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This is the Beijing Hour.
Examining the events that impact and shake 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 Begum with you on this Wednesday, April the 9th, 2025.
You're listening to the Beijing Hour coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
On today's program, China's released a white paper reiterating the essence of its mutually beneficial relationship with the United States.
The UN's rejected an Israeli proposal for aid delivery into Gaza, calling for unimpeded humanitarian access.
The US is moving some of its troops in Poland.
In business, sales revenue in Chinese manufacturing continued growth through the first quarter.
In sports, a Champions League winning streak has come to an end.
In culture and entertainment, emerging travel trends in China.
Now the day's top stories.
China's released, or reiterated rather, the essence of its trade and economic relations with the United States is mutually beneficial cooperation.
A white paper from the State Council information office said unilateralism and protectionism will undermine the development of economic and trade relations.
It stressed that Beijing's fulfilled the terms of the phase one trade agreement of January 2020, but Washington's violated its obligations under that deal.
The document said China will continue to uphold free trade and abide by World Trade Organization rules.
The white paper said the two countries can resolve differences through equal dialogue.
The Commerce Ministry said the white paper aims to clarify facts from trade relations and demonstrate China's determination in defending national interests in the multilateral trading system.
A ministry official said China's willing to talk with the US and address concerns through negotiations.
The official also said China and the US enjoy largely equal benefits from their economic exchanges, considering trade and goods services and the sales revenue of each other's enterprises in the other country.
The Commerce Ministry has reaffirmed expanding China's opening up.
Meanwhile, the deputy head of the Ministry's foreign trade department said China will continue to work with more partners to bring stability to world trade.
Xiao Lu said China's confident and capable of facing challenges with its stable foreign trade, dynamic new growth drivers and opening up policy.
For insights on China's position on its trade relations with the U .S. we spoke with Qiu Cheung at the Belt and Road Research Center at Minsu University of China.
I think in short this white paper is still trying to show all the good wills and try to still repair the bond for the trade between China and America.
According to this white paper, it points out very clearly that the bilateral trade of China and America actually serves as a very important economic powerhouse, not only for the two countries, but also for the rest of the world in the past 20 years, even 40 years.
It created a lot of miracles.
It was serving both sides of people and also the rest of the world.
I think, secondly, China pointed out very clearly that this is not trying to sabotage the whole relationship.
At least from China's side, I think we honored our commitment in phase 1, and we will continue to do so.
And we fully believe that multilateral trade relations and economic cooperation will be very good for both of our countries in the future.
So I think for the future, I think China still holds all the goodwill and also for all the openness to welcome the further discussion with America.
For now, we've got to do what we have to do.
It's a counter -strike mechanism for what we're seeing right now.
But we hope that Americans, especially all the people in the American administration who still have a clear mind to understand what's really going on and what this really been sabotaging in American side.
And then we can come back and still have the negotiation so we can come back on the ride on a normal track again.
The research fellow also said if the sweeping tariffs go ahead, they'll change the global trade landscape.
This is not going to come back to their normal and you know original globalization very quickly and very easily.
So we're going to look at at least a three -year change of the paradigm, the global trade and globalization.
And currently I think the globalization will turn into what we call the mosaic globalization, which means we're still going to have a global trade, we're still going to you know have all kinds of corporations economically with each other, even between China and America, this is not going to be shut down.
But everything will take a detour and everything will be regionalized, for example instead of having a whole piece of pie of the globalization.
We're gonna have several different caves, several regions that probably work differently from, or isolated from each other, but also got some other channels intertwined with each other.
And also this is gonna function quite a while and before everything slows down and then finally people will realize this mosaic or segregated globalization is not a good idea.
And then the full globalization will come back again.
That would be probably after next five or ten years.
That was Chee Chung with his visions for the future of global trade.
South Korea is offering financial support, tax cuts, and subsidies for the auto industry in an attempt to reduce the blow of U .S. tariffs, the government's vowed efforts to negotiate and help expand markets.
US President Donald Trump says he's open trade talks and spoken with Acting President Handuk -soo.
Shane Ham has details.
The large focus is on the auto sector because obviously Korea is a very export -driven economy.
In fact, 44 % of the nation's entire GDP is comprised of exports and of that, 14 % is auto.
If you look at the numbers, more than $36 billion worth of cars were exported to the US last year.
Add to that another $8 billion or so in auto parts.
It's a very drastic sort of impact that these tariffs can have on the entire economy, and that's why the industry ministry came out saying that they're willing to inject nearly $1 .3 billion worth of emergency funds in liquidity to the global market.
In addition to that, across other markets as well, $1 .5 billion in emergency finance across all other sectors, including autos, semiconductors, steel and batteries as well.
Also, state -run banks will be offering easier loans and emergency loans for small and medium -sized enterprises and more subsidies for electric vehicles.
The trade minister is in Washington this week for talks with the U .S. trade representatives to try and find a way to get exemptions or waivers or lower tariff rates in general and that comes on the heels of the very first communication we had the acting president, Prime Minister Handok, to speak with U .S. President Donald Trump.
And that's sort of the focus that this officials here have to be working on because it looks like exemptions with the current free trade agreement are also not on the agenda at this point.
