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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.
Tian Lu with you on this Friday, October 10th, 2025.
You're listening to the Beijing Hour coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
On today's program...
Chinese President Xi Jinping will address the opening of the Global Leaders' Meeting on Women, which will take place in Beijing next week.
Both Israel and Hamas have approved a peace deal calling for a ceasefire and hostage swaps.
And the US government shutdown continues into a ninth day amid another round of failed votes in the Senate.
In business, China has strengthened social safety net during the 14th Five-Year Plan period.
In sports, Novak Djokovic reaches the main single semifinals at the Shanghai Masters.
In culture and entertainment.
An exhibition marking the 100th anniversary of the Palace Museum in Beijing.
Now checking today's top stories.
The Global Leaders Meeting on Women will take place in Beijing on Monday and Tuesday next week.
According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, President Xi Jinping will attend the opening ceremony and deliver a keynote speech.
The event, co-hosted by China and UN women, will bring together heads of state, government and parliamentary leaders, senior officials and representatives from international organizations across the world.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women, which adopted the landmark Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
Officials say the upcoming meeting will reaffirm that spirit and push forward the implementation of its goals.
China says the gathering will add new momentum to global efforts for gender equality and women's development and serve as another milestone in advancing a shared future for humanity.
President Xi Jinping will attend the opening ceremony of the Global Leaders' Meeting on Women, which is scheduled to be held in Beijing from October 13 to 14.
The spokesperson said the meeting will reveal the spirit of the Beijing World Conference on Women, promote all parties to accelerate the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and its guidelines, inject new impetus into promoting global gender equality and all-round development of women, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
30 years ago, the Beijing Conference on Women adopted the Beijing Declaration and the Guideline, marking a milestone in the development of the global women's cause.
China will strive to make the meeting the milestone this year in the history of women's development worldwide.
That was Zheng Yibing on the upcoming Global Leaders Meeting on Women, which will take place in the Chinese capital next week.
In its pursuit of high-quality economic development.
One key priority for China is creating more opportunities for women to participate and lead.
Here's Chen Lanyu discussing progress on this front.
Well, last month, a white paper from the State Council reiterated Mao Zedong's words that Chinese women truly hold up half the sky.
They're playing an increasingly important role in the country's development, and the data supports this.
Since 2012, women have accounted for around 43 of the national workforce and their contributions are prominent in the new engines of growth.
In science and technology, women now make up nearly 46% of all researchers in China.
And they're not just participating but leading breakthroughs as the country advances its goal of becoming a global innovation powerhouse.
And their growing role is also visible at the grassroots.
Women now hold over 30 of deputy positions in China's National People's Congress at the county and township levels.
Meanwhile, targeted government support in employment and entrepreneurship is helping more women realize their potential.
Programs like Women's Action for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and dedicated job fairs are opening new doors.
And the impact?
By the end of 2024, nearly 640 billion yuan, or around 90 billion US dollars, in loans were issued, empowering close to 85 million women to start or expand their businesses.
And the continuing focus is on empowerment, ensuring women have every opportunity to contribute to China's technological, industrial and societal transformation.
Well, China has positioned itself as an important partner in advancing global women's development through funding, knowledge sharing and capacity building.
Since 2012, China has contributed 20 million US dollars so far for UN women and has collaborated with UNESCO to establish initiatives such as Prize for Girls and Women's Education.
But it's not just about financial support.
Since 2018, China has launched more than 100 training programs for women in developing countries, focusing on maternal health, sustainable development and other priority areas benefiting nearly 4000 professionals.
And vocational training is another key pillar.
The well-known Luban workshops, for example, have trained nearly 6000 female students, equipping them with practical and technical skills.
From funding to education, to global governance, China is actively contributing to a more inclusive future for women worldwide.
That was Chen Lanyou on China's efforts to safeguard women's rights.
Member states at the UN General Assembly have recommitted to empowering women and girls as they mark the 30th anniversary of the landmark Women's Conference in Beijing.
The 1995 event has been described by UN Secretary-General Antonia Guterres as the most ambitious global political commitment on women's rights ever achieved.
Chinese Representative Huang Xiaowei highlighted the country's achievements in advancing women's rights, while UN leaders emphasized the challenges that remain, from discrimination in the workplace to inequality in technology.
Mitch McCann has more.
The 80th anniversary of the United Nations coincides with the 30th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing.
The UN is observing these milestones ahead of the upcoming Global Summit on Women in China.
The Beijing conference, held in 1995, was a landmark event that focused on 12 critical areas of concern where women and girls face discrimination.
It is still regarded as the most comprehensive agenda for achieving gender equality.
At the UN on Monday.
Leaders renewed their pledges to fulfill the declaration's goals and highlighted progress made so far.
Among them was Huang Zhuai, deputy head of China's National Working Committee on Children and Women, who told the assembly that China has made great strides in advancing gender equality.
