming up in sports.
The flame lighting ceremony for the 2026 Winter Olympics is coming up next week.
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.
The Olympic flame for the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Games has been lit at the ceremony inside the Olympia Archaeological Museum in Greece.
Bad weather forced organizers to move the event indoors near the ancient stadium.
The event links the ancient and modern games, a tradition since 1936.
Choreographer Atmes Ignatios says the ceremony creates a special atmosphere.
We travel back in time to antiquity with these wonderful marble statues.
We make some small changes, but the team is united with the same feeling and energy from Asian Olympia, where the Olympic Games began.
The Olympic flame will tour Greece before starting a 63-day relay across Italy.
It will arrive at Milan's San Siro Stadium for the Winter Games, running February 6th to 22nd.
The World Cup group stage draw will take place on December 15 in Washington DC, with 48 teams entering the pot for the first time.
Organizers will place the three hosts and 39 qualified teams into four pots of 12.
They will ensure that the top four seeded teams cannot meet until the semifinals, provided each wins its group.
They will place top-ranked Spain and defending champions Argentina on the opposite sides of the brackets.
All four joined hosts in part one.
Officials will put the two intercontinental playoff winners and four European playoff winners in part four.
They will also enforce confederation limits allowing no more than one team from each region in the group, except UEFA, which can place up to two teams because it has 16 qualifiers.
In the Champions League, Chelsea rolled to a strong 3-0 home win over Barcelona.
The victory lifts Chelsea to fifth in the group, while Barcelona drops to 15th.
Chelsea looked much sharper than in their last European match, a 2-0 draw with the Karabakh in Azerbaijan.
They went ahead in the 27th minute due to an own goal.
Barcelona's captain received a second yellow card for tripping, leaving his team with 10 men for the entire second half.
Head coach Hansi Flick says his team accepts the loss.
We started very well in the game.
We had a big chance to score the first goal.
And of course, with the red card, everything changed.
So it's not easy against this fantastic team to come back with 10 players, so with one player less.
So for me, we have to accept this defeat, but I'm also looking very positive for the next games.
Chelsea shifts its focus back to the Premier League and a big test against leaders Arsenal this weekend.
Still in the Champions League, Manchester City has suffered a 2-0 home loss to Bayer Leverkusen, spoiling manager Pep Guardiola's 100th European game.
We were close but not aggressive enough and they are a really, really good team.
Congratulations, of course, Leverkusen, but yeah.
It's what it is.
I take absolutely full responsibility.
But I think I see them and I like to everybody, being bold, be a football player when you are three four five six, seven games, don't play, don't play, don't play.
You know it's tough, but yeah, maybe it was too much.
The defeat comes just three days after another loss, leaving City sixth in their group after five games.
It's also their first home loss in 23 matches across all competitions.
Leverkusen took the lead in the 23rd minute and held on for the win.
Coach Kasper Heumann praised his players.
First of all, of course, we are so happy with this win, but not only the win, also the character the team showed.
I have great respect for the players, for the team.
We are building a team here and I think this is a night to remember and I think it's fuel for our development.
We did very well, played with a lot of courage, a lot of calm on the ball and tried to play our game as much as possible.
In other action, Benfica earned their first win of the season with a 2-0 away victory at Ajax.
Galatasaray's three-match winning streak ended with a 1-0 loss to Union St.
Julois.
Borussia Dortmund beat 10 men very well, 4-0 ending a three-match winless run.
Juventus beat Borussia Dortmund 3-2.
Newcastle United's winning run ended with a 2-1 loss at Marseille.
Napoli secured a 2-0 home win over Karabakh.
And finally, turning to the AFC Champions League Elite, Tuesday was a tough night for Chinese clubs.
Chengdu run Chengdu won all at home at Japan's San Francisco Hiroshima.
Chengdu stayed 10th in the East League, 5 points off the top 8, who advanced to the knockouts.
Hiroshima finished 5th.
In other action, just 3 days after being crowned CSL champions, Shanghai Port suffered a 3-1 home defeat to FC Seoul.
Seoul took the lead in the 48th minute with a brilliant finish from former Manchester United star, Jesse Lingard.