That was Shane Ham on measures in South Korea to keep the auto sector afloat.
Canada's confirmed that its countermeasures against U .S. tariffs come into effect on Wednesday.
Finance Minister Francois Philippe Champagne said they're committed to removing tariffs as soon as possible.
The Canadian response includes 25 percent duties on vehicles that are not covered by the Canada -U .S.-Mexico agreement.
The government said it'll also implement a remission framework that incentivizes production and investment in Canada and helps maintain jobs.
Canada imported 25 billion US dollars of vehicles from the United States last year.
The European Commissions invited industries to a meeting on Thursday as it weighs new trade partnerships.
The Commission's industry chief is leading the meeting that includes participants from the steel and auto industries.
Stefan Sejournet aims to find out about the impacts that EU companies are already feeling and the best responses.
The EU said two waves of tariffs on some US goods are set to kick in next week and a month later.
Cities and provinces heavily reliant on foreign trade are the first to feel the heat from the tariffs.
Shu Hua reports. Shenzhen, as China's largest trade hub, feels it the most, but the city is proving resilient under pressure.
In 2024, Shenzhen's trade increased, jumped 16 .4 % from the year before and export reached 2 .8 trillion yuan, that's about 390 billion US dollars, keeping it strong as China's top exporter for 32 consecutive years.
Now, America's 104 per cent tariff clearly is an act of bullying against its global partners.
But here are some measures that companies in Shenzhen have taken to cope with it.
First, the companies are doubling down on innovation, like Huawei and Tencent.
They are pouring money into AI and 5G for cutting -edge products and other companies like BYD is leveraging its tech -driven supply chain to boost its export, keeping its 2025 targets at 5 .5 million vehicles and 60 billion yuan profit.
Second, companies are finding new customers.
Shenzhen's sales to South East Asia, Africa America, exploded last year at nearly 38%, 26 % and 16 % respectively.
These regions now make up 23 % of Shenzhen's export.
Thirdly, companies are pushing harder on domestic sales with stuff like shopping vouchers and also cheaper products like DJI's cheaper drones.
And as one Shenzhen entrepreneur put it, that tariffs might stop, might delay our shipments, but they can't stop us from upgrading.
Alice Shuhet reporting.
American consumers are bracing for price hikes amid the tariff volatility.
They've already paid a record high price for eggs in January when the average for a dozen grade A eggs hit $4 .95.
US government's been seeking imports from Europe as it grapples with a bird flu outbreak.
Its tariffs will affect all other imported goods.
Mitzah Soledad Perez spoke with some shoppers at a store in Miami.
Some U .S. consumers are rushing to buy foreign made goods before tariffs kick in.
Economists are warning that this recent tariffs announced by President Trump would likely increase prices on everyday items. At this grocery store in downtown Miami, local sentiment is mixed.
But I've been performing very well because I come here every day to pick up everything I can before these prices go up It's gonna be terrible.
I believe in my heart I grew up in New York in 1960 to the 70s there be set in happy when people went out on the streets Started burning places and I couldn't come out my mother won't even come out.
It's gonna be worse.
It's awful Scarlet survivor I'm gonna survive.
I don't know. It's already expensive.
What are you gonna do?
Keep on pinching pennies, what else can I do?
Can't do anything. Some view these tariffs as part of President Trump's negotiation strategy, aimed at encouraging other countries to open their economies further to American experts.
Now other shoppers also believe these measures will ultimately benefit their wallets.
It's a very complicated process.
Let's see the results because he says it's going to work out at the end.
I know he's raising the tariffs so he could lower taxes right something like that that's the goal I just have to see how that works out you know I would like to have all my taxes given to me at the end of the year but regardless of strategy what many fear the most is economic uncertainty spreading through global markets will likely increase the prices even if it's only in the short term That was Nitsa Soledad Perez reporting.
Greece is concerned about not just the tariffs on its exports, but also the fees on Chinese ships that anchor at U .S. ports.
The move has raised red flags because many Greek ship owners rely heavily on Chinese shipyards.
Evangelos Tsipsis spoke to industry insiders about their dilemma.
A new Trump back plan could slap massive fees on ships linked to China, and Greek ship owners could feel the hit hard. Many of their vessels are built or currently under construction in Chinese shipyards, putting them squarely in the line of fire if the plan is a go -ahead.
At the moment 33 % of the fleet that is of the ships currently at sea have been repaired in China and about 67 % of the ships that Greek ship owners are building are in China.
So a large number of businesses are tied to the Chinese shipbuilding industry.
This means that these companies will be directly affected by the decision of the president of the United States.
And that's a problem for Greece whose shipping giants are on the world's The largest merchant fleet for years they've been turned to Chinese yards for cost effective shipbuilding.
But this new US plan could make that relationship a little more expensive.
You start to worry when you see one of the planet's major powers a key player in global trade, introducing regulations that would have been unthinkable in the past. Naturally, someone might start thinking that an alternative must be created soon, an alternative space for shipbuilding because of this trade war with China.
But it's not the case.
There's no alternative at the moment.
The Trump administration argues that it's all about national security and that China's lead in shipbuilding is putting the United States at risk.
However, critics say that it could backfire, dragging countries like Greece into the crossfire.