China has steadfastly advanced gender equality as a fundamental national policy, implemented four successive cycles of the National Programme for Women's Development and built a comprehensive legal framework of more than 100 laws and regulations to safeguard women's rights and interests.
Huang Juai spoke about the progress still to be made, a point echoed by Annalena Baerbock, the new President of the General Assembly, who cited modern-day examples of discrimination that women still face.
When the phrase she runs like a girl is hauled as an insult.
When highly qualified CEOs are called diversity hires.
When a female world leader is attacked on social media not for the speech she gave, but for the wrong high heels she wore.
That is when we remember how far we still have to go.
The goals of the Beijing Declaration align with the UN Sustainable Development Goal No.
5, gender equality, and the Beijing Plus 30 Action Agenda.
One of the aims of that agenda is to ensure that women and girls can benefit from the digital revolution, and the Secretary-General told the Assembly that discrimination in technology must be challenged.
Artificial intelligence is reshaping our world, but the transformation is unfolding in an industry dominated by men, shaped by biased data and driven by algorithms that frequently reinforce discrimination.
We must confront violence and online hate and ensure that technology serves equality, not exclusion.
The high-level meeting saw a number of international representatives address the General Assembly.
At the end of Monday's events, the President of the General Assembly will prepare a meeting summary to circulate among member states.
That was Mitch McCann reporting from New York.
For more on this, we spoke to Maria Fernanda Espinoza-Greises, president of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly.
She says more work needs to be done to advance women's rights, voicing her anticipation for the upcoming global leaders' meeting in Beijing.
We have to accept that a little progress has been made.
But unfortunately women and girls, especially in low-income and informal urban areas, but also in rural areas, still face deep structural barriers.
I was only the fourth female to preside over the UN General Assembly.
We have just the number five in 80 years.
We see that it's not enough.
We are getting close to the selection of a new secretary general.
In eight years, the organization has never had a female at the helm.
So there is a lot of homework.
Violence against women has increased.
We continue to have gaps in representation in parliaments, in cabinets.
If you look at the number of female heads of state and government, We still have a long way to go.
It did play an important role when the conference in Beijing was organized 30 years ago.
The platform, the Beijing Platform for Action, remains extremely relevant.
It is a roadmap that continues to be important and we need to reaffirm and recommit to the Beijing Platform for Action.
And it's really good news that a summit, a high-level meeting, is planned in Beijing to celebrate the 30 years of the conference in Beijing.
That was Maria Fernanda Espinoza-Greises, president of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly.
Also for more on this topic.
Our reporter Li Dongning spoke with Wang Yaojun, Associate Professor of Economics at Peking University.
Let's take a listen.
About women's participation in both economic and social progress.
What unique strengths do you think women bring to the economic and social activities and what has been underestimated?
Indeed.
Women bring unique strength to economic activity, such as strong communication, collaboration and problem solving skills.
As long as there's a long term commitment and resilience in women as well, which are very much underestimated, I think.
And in many sectors, such as education, healthcare and technology, women have proven to be key drivers of innovation and social progress.
And beyond individual contribution.
Greater female participation strengthens the overall economy As it expands the talent pool.
It boosts productivity and also enhances social equity.
So when women thrive in the workforce, families and communities benefit tremendously and economies become more inclusive and sustainable.
So empowering women economically isn't just a matter of fairness, but more of a strategic investment in a shared prosperity.
And China and a lot of countries of global south actually are trying to redefine the concept of development.
Under that effort, how do you think that women's position, women's equality status can be guaranteed and women's development can be further promoted?
Well, China has been through this industrialization and also promoting women's rights.
So China can play a leading role by sharing its development experience with the other Global South countries, especially in education, poverty alleviation and also entrepreneurship.
So through these South-South cooperation and also we have the Belt and Road Initiative China can help build training programs, provide funding and technology support and also promote women-led projects, especially through digital platforms.
This collaborating on digital infrastructure has proven to be able to bridge the gender digital divide, connecting women in developing areas to e-commerce, education and even global opportunities for a more inclusive future.
That was Professor Wang Yaojun sharing her thoughts on the strengths women bring to economic development and how China can work with global SALTS countries to expand opportunities for women's development.
Coming up, the Israeli government has approved a ceasefire deal with Hamas.
The Israeli government has approved a peace deal with Hamas just 24 hours after mediators announced the breakthrough.
The agreement calls for an end to fighting, a hostage-prisoner exchange, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and the entry of humanitarian aid.
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, says the deal brings Israel closer to one of its key goals.
We met this development in the last two years.
We fought during these two years together. achieve our war aims.
The central one of these war aims is to return the hostages, all of the hostages, the living and the dead.
And we're about to achieve that goal.