The last left Shanghai Port with just one point at the bottom of the East Zone, while FC Seoul climbed to fourth place.
Thank you very much.
That's Yang Guang with sports.
Just ahead, in culture and entertainment, China's announced the mascot for next year's Spring Festival celebration.
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 53 past the hour.
In culture and entertainment.
China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism has unveiled the mascot for next year's Spring Festival Global Celebration the auspicious horse.
The design created to mark the year of the horse draws inspiration from the bronze galloping horse created nearly 1800 years ago.
It incorporates traditional elements such as stylized decorations and auspicious clouds.
The mascot's prototype traces back to an ancient three-toed horse native to the Qinghai Shizhong Plateau.
In recent years, Chinese New Year mascots have become increasingly visible around the globe, appearing in public spaces and cultural events and helping overseas communities stay connected to the holiday.
World-renowned Chinese pianist Leng Leng has opened Egypt's first Pyramids Echo Festival with a stunning performance at the Giza Plateau.
Adele El-Marouki has more from Cairo.
At the Pyramids of Giza, one of the world's most iconic places, the stage is set to host one of the world's renowned musicians, china's exquisite pianist, lang lang.
This is magic.
This is a uh, a dream come true moment.
And to play actually next to the pyramid.
It's just really, really.
I mean, I still couldn't believe.
It's just magical.
Many of the moment I was looking over this side and to see this most magnificent wonders.
Both China and Egypt, they share a great civilization from very long time.
I feel there's some kind of conversation. plays, Lang Lang's music mesmerizes the audience.
Made up of musicians from across the world.
The concert brings to life the beauty of civilizations joining hands.
The show focused on two ancient ones, the Chinese and the Egyptian.
Lot of diversity of music making, from Chopin to Liszt and to Chinese music.
Today we had a jasmine flower and the local this dance of Nile.
I made a special arrangement with a friend and so we are kind of building the bridge between different cultures.
It's a great thing to do and also great thing to switch style of music.
The audience too, reflected the diversity this concert advocates egyptian officials, foreign diplomat expats, locals and artists, all from different cultures and backgrounds but united by music.
For more than a month and a half.
My friends and I went crazy when a dear friend suggested that we come to the concert.
We adore him.
I have a scene to film after a while, but I insisted on coming to gain some positive energy from this great location the pyramids and to enjoy this world-class music.
I'm proud to listen live to Lang Lang, and I'm glad that he's playing some Egyptian music.
This Egyptian music is ingrained in our souls and our culture.
So listening to him and how he would translate, through his culture and through his eye, this music that's been played for 100 years now, something that makes me incredibly excited.
At the foot of the Great Pyramids, Lang Lang's music became more than a performance.
It turned into a bridge connecting two of the world's oldest civilizations in a universal language that needs no translation for the audience here to feel and understand.
That was Adele Al-Marouki reporting.
We're at 57 minutes past the hour.
Checking the forecast before we go for the day in Beijing.
It's cloudy through tomorrow with a low of minus 1 on Wednesday evening.
A high of 6 on Thursday.
About till we'll see a sleet with a low of minus 11.
Thursday, sunny and 4 degrees.
Nanchang's down to 9, then sunny and 17.
Also in Asia, Islamabad's 8 overnight, Thursday's sunny and 20.
Vientiane will be overcast through tomorrow with a low of 13 and a high of 25.
Phnom Penh will be overcast tonight and tomorrow, a low of 20, a high of 27.
In Africa, Nairobi is getting a light rainfall and 25 degrees on Thursday.
Kampala will see a light rain Wednesday night and through tomorrow with a low of 19.
The high is 27 degrees.
And that's it for this edition of the Beijing Hour.
Making news today.
The State Council Taiwan Affairs Office has blasted officials of the Democratic Progressive Party Authority for hyping tensions across the Taiwan Strait.
And China and Tonga are hoping that an economic and trade partnership will yield mutually beneficial results.
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 at precisely 6 pm.
Beijing time.
We meet you on podcast and on air every weekday.
The Beijing Hour, your window on China and the rest of the world.
He can't live without the Yellow River in his eyes.
The Yellow River is so noble and elegant.
Both my grandpa and dad made the living from the river.
Would you like to move away from the Yellow River?
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.