What's important now is clarity.
If these ports entirely or move towards Japanese or Korean build ships.
This won't be a quick shift. And while shifting away from Chinese build ships won't happen overnight, the added cost will almost certainly trickle down to consumers on both sides of the Atlantic.
At the end of the day it's the consumer who will pay.
The American consumer will have more expensive products guaranteed.
Same goes for the European consumer.
What started as a plan to boost American shipyards could end up rocking global shipping.
And for great ship owners, the message is clear, choppy waters may be ahead and everyone's waiting to see just how big the waves could become.
That was Evangelos beetist on the potential impacts on the shipbuilding industry under U .S. tariffs.
Coming up, the UN rejects Israel's proposal to control aid delivery in Gaza.
History doesn't just echo, it warns.
As Washington ramps up tariffs and the world braces for economic whiplash, are we watching a 21st -century re -run of Herbert Hoover's Great Depression playbook?
From China's counter -strikes to cracks in America's economy, we unpack whether this trade war is strategy or self -sabotage.
Get all these on this week's Chat Lounge.
wherever you listen to podcasts and I'll see you at the end radio.
The United Nations chief has rejected a new Israeli proposal to control aid deliveries in Gaza.
Secretary General Antone Guterres said the plan risks further limiting aid.
He also called on Israel to immediately allow unimpeded access of aid to Gaza.
Israel said it'll not allow any supplies until Hamas releases all remaining hostages.
Jody Jacobs has more.
The secretary -general joins the chorus of international humanitarians concerned about the dire situation unfolding in Gaza.
In a joint statement, the heads of UN aid agencies already condemned what they described as acts of violence in Gaza and Israel's complete disregard for human life.
Now Antonio Guterres says the situation in the Gaza Strip is intolerable in the eyes of international law and history.
More than an entire month has passed without a drop of aid into Gaza.
No food, no fuel, no medicine, no commercial supplies.
As aid has dried up, the floodgates of horror have reopened.
Gaza is a killing field and civilians are in an endless death slope.
The United Nations warns that the aid blockade is causing a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, leaving families without basic necessities and increasing the risk of disease and death.
Supplies are running critically low.
The UN is distributing what remains, but says the situation is unsustainable unless the crossings are re -opened.
No aid has been allowed into the Gaza Strip since March 2, resulting in a shortage of food, safe water, shelter and medical supplies.
Israel halted humanitarian aid to Gaza, accusing Hamas of diverting aid.
As the occupying power, Israel has unequivocal obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
We will not participate in any arrangement that does not fully respect the humanitarian principles.
Humanity, impartiality, independence and neutrality.
An impeded humanitarian access must be guaranteed.
The World Party says aid supplies in Gaza are just days away from being exhausted and if no action is taken soon the UN says thousands will once again go Hungary.
Antonio Guterres has again called for an independent investigation into Israel's killing of 15 emergency workers in southern Gaza.
He says member states must adhere to their obligations under international law and that there must be justice and accountability when they do not.
That was Jody Jacobs at the United Nations in New York.
The family of a 14 -year -old American boy killed in the west bank has demanded that the U .S. Embassy take accountability.
Media reports say Israeli military forces shot Aymer Rabi and two other teenagers dead in the village of Termas Eya on Sunday.
Amr's father, Mohamed Rabi, says his son should not have been killed.
Executive Director Rania Mostafa of the Palestinian American Community Center says the family has other demands.
And I think just the final message from the family is that they said we demand a formal investigation into the murder of Abid, we demand our local estate officials condemn this killing.
We demand that American embassies take accountability and we demand an end to the legal Israeli occupation and an end to the genocide.
The U .S. State Department said it was aware of Amr Rabi's death and was seeking more information about the incident.
A spokesperson said in investigations ongoing that they need to learn more about the nature of what happened on the ground.
The spokesperson said the Israeli Defense Forces claimed that the incident occurred during a counter -terrorism act.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the only solution to stop Iran's nuclear program is military intervention.
He made the remarks after meeting U .S. president Donald Trump in Washington, D .C.
Netanyahu also reiterated support for Trump's plan to force Palestinians in Gaza to leave for other countries.
He added that Israel is in talks with countries that may accept Palestinians.
We spoke about President Trump's vision because we are currently in contact with countries that are talking about the possibility of taking in a great many Palestinians from Gaza, and that's important because in the end that is what needs to happen.
Prime Minister also said that Israel will continue working against Turkey's attempts to establish military bases in Syria." He added that Israel plans to reduce its trade deficit with the United States.
The nightclub roof collapse in the capital of the Dominican Republic has killed at least 98 people.
The collapse occurred during a party at the jet set nightclub in Santo Domingo.
Rescue operations are ongoing and an investigation is underway to determine the cause.
President Luis Ebinator has declared three days of national mourning to honor the victims. Coming up, the U .S. is moving some of its troops in Poland.
Dive into news like never before with Deep Dive, the podcast from CGTN Radio.
Join our global reporters for captivating stories and thought -provoking conversations.
Search Deep Dive on your favorite podcast platforms and get ready to dive in.
Poland's defense minister says the United States will move troops and equipment to the NATO country from a key hub near the Ukrainian border.