Hamas leader Haleo al-Hayya announced the agreement as a permanent ceasefire.
Today we are announcing that we have reached an agreement to end the war and aggression against our people and to implement a permanent ceasefire.
This will involve the withdrawal of occupation forces, the entry of aid, the opening of the Rafah crossing in both directions and the exchange of prisoners.
We have received guarantees from the mediators and the US administration assuring us that the war has ended completely.
Under the US-brokered deal, Israel will release more than 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
Two senior US officials say around 200 American troops will join a regional task force to support Gaza's stability, though none will enter Gaza itself.
U.S.
President Donald Trump says he plans to travel to the Middle East on Sunday.
After two years of conflict, Palestinians in Gaza are expressing hope for lasting peace, despite Israeli airstrikes, just hours before the cabinet's approval.
Ramya Omgari has more from Gaza.
The Palestinians here in the Gaza Strip.
Two million residents welcomed this agreement that has been long waited, very cheerfully.
Many of them have expressed hopes that this war will come to an end and their suffering, that they have been enduring over two consecutive years of a devastating, unprecedented war, will come to an end, particularly the forcible displacement of the Palestinian population in different regions.
And throughout the past two years, particularly the last possible displacement from Gaza City, where 500000 Palestinians have been forcibly displaced from Gaza into southern and central parts of the Gaza Strip, actually for the past several weeks.
These Palestinian population are waiting eagerly to go back to their homes from where from which they were displaced.
Actually, and also the Palestinian population are looking forward to the moment that their economic situation is improved, particularly the aid supplies, the goods and commodities that have been scarce over the past period of time.
They are expecting the truckloads to enter the Gaza Strip in the next 24 hours.
Though some Palestinians are pessimistic, are sceptical towards the implementation of the agreement, especially the second phase after the release of Israeli hostages expected Sunday, next Sunday and next Monday, because of what they believe is the complicities and the complications underlined in those negotiations between Israel and Hamas via mediations.
Let's not forget that over the past hours there have been some kind of strikes and bombardments by the Israeli forces, particularly across Gaza City.
That was Rami Omegari reporting from the Gaza Strip.
The United Nations has welcomed the Gaza ceasefire deal, urging guaranteed access to humanitarian aid.
UN Head of Humanitarian Operations Tom Fletcher has unveiled a detailed 60-day aid plan.
It includes 170000 tons of food, medicine and other aid, plus hundreds of trucks to enter Gaza daily.
Nick Harper reports from Washington.
UN Secretary General welcomed the deal, Antonio Guterres, describing it as a momentous opportunity to establish a credible political path forward.
However, he said there must now be full and sustained access to humanitarian workers to allow aid deliveries into the enclave.
The UN's emergency aid chief, Tom Fletcher, says around 170000 metric tonnes of food, medicines and other supplies are ready and poised for delivery.
But aid workers must first be granted access.
So here is what we plan to deliver in the first 60 days of the ceasefire.
We will aim to increase the pipeline of supplies to hundreds of trucks every day.
Food.
We will scale up the provision of food across Gaza to reach 21 million people who need food aid and around 500000 people who need nutrition.
On health, we'll restore the decimated health system.
We'll aim to deliver more essential medical commodities and medical supplies.
Will aim to reestablish community level disease surveillance.
To support emergency referrals and more medical evacuations.
To supplement the workforce by deploying more emergency teams.
On water and sanitation, we're targeting 1.4 million people with water and sanitation services.
Here in Washington, US lawmakers have been reacting with a mixture of congratulations, but also concern.
Republican Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno said the president had delivered on his promise to achieve peace through strength, while Democratic Virginia Senator Tim Kaine said, while the deal was encouraging, more work lies ahead.
That was Nick Harper in Washington.
For more on the Gaza ceasefire deal.
We spoke with Alistair Bird.
The former British minister for the Middle East says he's cautiously hopeful but it all depends on whether the US president follows through on the peace process.
Every deal sounds great on paper, but there are monumental obstacles that still remain that Hamas and Israel have to work through.
Is there still room for optimism?
I'm afraid over the years we have seen a number of opportunities for hope and they've only been dashed in the medium and longer term.
I think however, what might be different about this is firstly, that this first phase deals with the immediate concerns.
If it brings a ceasefire, the exchange of hostages and prisoners, the delivery of aid, that is the immediate needs and the immediate demands.
And then, if that is a success and if the president has committed himself to it, then there is a chance of going further.
His endorsement is very important.
His ability to have confronted Prime Minister Netanyahu, particularly after the attack in Qatar, has been very significant, and he will not want this to fail.
So, although there are many difficulties ahead, at least we seem to be on a pathway and maybe, just maybe, this time it might be the right one.
President Trump has been in office since January and there are many who believe he could have stop this war on day one.
What finally triggered the president to put pressure on Netanyahu?
You mentioned Israeli attack on Qatar.