The Defense Ministry said Yashanka handles up to 95 percent of military aid to Ukraine.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the move does not signal a reduction in US forces in Poland or Europe but the shift has raised concerns about Washington's ongoing support for Kyiv.
Some people in North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of the have returned to their villages to rebuild their lives after fleeing the city of Goma, which fell to the M23 rebels in February.
Wenge Mungai visited Kibumba to see how some of the families are coping with the situation they are facing.
Fifty -six -year -old Adeija Kaniere tends to her garden in Kibumba village near Goma in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
This was her source of livelihood until three years ago, when she and her family were forced to flee due to conflict.
They had been living in the city of Goma since then, but had to come back to Kibumba after M23 rebels took control of the area recently.
She's glad to be back, but memories of her troubled past still linger.
We agreed to return home because we were also suffering a lot in Goma.
We had been mistreated, our daughters were raped, others were involved in prostitution because of the hard life, trying to find money to buy even just body lotion.
Because of the vulnerability of their parents, many children became pregnant during their displacement because they were involved in prostitution due to farming.
But God helped us. The M23 came to dismantle all the camps and we could only return home on foot.
Some parents lost their children because we had fled.
But since we are home now, we will rely on our fields to recover and see if we will have better things in the future.
Kibumba Village is an agricultural area located 20 km from Goma.
Many villages have been returning here, just like Tanere, despite the difficulties of starting life all over again.
Some of the sweeternies found their property destroyed and families taken over by strangers.
And when we returned we found other people occupying our fields, now we are waiting for them to harvest so we can take back our fields.
But first of all, we were forced to go and present ourselves to the authorities to say that we own these fields, now we're waiting for the day they'll harvest so we can take back our land and cultivate." Some are already harvesting and taking produce to the local market.
They hope that peace can prevail for them to continue with their normal lives.
That was Anjit Mungai in the DRC.
Many Malaysian visitors to China have chosen Guangzhou as their point of entry.
The number of arrivals at Bau Yun Airport in the southern city increased by more than 57 % in the first quarter.
China and Malaysia enjoy reciprocal visa exemptions.
Wong Fei spoke with the owners and patrons of a Malaysian restaurant.
At heart of Guangzhou, Alberta Shelly's eatery is serving up a true taste of Malaysia.
They've named it Mamak, a beloved food culture inspired by the Tamil word for uncle.
Where we find out in Guangzhou is very rare to get Malaysian food.
If I put Mama, every Malaysian would know.
Much like Malaysia's iconic open air food stalls, Alper's restaurant serves traditional dishes in a relaxed setting.
All prepared to Halal standards.
Yeah, cheap and simple.
In Guangzhou, they have a lot of Muslim cuisine, hahala restaurants.
But a Malaysian restaurant, when you can't find one except for Mama.
Mamak means like Malay and Indian opening one restaurant.
We don't have high tea, we just have tea and then can one day sit there and just talk.
I come from Sabah and then my hometown is full around the sea, islands, so the video or the picture it show up and let me feel like home over there.
And what's sweetened the deal for businesses like this has been the mutual visa -free policies between China and Malaysia.
It's made business, travel and family business much easier.
The visa -free policy has brought Muslim tourists from around the world.
I think our business will only get better.
As China and Malaysia celebrate 51 years of diplomatic ties, Alper's restaurant plays a small but meaningful role in connecting the two cultures.
There are some of the customers when they come here.
After they order, while they're waiting, they can take some brochures and take a look.
Ah, you can see. We have father from Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur.
Mm, so they can take it back.
Ah, they can take it back.
With tourism campaigns targeting seven million visitors from China by 2026, Malaysia's visibility is on the rise.
with more direct flights and explosive tour packages travel between china and malaysia is booming for elbert and shelley it's not just business it's about sharing the warmth family one dish at a time." Hwas Wang Fei reporting.
A commission addressing the global challenges of modern slavery and human trafficking has warned that modern slavery has become the greatest human rights issue of the time.
The commission unveiled a report at the UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday.
The report said there are an estimated 50 million people trapped in modern slavery around the world.
It examined the causes of modern slavery and human trafficking and sets recommendations for urgent action.
Former British Prime Minister Theresa Mayes, the chair of the Commission, she warned that millions more people will be trapped in exploitation if no actions are taken.
The factors that make people vulnerable to modern slavery and human trafficking are growing.
Fuelled by the escalating global challenges of climate change, forced displacement, and conflict.
Consider for communities devastated by climate induced floods and droughts.
Their livelihoods destroyed, forcing them through economic necessity into the cruel hands of exploiters.
Think of the millions displaced by armed conflict, so often women and children who face unimaginable poverty, making them targets for sex traffickers, or those who profit from forced labor, or those who recruit child soldiers.
UN General Assembly President Philemon Young called for a stronger stand against modern slavery and human trafficking.
We must tackle the various situations that conspire to keep people in vulnerability.
For instance, poverty, climate change, conflict and instability, irregular migration, inequality including on the basis of gender, race and other factors, and lack of access to education, healthcare, markets and social protections designed to lift all people up not leave some behind." Ending modern slavery and human trafficking is one of the targets of the UN 2030 agenda.
Beijing's down to 9 degrees on Wednesday evening, it'll be cloudy in 25 on Thursday.
Nanchang's down to 20 then sunny conditions and 31.
Elsa and Asia islamabad's 18 overnight then a slight rainfall and 36 degrees on Thursday.
BN Mean's down to 24 degrees followed by a slight rain and 34.
Phnom Penh's at 25 overnight then a slight rainfall and 34 degrees.
In Africa Nairobi is getting moderate rainfall and 25 degrees Celsius on Thursday.
It's time for a short break so far this hour.
Chun has released a white paper reiterating the essence of its mutually beneficial relationship with the United States.
The UN has rejected an Israeli proposal for aid delivery into Gaza calling for unimpeded humanitarian access and the US is moving some of its troops in Poland.
Shane Biggam 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 and 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?
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 Bingham with you on this Wednesday.
Still to come in business, sales revenue in Chinese manufacturing continued growing through the first quarter.
In sports, the Champions League winning streak has come to an end in culture and entertainment emerging travel trends in China.
To contact us you can email Radio at cgtn .com or follow our ex -account at cgtnradio .com First of all check in the day's headline news Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for building a community with a shared future with neighboring countries.
He also urged for opening new ground for China's neighborhood work.
The Chinese leader made the remarks at a central conference on work related to neighboring countries in Beijing.
China's warned that unilateralism and protectionism are undermining trade ties with the United States.
A white paper outlines Beijing's position on economic relations with Washington, highlighting six key points.
It says bilateral trade is mutually beneficial in that China has fully honored the phase one trade agreement of 2020, while the US has failed to meet its commitments.
The document criticises the latest US tariffs and new restrictions on Chinese industries, calling them harmful to global trade and cooperation.
It stresses that China will continue to uphold free trade and abide by the rules of the World Trade Organization.
The White Paper also notes that Beijing and Washington can resolve differences through dialogue, underscoring mutual benefit and win -win cooperation, as the essential nature of bilateral trade.
China's foreign ministry is calling on the U .S. to adopt a mutually respectful and beneficial attitude if it really wants to resolve issues through dialogue.
The foreign ministry says China will not accept any act of bullying.
A spokesperson said China will fight till the end if the U .S. insists on tariff and trade wars.
South Korea is offering financial support, including tax cuts and subsidies for the auto industry in an attempt to reduce the blow of US tariffs.
The industry minister said that he expects the car duties to have a negative impact on South Korean exports.
The government's vowed efforts to negotiate and help expand markets.
US President Donald Trump says he's opened trade talks with South Korea and spoken with Acting President Handeok Su.
He also said a team is visiting the United States, and he feels good about a deal.
The UN's warning that Palestinians in Gaza are facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis amid severe shortages of food, water, and harsh living conditions.
Israel stepped up its military offensive in the Strip last month and cut off all food, medicine, fuel, electricity, and other supplies to the two million people in Gaza.
It also issued displacement orders forcing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to flee bombardment and ground operations Israel claimed that enough food had entered Gaza during the six -week truce it began in January to sustain the Palestinians for a long time But UN agencies and other said the supplies rather they built up during the truce are now running out Many displaced Palestinians say life has become nearly impossible Due to the closure of Gaza and the lack of flower and bakery shutdowns, life has become difficult for us and the children.
We can barely manage one meal a day for them.
They eat once a day, and I put them to sleep early because there's no food.
As for drinking water, we have no access to any source of clean water.
Only on rare occasions, when trucks deliver potable water.
Often I can't find food.
For example, my children and I would have lunch, but we won't have dinner, as do other people.
Sometimes, we would eat lunch, but not dinner.
We suffer from chronic illnesses and have no jobs.
I'm disabled and my wife has suffered three strokes in the past fifty days amidst our dire financial situation.
The World Food Program warned that its supplies to keep kitchens going could be depleted by next week.
It had to stop distributing boxes of food staples directly to families last week.
The bakeries it ran have also shut down for lack of flour, ending a main source of bread.
Data shows employment in South Korea rose for the third consecutive month in March. The number of employed people aged 15 and older gained 0 .7 % to over 28 million last month.
The elderly drove the overall job growth with the number of jobs for those aged 60 and older advancing more than 360 ,000.
Nearly 920 ,000 people lost their jobs in South Korea last month, up 26 ,000 from a year earlier.
The unemployment rate was 3 .1%.
Brazil will introduce visa requirements for citizens from the United States, Canada and Australia.
The move ended the country's open entry for people of those nationalities after six years.
Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro scrapped the visa requirements in 2019.
But incumbent president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has suspended the free entry of citizens from those three countries.
He said the decision is based on the principle of reciprocity, as Brazilians still need visa as for those countries.
Coming up in business sales revenue in Chinese manufacturing continued growth through the first quarter.
The Beijing hour your window on China and the rest of the world turning to business nears Wang Zhan.
Thank you Shane. Stock market on the Chinese mainland closed higher on Wednesday.
The Shanghai composite gained over 1 .3 % while the Shenzhen component was up more than 1 .2%.
Tourism and aviation equipment led the gainers.
Elsewhere in China, the Hong Kong stock market ended higher with the Hang Seng index up almost 0 .7%.
Meantime, stocks in Japan closed at a loss with the Nikkei down over 3 .9%.