That perhaps played a role.
There were also horrific scenes of hunger and devastation in Gaza.
And of course, then there's his desire to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
What ultimately led President Trump to put that kind of pressure and get directly involved in these negotiations?
First and foremost, I think that the weariness of a conflict is often a factor in them coming to an end.
The bit perhaps, that you missed out was the domestic concerns in Israel the Prime Minister Netanyahu, who has prolonged the war for longer than it might have been because he was determined to see it deliver his aims of the complete elimination of Hamas and the recovery of hostages by military means, neither of which proved to be viable.
But I think it was the outrage faced after the attack on Qatar that which infuriated the Gulf states, Qatar itself, who'd done a lot in relation to negotiation.
Perhaps that was one of the final straws.
And remember, the president has a close relationship with the Gulf states.
Everyone knows that a new Middle East can only emerge if this conflict comes to an end and indeed if there is eternal peace in relation to the Palestinians and the Israelis.
And they will be hoping that this is a start on this.
That was Alistair Bird, former British Middle Easter official.
Coming up.
The US government shutdown continues into a ninth day amid another round of failed votes in the Senate.
You're listening to The Beijing Hour 60 minutes of comprehensive news, your window on China and the world.
That's 24 minutes past the hour.
The US government shutdown drags on, with little sign that the deadlock between Republicans and Democrats will end soon.
The effects are mounting, as thousands of flights have been delayed nationwide and millions of federal workers and military personnel are set to miss their first paychecks.
Tony Waterman has more from Washington.
Senate lawmakers voted yet again on dueling bills to reopen the government on Thursday.
And yet again, both of those measures failed, with neither side budging from their increasingly entrenched positions.
That being said, House Republican lawmakers who were told not to show up this week by Speaker Mike Johnson, are starting to show signs of disgust not just with Democrats, but with their party as well.
MAGA hardliner Marjorie Taylor Greene telling CNN that everyone is getting destroyed in this shutdown and that, while she believes Democrats caused this mess Republicans, she says, have no solutions to fix it, or the health care system, which is at the heart of this shutdown.
I'm not putting the blame on the president.
I'm actually putting the blame on the speaker and leader Thune in the Senate.
This should not be happening.
But as this shutdown drags on, the impacts are piling up.
Come this weekend, nearly 200 rural airports across the U.S. could be closed.
And this would cut remote communities off. from Civilization and Essential Services.
More than 15000 flights have already been delayed at larger airports since Monday, as air traffic controllers call in sick.
They are considered essential workers, but they aren't getting paid during this shutdown.
The Transportation Secretary, Sean Duffy, is now threatening to fire those people.
Millions of federal workers and military service members are also about to miss their first paycheck, some of them as soon as friday, and this includes national guard troops who are deployed in democratic cities.
Right now, there is a house bill that would ensure military paychecks go out, but it is languishing because the speaker won't call lawmakers back to washington.
President Trump meanwhile, has doubled down on these threats to permanently fire some furloughed federal workers, especially if they're linked to what he describes as Democrat agencies.
We'll be cutting some very popular Democrat programs that aren't popular with Republicans frankly, because that's the way it works.
They wanted to do this, so we'll give them a little taste of their own medicine.
For now, Democrats seem to have the upper hand.
A new Washington Post poll showing the majority of respondents blame Trump and the Republicans for the shutdown, at least for now.
That was Tony Waterman reporting on the latest developments of the U.S. government shutdown.
Japan's Komeito Party has decided to terminate its coalition with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
Komeito leader Tetsuo Saito said his party will quit the current coalition government, ending a partnership that has lasted more than 25 years.
Saito reportedly said the LDP failed to provide sufficient answers regarding political funding issues.
He met the LDP's newly elected president, Sinai Takaichi, on Friday afternoon.
Peru's Congress leader, Jose Jerry, has been sworn in as the country's president shortly after the Congress removed former President Dina Bolati from office.
Peru's lawmakers demanded Boluarte appear at the Congress session to defend herself before voting to approve her impeachment on Thursday night, but Boluarte did not attend the meeting.
The Congress passed the impeachment against her shortly afterwards.
Peru's Congress voted late Thursday to open debate on impeaching Dina Boluarte, citing her incapacity to curb rising crimes across the country.
The International Atomic Energy Agency says work is now underway to restore external power to Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is the largest in Europe.
The move follows weeks of intensive talks with Russia and Ukraine, after the plant lost off-site electricity again amid the ongoing conflict.
According to the IAEA, discussions have focused on creating safe conditions to repair two damaged power lines.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said the process to re-establish off-site power through those lines has begun, though full restoration will take time.
Beijing is down to 10 on Friday evening.
Saturday will be cloudy with a high of 20.
Handan will see heavy rain and 11 tonight, then heavy rain and 13.