Over 200 listed companies in China have joined efforts to stabilize the domestic stock market, with state -owned enterprises leading the charge.
Prominent SOEs such as Baichina China Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Group, and China Gold and Aluminium Corporation have announced plans to buy back shares and increase holdings.
The Aluminium Corporation of China will allocate between 1 -2 million yuan or up to 270 billion U .S. dollars for the initiative.
Earlier in the week, several major private sector companies including display maker BOE, appliance leader My Deere and Premier liquor producer Kwai Chung Mao Tai also unveiled similar stock buy plans.
Former U .S. Treasury Secretary Lorenz Summers says the United States is likely heading into a recession as a result of the ongoing tariff increases.
Summers says in the context of recession, the country will see an extra two million people unemployed and losses in household income of $5 ,000 per family or more.
According to Summers, the tariffs by the Trump administration exceeded even those of 1930 that made the depression great.
US economists and business leaders have warned that these tariff measures will drive up prices, harm American consumers and businesses, and disrupt global trade.
Several US trade partners have already announced the countermeasures.
Last Wednesday, US President Donald Trump announced a sweeping 10 % tariff on all imports entering the United States.
The European Union faces a 20 % rate, with Switzerland slapped with a 31 % rate.
Meanwhile, China is subject to an additional 34 % tariff rate, on top of the existing two 20 % duties on all Chinese imports to the US.
With threats of an additional 50 % rate on China due to Beijing's 34 % counter -tariffs on US goods, the total tariff rate on Chinese goods to the US could reach as high as 104%.
Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia are also set to face rates ranging from 46 % to 49%.
These countries are crucial suppliers of consumer goods, machinery and textiles to the United States.
Japan and South Korea, which are allies to the US, also get 24 -25 % tariff.
For more, Zhen Jinfeng's work with Daryl Guppey, CEO of the Guppey Traders.
And these rebounds are sort of taking place in mid -air between support levels, and that's not sustainable.
The markets are vulnerable to just the whisper of further bad news on tariffs.
That will come when markets have time to fully digest the impact of the 100 percent plus tariffs that have been imposed on China.
So we expect to see more falls tonight in US indexes, which of course will flow through to European and Asian markets tomorrow.
How might prolonged market volatility, not just in equities, but also in gold, in commodities, in other products, increase the risk of a broader financial crisis?
It will certainly increase the risk of a crisis, but this is not like 2008.
Then markets froze because banks stopped lending to each other.
It was a credit crunch and it was resolved using the mechanisms of the global rules.
This is not the same.
This is the deliberate destruction of supply chains and economies.
It is the destruction of trade rules that afford prosperity for half a century or more.
It is a destruction of once mighty US companies, the magnificent seven for instance, who rely on international trade for their product components and their customers.
This will take a while to fully sink in, but for the US, this is a self -inflicted attack on their economy.
There will be collateral damage to other markets.
Even though trade frictions are settled, what kind of changes will be brought to the global trade system?
What kind of new picture can we see?
I think it's important to recognise that there are no deals on the table.
There is only submission.
The reality is the United States is bankrupt and President Trump is skilled at handling bankruptcy.
First you cut the costs.
That's Dodge run by Mescal.
Second, you generate income, any way you can.
That's tariffs. Third, you reduce the costs of refinancing loans, and that's come about by crashing the market and the dollar.
And fourth, you might try to defer loan payments, and that might involve converting treasury debt into 50 or 100 year bonds, or even using a synthetic default to stop payment to selected countries that are currently holding US Treasuries.
Trump doesn't care what the global trade system will look like in the future as long as he is able to stave off bankruptcy.
There was thorough guppy on how US sweeping tariffs are impacting the global markets.
India supplies the United States with $8 billion in generic drugs each year creating significant health savings, proposed tariffs could directly hit consumer wallets.
Ravindra Bhabha explains.
At this Indian company located in a small town, medicine is being packed as per the guidelines of the US Food and Drug Administration or U .S. FDA.
India has around 700 U .S. FDA -registered facilities supplying drugs to U .S. consumers.
These days, the threat of U .S. tariffs looms over these manufacturers so what are their options if the tariffs are here to stay?
Manufacturers from India will have to look for other avenues and we will have to you know focus on other countries because we are supplying to whole of the world.
One -third of the medicines in the world are from India so yes it will be a balancing act for us also we'll have to look for new avenues.
Currently India imposes a 10 % tariff on US drugs but the US does not charge an import duty on Indian drugs.
To deal with the threat of reciprocal tariffs, the Indian pharma industry has proposed to the government to do away with the import duty on pharmaceuticals from the US.
Since our import in medicines is not big and also these are very critical drugs for rare diseases and some of the diseases like cancer and all.
So even if we make a zero rate for all the medicines coming in India, it is anyway going to help those patients in India as well.
While India exports nearly 50 % of all generic drugs consumed by US consumers, its imports from the US make up to 7%.
Experts say that India should prioritize its own interests at the negotiating table.
India sends $8 billion worth of generic drugs to America, resulting in a substantial saving for the health care system.
Analysts say that any potential U .S. tariff on Indian pharmaceuticals exports will increase the drug cost and may cause access barriers for consumers.
There was Ravindra Baba reporting.
Official data shows the sales revenue in China's manufacturing sector continued to grow in the first quarter, with high -tech industries seeing robust sales growth.
According to the State Taxation Administration the revenue increased 4 .8%, making up over 29 % of national sales.
The figure was an increase of 0 .8 points from the same period of last year.
Sales revenue in the equipment manufacturing sector grew 9 .7%, maintaining strong growth momentum.
In Dalian, a rail transit equipment manufacturer that produces braking resistors and calling fans for locomotives has seen increasing orders.
Equipment manufacturing is the mainstay industry in the northeastern city.
Over 21 ,200 companies in the industry have benefited from intelligence service systems and preferential policies put forward by local authorities.
Meantime, in the first quarter, sales revenue in high -tech industries increased over 13%, percent, continuing its rapid growth trend.
And finally, China has updated its tax refund policy for foreign tourists, shifting from a refund upon departure model to a refund upon purchase model.
According to the State Taxation Administration, foreign visitors can instantly claim value -added tax rebates at tax -free stores.
This enables them to reuse a refunded amount in real time for further shopping.
Previously VAT rebates were only available for withdrawal upon departure.
The administration says municipalities and provinces including Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangdong piloted the initiative and is now ready for a nationwide promotion.
When overseas travelers purchase tax refundable items at refund upon purchase stores and obtain credit card pre -authorisation, they can now collect an equal amount of tax refund on site.
Thank you very much. That was Wong Zha Hung with Business.
And coming up in sports, Champions League winning streak has come to an end.
A night of Champions League drama unfolded with Declan Rice's Ice cold dagger and L Morteiro Martinez's buckling moment of magic.
But the story is far from over.
Can Real Madrid summon a historic comeback?
How can Bayern Munich overcome its injury crisis?
Find out more in the latest episode of Thank you, Shane.
In football Bayern Munich has suffered its first Champions League home defeat in 22 matches, falling 2 -1 to Inter Milan in the first leg of their quarterfinal tie.
Bayern now needs a comeback to keep its Champions League hopes alive.
Despite the defeat, head coach Vincent Kompany is still confident.
winning Milan in another quarterfinal first leg Arsenal beat Real Madrid 3 -0 the victory has Arsenal on the brink of returning to the semi -finals for the first time since 2009 manager Michaela Teta expressed the strong satisfaction we had a very complete and big performance collectively and you need that in terms of organization in terms of what we had to do to dominate the game and to create Madrid problems and then these nights is about all the two factors one is atmosphere that we created 15 minutes Just before kickoff already something I haven't seen before, so playing with that energy, with that commitment
with your crowd makes a huge difference.
Aston Villa is preparing for its game against PSG.
Head Coach Unai Emery says they are ready.
And feeling good, it's the first time I am here, in Paris and in Pas de Princess.
It is something special for me, special.
And of course, I'm very proud of how I am coming back here, playing with Aston Villa the Champions League and trying to enjoy this quarter of finals.
Elsewhere Bruges and Dortmund play Barcelona.
In the NBA, Norman Powell scored 25 points, and Los Angeles Clippers beat the San Antonio Spurs 122 -117.
Ivica Zubac had 24 points and James Harden had 21 for Los Angeles, who have won 5 straight.
With victory, the Clippers surged into fourth place in the Western Conference.
Shea Gilger's Alexander scored 42 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat Los Angeles Lakers won 36 -120.
LeBron James led Lakers with 28 points, followed by Austin Reeves with 24.
Elsewhere the Memphis Grizzlies beat Charlotte Hornets won 24 -100.
The Chicago Bulls lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers won 35 -113.
The Washington Wizards went down to the Indiana Pacers 104 -98.
Orlando Magic beat Atlanta Hawks 119 -112, the New Orleans Pelicans lost to the Brooklyn Nets 119 -114, and it's the Boston Celtics over the New York Knicks 119 -117.
The Shanghai Sharks have etched Rwanda and Southern Tigers 104 -103 to tie the series in the best of three first round of the CBA playoffs.
Meanwhile, the Beijing Royal Fighters clinched their second straight win over the Shandong Heroes, 93 -84, to sail into the Quarter Finals.
They will next face the Beijing Ducks.
Turning to tennis, top seed Alexander Sivirev has suffered an early exit at Monte Carlo Masters.
Matthew Berrettini fought back from one sit -down to stun the Germans in three sets.
This marks Berrettini's second win over Sivirev in as many years having last ousted the German at Wimbledon to reach the last 16, 2023.
Berrettini could face either Lorenzo Musetti or Gery Lehachka for a place in the quarter -finals.
Jack Draper has made a good start to his clay court season, knocking out Marcus Geren in straight sets.
The 2026 winter Olympic Games are now less than a year away.
Ski mountaineering will make its debut.
Alex Fraser explains what it is and Team China's preparations.
This is one of the most physically challenging winter sports.
Ski mountaineering or skiMO for short, involves climbing up on foot before descending at speed skiing.
The sport's first ever races took place around 100 years ago and in 2026 it's finally going to be featured in the Winter Olympic Games for the first time.
China's ski mo team is preparing for the Milano Cortina Olympics in the Italian Alps.