Nanchang is 27 tonight, then sunny and 37.
Elsewhere in Asia, Islamabad is 14 this evening.
Saturday will be sunny with a high of 28.
Liantian is 24 overnight, then slight rain and 33.
Phnom Penh is 25 overnight, then heavy rain and 31 degrees Celsius.
In Africa, Nairobi will have light rain with a high of 26 on Saturday.
Now it's time for a short break.
So far this hour, Chinese President Xi Jinping will address the opening of the Global Leaders' Meeting on Women, which will take place in Beijing next week.
Both Israel and Hamas have approved a peace deal calling for a ceasefire and hostage swaps.
Jianlu with you, stay with us here on the Beijing Hour.
Listen up.
Can you hear the heartbeat of our world?
It's vibrant and pulsating with the essence of life itself.
From the stem of trees to the gurgle of rivers.
From the silent strength of mountains to the icy whispers of glaciers.
Even the solid ground beneath our feet, Right there in the midst of all, beats the heart of humanity.
What if those other heartbeats were to stop?
Would ours keep on ticking?
Ever wondered what's actually going on in Africa through the perspective of an African?
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Well, get a perspective with China Africa Talk.
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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.
Tianlu with you on this Friday still to come.
In business, China has strengthened social safety net during the 14th five-year plan period.
In sports, Novak Djokovic reaches the men's single semifinals at the Shanghai Masters in culture and entertainment an exhibition marking the 100th anniversary of the Palace Museum in Beijing.
To contact us, you can email radio at cgtn.com or follow our ex-account at cgtnradio.
But first, check in today's headline news.
General Secretary Xi Jinping of the Communist Party of China Central Committee has sent a congratulatory message to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea.
The Chinese leader acknowledged the Workers' Party of Korea for uniting and leading the people through hard work and challenges, thus achieving economic development and improving their livelihoods.
He also said China is willing to work with North Korea to enhance strategic communication, deepen cooperation and contribute to peace stability, development and prosperity.
Italian President Sergio Mattarella has met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Rome.
Mattarella described both nations as ancient civilizations that embrace peace and cooperation.
He also highlighted China's increasingly crucial role in the international community, saying Italy expects China to make greater contributions to global peace and stability.
Wang said China values Italy's influence in Europe and the world, and he called for joint efforts to implement the consensus reached by the two countries' leaders, consolidate partnership and make bilateral relations more stable and resilient.
China says it firmly opposes the latest US move to place multiple Chinese entities on its export control list.
The Ministry of Commerce says the United States has been overstretching the concept of national security and abusing export control measures and long-arm jurisdiction.
A ministry spokesperson says such actions have severely undermined the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.
The spokesperson adds that the US move also disrupted the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains.
Vietnam is appealing for international aid to help recover from a strain of severe natural disasters this year.
At a meeting in Hanoi on Thursday, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment urged global partners to provide emergency and recovery assistance under the Disaster Risk Reduction Partnership.
Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoan Hiep said the disasters have caused economic losses of about 35 trillion Vietnamese Don, or roughly US13 billion, and could trip the country's GDP by 02.
According to local media reports, Vietnam has suffered from 11 typhoons and four tropical depressions so far this year, six of which made direct landfall.
The storms have left nearly 240 people dead and nearly 400 injured.
They also caused extensive damage to homes, farmland and public infrastructure.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Moscow will pay compensation over the crash of an Azerbaijani passenger jet in December.
Putin discussed the causes of the accident with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev during their meeting in Dushanbe.
He said Russia was tracking three Ukrainian drones crossing its border then, and technical malfunctions of Russia's air defense system may have been a factor in the crash.
Putin said two missiles exploded near the plane and missile fragments most likely led to damage to the aircraft.
The aircraft operated by Azerbaijan Airlines crashed near the Kazakh city of Akhtar on December 25 2024, with 67 people on board.
38 people died in the crash.
US President Donald Trump has suggested Spain be expelled from NATO for refusing to increase its defence spending.
In June, NATO members agreed to raise their military spending to 5 of gross domestic product by 2035, amid pressure from Trump.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez rejected the target.
A grand jury in Virginia has indicted New York Attorney General Letitia James.
U.S. media reports say the charges against James are not yet clear.
The Justice Department previously launched a criminal probe into James around alleged mortgage fraud and later expanded its investigation.
Coming up in business.
China has strengthened social safety net during the 14th five-year plan period.
You're listening to the Beijing Hour.
60 minutes of comprehensive news, your window on China and the world.
Now it's 36 minutes past the hour.
Turning to business, here's Wang Zihang.
Thank you, Tianlu.
Stock markets on the Chinese mainland closed lower on Friday.
The Shanghai composite was down over 0.9%.
The Shenzhen component lost 2.7%.
Animal care and cement shares were among the top gainers.