These athletes have been training for months in the town of Passo del Tonale ahead of the last stages of qualifying.
Under the guidance of Italian coach Andrea Janni, some of the team have come from only learning to ski, to the brink of Olympic qualification in just a few years.
China has put a lot of effort in the training for skimo in the last, let's say 10 years.
I am confident that there are good chances for good placement in the Olympics.
The six Chinese athletes practice sprints and quick equipment changes every day.
In ski mode, competitors have to carry skis on their back, be able to quickly put them on during the race.
They then use special skins to ascend up the mountain or ski, which enables the athletes to climb at an angle without sliding back down.
When they reach the top, they ski down like traditional alpine skiers, reaching speeds of up to 80 km an hour.
They have put a lot of determination and willingness to learn.
I think this is also what has made it possible to get this level of international higher competition.
There are two different schema events at the Olympics, the men and women sprints and mixed relay.
Only 18 men and women can qualify.
It takes years of sacrifice to get near the Olympic Games.
I feel so proud to be representing China in international competitions.
I really want to work hard so I can stand on that podium and hear the Chinese anthem.
Final qualification stage.
The Ski Mountaineering World Cup is on April 12 in Tromso, Norway.
After that these athletes will find out if they made it to the Olympics.
That was Alex Fraser reporting.
Alright, thank you very much. That was Yongguang with sports.
... and just ahead in culture and entertainment, emerging travel trends in China.
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.
Turning to culture and entertainment, new trends emerging in China as warmer temperatures fueled the excitement for travel and entertainment.
Hit musicals, dance dramas and cultural shows are selling out as tourists seek out unique performances away from home.
This spring, the hottest tickets aren't just for shows, but also for the trips to see them.
More and more people in China are traveling to watch performances, chasing musical and cultural spectacles from Chengdu to Chongqing, turning theatres into must -visit destinations.
A report by the China Association of Performing Arts says newly launched tourism -themed performances are winning over audiences through cutting -edge technology and innovative storytelling rooted in local culture.
Historical drama Chongqing 1949 has recently revamped itself, returning to the stage with an improved script and better technology.
Set on the eve of Chongqing's liberation in 1949, the show vividly relives the heroism of China's revolutionary martyrs.
I'm from Indonesia.
We came, the whole family, about 30 people.
This is huge. The technology is very advanced.
We are amazing. What's happened in China nowadays is quite good.
We often went to New York to see the opera also.
I mean the stage is more advanced than the one we always saw in there." An original play by the National Theatre of China titled Spring Dunes Along the Su Causeway captivated audiences in Chengdu.
Helped from March 28th to April 2nd, the performance blended stage art with real -world heritage exploration as the cast hosted cultural tours to Mei Shan's Thrissu Memorial Museum.
The play deepened my understanding of Suzhe.
Visiting these historic sites afterward really makes the saying, read a thousand books, travel a thousand miles, come to life.
From revolutionary epics to classical reinventions, China's performance scene is not just entertaining, It is inspiring journeys bridging the past and the present and captivating audiences from all over the world.
That was Wei Tong reporting.
The Broadway musical Chicago will return to Shanghai later this month.
Seven shows will take place at Poly Grand Theatre starting from April 23rd. Since its premiere in 1975, the musical has staged more than 35 ,000 shows worldwide.
The current Broadway production made eight solo appearances at AIA Grand Theatre in Shanghai in June of last year.
A US media giant Comcast will build its first Universal Theme Park and Resort in Europe, in Bedford, north of London.
The park will open in 2031.
It is expected to attract 8 .5 million visitors in the first year.
Universal Studios has five resorts and parks in the United States of California and Florida, as well as in Singapore, Japan, and China.
Dozens of scholars from China, Greece, the United States, and Australia have gathered in Athens for a cultural forum on ancient epics.
They shared insights on preserving cultural heritage and exploring opportunities for international collaboration.
Participants also engaged in discussions on the contemporary relevance of epics, strategies for safeguarding epic traditions, and ways to enhance cross -cultural communication.
Beijing down to nine degrees on Wednesday evening.
It's cloudy and 25 on Thursday.
Nanshong is down to 20 followed by sunshine and 31 elsewhere in Asia.
Islamabad is 18 overnight then a slight rainfall in 36 degrees on Thursday.
Vientiane is 24 this evening then a slight rain and 34.
Phnom Penh is down to 25 and then a slight rain and 34 degrees.
In Africa, Nairobi will get moderate rainfall and 25 degrees Celsius on Thursday.
That's it for this edition of the Beijing Hour.
Making news today China has released a white paper reiterating the essence of its mutually beneficial relationship with the United States, and the U .S. is moving some of its troops in Poland.
On behalf of the staff, this is Shane Biggum in the Chinese capital, hoping you'll join us for the next edition of The Beijing Hour, and open a window to the world together.
Find the Beijing hour at precisely 6 p .m Beijing time.
We meet you on podcast and on air every weekday.
The Beijing Hour, your window on China and the rest of the world.
He can't live without the Yellow River in his eyes.
The Yellow River is so noble and elegant.
Both my grandpa and dad made 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 the 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.
or in our 12 -part series The Yellow River Mosaic, available only on CGTN Radio.