Elsewhere, the Hong Kong stock market also ended lower.
The Hang Seng index decreased nearly 1.7%.
In Japan, the Nikkei lost over 1%.
China has made significant progress in civil affairs development during the 14th five-year plan period that ends this year.
Officials say the country has established a multi-tiered social assistance system to expand coverage from basic allowance recipients to low-income groups and families facing expenditure pressures.
It has also formed a nationwide dynamic monitoring and regular assistance system for vulnerable groups.
Urban subsistence allowance standards have increased nearly 20% since the year 2020.
Rural standards increased over 21, supporting nearly 40 million regular recipients and around 5 million extremely impoverished individuals.
In elderly care.
The country has introduced nationwide nursing service subsidies for disabled elderly citizens.
It has adapted over 2 million homes for seniors with special needs, established 500 demonstration community-based care networks and set up 86000 meal assistance sites.
Various subsidy programs now benefit approximately 50 million elderly people, significantly improving senior welfare.
In Xinjiang, new smart greenhouses are producing crops year-round, with wasteland transformed into rice fields.
This makes this far-west region of China a significant contributor to the country's food security and ecological sustainability.
Ray Addison reports.
In Pahataikeli Township, Kasha, rice is thriving where once nothing could grow.
Known as seawater rice, this saline-alkaline tolerant crop has turned barren land into fertile fields and contributed to improving food security.
We have grown seawater rice in Pahatai Keli township for seven years.
Initially, the soil was stark white.
On landing, we thought it was snow, but it was salt-alkali crust.
Nicknamed seawater rice after wild varieties were discovered in coastal Guangdong.
Today's strains are bred to survive in soil with high salinity and still produce a bumper harvest.
We collected these wild varieties, preserved them and then used modern bio-breeding and hybridization techniques to create new, more stable seawater rice varieties.
With up to seven times more dietary fiber than ordinary rice.
Seawater varieties also create beneficial bacteria, which helps to improve the soil even further.
Through seawater rice cultivation, you now see almost no salt alkali in the fields.
Data show soil salinity was 0.3 to 0.5 percent on arrival.
Today it is about 0.1 percent. pH also dropped from 9 to 11 to 7.5 to 8.
From just 013 hectares of experimental land in 2018, the project has expanded to a 667 hectare base, with yields increasing by at least 48.
However, for local families, the change is about more than the soil.
By joining the seawater rice industry and leasing their land to us, Villagers earn more every year an economic boost.
Villagers have moved from being farmers to industrial workers and even to entrepreneurs.
Rosie Yoldash works on the farm and earns additional money by leasing his own land to the company.
I have just under half a hectare of land.
In 2021, I rented out just over half to Zhongnong Haidu, earning 3,000 yuan annually in rent.
That same year, I also started working here with a monthly salary of 3,000 yuan.
At present, I both collect rent on my land and receive a salary, and life for my family is getting better and better.
With close to 67000 hectares of seawater rice already grown nationwide, the Xinjiang project is seen as a model for tackling saline soils far beyond this region.
This is in fact a global challenge.
About 10% of the world's land surface is affected and China is one of the most impacted countries.
Expanding seawater rights across China and ultimately, the world.
To transform saline soils into fertile fields is a vision that can be realized.
And it doesn't stop at the soil.
Around 1000 kilometers away, in Changi, a new kind of farming is redefining what's possible above ground, with smart greenhouses turning science fiction into daily reality.
From transforming salty soil into fertile farmland or revolutionizing crop yields using smart greenhouses, China is proving that the future of food isn't just about expanding growth.
It's about thinking outside of the box, growing bigger smarter healthier, even in the most unlikeliest of places.
That was Ray Addison reporting from northwest China's Xinjiang.
China's warehouse storage sector experienced a slight recovery in September, as weather conditions normalised and the traditional peak season began.
The warehouse storage index, tracking the sector's development, came in at 496, showing a mild rebound from the previous month.
The sub-index measuring new orders stood at 51, up 1.5 points.
Non-ferrous metals, mineral products and pharmaceuticals all recorded expansion in new orders.
The facility utilization index came in at 51.
The utilization rate of warehousing facilities in sectors such as steel, cotton and agricultural products reached above the 50 threshold.
The business activity expectation index remained in expansion zone at a relatively high level, while the employment index rebounded, suggesting strong business confidence and a more optimistic outlook among enterprises.
In the third quarter, the warehousing sector saw some short-term fluctuations due to seasonal factors, leading to a mild dip in the index.
The average warehouse storage index for the quarter stood at 49.7, up 0.9 points on a yearly basis.
A UN report shows that global trade grew by about US500 billion in the first half of this year, compared with a year earlier.
According to the report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the growth was mainly due to the expanding trade among developing countries and a rebound in manufacturing exports.
The report says if no major shocks occur in the second half of this year, global trade could surpass the 2024 record.
It also says China's efforts to diversify its export market and strengthen economic ties with developing nations have helped stabilize its foreign trade amid global fluctuations.
The report added that China's manufacturing and export strength, along with its flexible trade policies, will continue to play a key role in sustaining global trade growth.
Now Chinese carmaker BYD is expanding around the world, launching in Latin America's third largest economy Argentina, this week.
Despite ongoing economic turbulence, Argentina's government is opening up the economy and has lifted tariffs for electric and hybrid cars.
Joe Richards reports from Buenos Aires.
The latest milestone for China's largest EV carmaker, BYD, this week's launch in Argentina.
Many people ask me how do you define byd?
For me, byd is a technology company made by engineer unveiling the first three electric and hybrid models available in argentina.
The message here was that these vehicles offer state-of-the-art technology at competitive prices.
Byd already has a huge presence across latin america, but it's only now that the company sees the right conditions to launch in argentina, the region's third largest market.
Normally, these cars made by BYD face a 35 tariff.
But Argentina's government has lifted import tariffs and taxes on electric and hybrid cars under 16000, before taxes and fees.
That opened the door for BYD.
We've already pre-sold more than 160 cars and we haven't even opened the dealerships yet.
This is unprecedented.
Nothing like this has ever happened in Argentina.
For the electric vehicle market in Argentina, challenges remain.
It's not only a lack of charging stations, but also economic turbulence, as President Javier Milley faces crucial midterm elections.
It has to do with the political economic situation in Argentina.
There are ups and downs.
At the moment things seem to be heading in a direction of significant opening up, and let's hope it continues like that.
But then again, this is a country that often has a few surprises in store for the future.
BYD sees Argentina as a major opportunity.
Of course, the decision to try to enter in the market depends on many factors.
Today, the market is ready.
We are very happy now that Argentina is more open.
I think this is a good signal, not only from BYD to Argentina, even for Argentina around the world, because it's a big brand in the market, a big company here, and this is a signal of investment too.
BYD is betting on replicating its success in Argentina as it has in other Latin American markets like Brazil and Mexico.
It already plans to launch six more models next year.
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We begin with tennis.
Novak Djokovic defeated Zizou Bergs in straight sets to reach the men's singles semifinals at the Shanghai Masters.
Obviously a lot of firepower in his game.
At times I just try to play an extra ball in the court and make him You know, make him miss the ball.
That's what happened.
You know, I should have closed out the match at 5-4.
He played a good game.
Again, I was a little bit too passive.
Just very challenging conditions these days, these few weeks for all the players.
And, you know, just trying to stay alive on the court and glad to overcome this hurdle.
This marks Djokovic's 10th career appearance in the Shanghai Masters semi-finals and his 80th ATP Masters 1000 semi-final overall.
The Serbian has previously won four titles in Shanghai.
At the Wuhan Open in central China, Irina Sablanka cruised into the quarter-finals with a 6-3 6-2 win over Ludmila Samsonova, extending her unbeaten record in the tournament.
The top seed, faced no break points and wrapped up the match in just 75 minutes, keeping her hopes alive for a record fourth Wuhan title.
Meanwhile, Cocoa Golf secured a straight-set victory over Chinese veteran Zhang Shuai.
Chinese snooker star Ding Junhui has advanced to the last 16 at the World Snooker Xi'an Grand Prix, defeating Louis Heathcote 5-3.
Ding made breaks of 52 and 100 to lead 3-1, but his opponent closed the gap with a break of 121.
Ding regained control with a 115 break and finished the match with a 50 in the 8th frame.
China's He Guocheng also reached the last 16 with a stunning 5-4 win over world No.
3 Neil Robertson.
The event in Northwest concludes on Monday.
In the NBA preseason, China's Yang Hansen made his debut for the Portland Trail Blazers in a 129-123 loss to the Golden State Warriors.
He played 21 minutes, fouled out and finished with 4 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 4 turnovers.
Yang started off tentative but gained confidence in the second half, showcasing the rim presence that prompted Portland's investment.
After the game, he acknowledged the need for improvement, saying the game was much more physical than the summer league.
Meanwhile, the start of LeBron James' 23rd NBA season with the Los Angeles Lakers will be delayed due to sciatica in his right side.
James is expected to miss the next three to four weeks, including the opening night game against the Golden State Warriors.
Despite his age, James has remained remarkably healthy throughout his career.
Although he's missed some time with the Lakers, he played in 141 games over the past two seasons.
Last season, he averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds.
In football, England triumphed 3-0 over Wales in an international friendly, dominating from the outset.
The Three Lions raced to a 3-0 lead within the first 20 minutes.
However, England coach Thomas Tuchel expressed frustration with the home crowd, calling out the Wembley fans for being silent.
I'm 100% sure that we will have fantastic support in the tournament.
We will have top support in Latvia.
We had excellent support in... in Serbia, but today we were 3-0 up after 23 minutes.
We had ball win after ball win, after ball win and I felt like I just could like why is the roof still on the stadium?
I was going.
So that's just it.
It's nothing big.
It was just like it could have helped us also in the second half in some moments to regain energy and to regain a rhythm.
Despite England's dominant performance, the 7000 Wales supporters were louder than the home crowd throughout the match.
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni stated he was still unsure whether captain Lionel Messi would play in the LBC less friendly against Venezuela.
The manager mentioned that, although Messi is fit, he could be rested for Friday's match at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium to provide opportunities for other players.
Argentine media speculated that Messi might instead play for Inter Miami in their MLS clash against Atlanta United on Saturday.
The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner has expressed his desire to lead his club to its first MLS title, having finished with the best regular season record last year before being eliminated in the playoffs coming up.
In Culture and Entertainment an exhibition marking the 100th anniversary of the Palace Museum in Beijing.
From north to south, east to west, people in China are chasing their dreams and leaving their mark.
Want to know how they beat the odds and made a difference?
Footprints brings you the true life stories of their journeys.
52 minutes past the hour, turning to culture and entertainment.
The exhibition A Century of Stewardship from the Forbidden City to the Palace Museum is now open in Beijing, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Palace Museum.
The display is divided into three main sections a lineage of scholarship, a century of heritage and a world of splendor, featuring a collection of 200 cultural relics.
Among the highlights are the famous scroll along the river during the Qiming Festival and the iconic painting Five Oxen.
We all know young people are active on social media, but what's surprising is the rise of Chinese seniors in their golden years who have millions of followers.
Many of these seniors are creating content online to connect with younger audiences, reshaping the way different generations interact in the digital age.
Joey Hsing has the story.
In northwest China's Shaanxi province.
76-year-old Granny Qin Ba has attracted more than 2 million followers by sharing her daily routines.
Beyond recognition, her story also turned into economic opportunities.
You might wonder how can such simple content capture so much attention and even generate real income?
With this question in mind, I traveled to her small village to meet Granny Qin Ban.
At that time, my grandson had just failed in his business and had nothing to do at home.
He was always on the phone.
So I told him, just film me cooking.
Whatever I do, you shoot.
That's how we started in the summer of 2017.
Wheat is just wheat, rice is just rice.
With only these two grains, I try every possible way to make all kinds of dishes.
For many city dwellers, the videos offer a taste of family togetherness and a moment of calm amid the urban rush.
Her grandson Zhang realized there was more potential.
People saw me cooking with my homemade chili sauce and asked if they could buy it.
My grandson used my recipe to produce it in larger batches.
It's so popular, it often sells out.
Today, the account has helped sell millions of yuan worth of local agricultural products, supporting hundreds of farmers.
Restaurants branded with the grandparents' portraits soon followed.
Granny Qingba is among China's earliest senior Internet stars.
And the group is growing quickly.
I think seniors appearing on social media serve as a kind of lubricant for intergenerational ties.
Young people interact by watching and commenting, a kind of cloud filial piety that eases loneliness and helps seniors reconnect with society.
Senior content creators are quietly reshaping how generations connect in the digital age.
For these seniors, making their voices heard online brings new value and fresh possibilities.
For millions of young viewers it fulfills a deeper longing for warmth, connection and a timeless happiness found in simple family life.
That was Zhou Yixing reporting.
An exhibition showcasing the exchange and integration of ethnic groups throughout Beijing's history has opened at the first historical archives of China.
Featuring over 100 ancient books archives, relics and images.
The exhibition explores Beijing's 800-year history, from the Jing Dynasty to the early 20th century, under the theme Harmony.
It highlights the cultural interactions and contributions of various ethnic groups in shaping the city.
The exhibition will run until the end of the year.
Evil Unbound, a film about the atrocities of Japan's infamous Unit 731, has become one of the standout movies during the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday.
The film ranked second in daily charts for six consecutive days starting October 2nd.
Chen Kaige's war epic, The Volunteer's Peace at Last led the holiday box office with 451 million yuan around 63 million US dollars, while Evil Unbound followed closely with around 345 million.
The movie focuses on the horrors of Unit 731, a secret biological and chemical warfare research base, the Japanese army established in northeast China during World War II.
Now it's 57 minutes past the hour.
Checking the forecast before we go.
Beijing is down to 10 on Friday evening.
Saturday will be cloudy with a high of 20.
Handan will see heavy rain and 11 tonight, then heavy rain and 13.
Nanchang is 27 tonight, then 37 degrees Celsius.
That's it for this edition of the Beijing Hour.
Making news today.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will address the opening of the Global Leaders' Meeting on Women's.
On behalf of our staff.
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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?
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.
