The unmissable news stories of the day.
This is the Beijing Hour.
Examining the events that impact and shape China and the rest of the world.
This is the Beijing Hour.
One hour of news and information brought to you every weekday.
Now, here's your host.
Shane Begum with you on this Friday, November 28th, 2025.
You're listening to the Beijing Hour coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
On today's program.
China's foreign minister says the Japanese prime minister's comments on Taiwan violate China's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
US military action against Venezuelan boats over suspected drug trafficking may soon expand to include land targets.
Officials in Hong Kong have announced more arrests linked to the deadly high-rise fire that's claimed well over 100 lives.
In business, the number of generative AI users in China has doubled in just six months.
In sports, Cheng Chun will host a world sporting event in the winter of 2027.
In culture and entertainment.
Young artisans in China are bringing ancient crafts into the modern world.
Now check in the day's top stories.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi says provocative remarks on Taiwan by the Japanese leader are a violation of China's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He elaborated on China's position on the Taiwan question during a phone call with a French presidential diplomatic advisor.
Wang said, as permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and strategic partners, China and France should jointly safeguard the outcomes of World War II and firmly support each other on core issues.
Emmanuel Bon said France upholds an independent foreign policy.
It adheres to the one China principle and understands China's legitimate position on the Taiwan question.
People in Taiwan have expressed anger and concern about Japan's military plans.
Zhang Yibing asked historians, party leaders, and residents about their opinions.
During my recent interviews on China's Taiwan region, all guests criticized Japanese Prime Minister Sanei Takeuchi, viewing her comments as provocative and dangerous to the one China principle recognized by the international community.
And they expressed concern about militarism rising again in Japan.
80 years ago, Japan didn't apologize to China when it surrendered, including over the comfort women problem in the Taiwan region.
Across Asia, it didn't do so to many countries like South Korea and the Philippines.
We should watch closely.
Japan should not go back to its past of militarization.
This is too dangerous for any other countries.
Japan once invaded others. we should not let it happen again.
And back to 1895, when Taiwan was forced to cede to Japan.
The Japanese aggressors began their 50-year colonial role in Ireland and committed countless crimes in suppressing the resistance.
From 1895 to 1902, Japanese aggressors killed more than 30,000 people in Taiwan.
We, the Chinese, will never forget that catastrophe in which 55 young men among 100 back then in Taiwan were killed.
Takeichi should know this.
But the Taiwan region leader Lai Ching-te and the Democratic Progressive Party authorities totally ignored the history, including Taiwan's restoration 80 years ago.
Lai even posted a photo of himself eating sushi on social media, expressing support for Takeichi.
The die-hard separatist angered many in Taiwan.
The authorities do not recognize the glorious victory of the Chinese and even treat themselves as the descendants of the Japanese.
It's a shame.
Those defending the historical truth say both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one China.
This is what is legally recognized by the international community.
Today, it is Japan that is interfering in China's internal affairs, while it is China that needs to defend the integrity of its own territory.
Almost 20 days after Takeichi made her comments concerning Taiwan, she has made no sign at all that she will withdraw her statement.
The question is, does she really understand history, international law and basic norms?
And can she show respect to all those who perished because of Japanese degression during World War II?
That was Zhang Yibing reporting.
An Okinawa-based anti-war group, says the government's latest missile deployments heightened regional conflict and breached Japan's pacifist constitution.
Kunio Arakaki is chief secretary of the group.
I believe the Japanese government's current approach is wrong.
In response to tensions over the Taiwan Strait, Japan is deploying missiles to Okinawa, while the US is bringing HIMARS F-35 and MQ-9 drones to Kadena.
This is clearly a military threat and provocation toward China.
It raises tensions and increases the risk of conflict.
In my personal view, it violates the Japanese constitution.
Article 9 renounces war and the use of force, and the preamble says Japan must never again wage war or inflict harm on other nations.
What the government is doing now goes against that spirit.
Residents in Okinawa are complaining that the government's leaving all the risk to them, with the prime minister's claims on Taiwan and plans for a military base.
China has repeated calls for Japan to reflect on its past aggression, saying many issues remain unresolved.
In one central Chinese city.
The Japanese Imperial Army killed thousands of civilians during bombings and also released plague bacteria which left thousands of others dead.
Biological attacks are illegal, a war crime under international law.
Huang Fei visited Chengdu to meet families and lawyers still seeking justice.
On the outskirts of Chengdu...
The rivers and fields thrive with life.
One's a vital wartime supply hub with food and cotton.
But that strategic role also made it a target of a deadly plague.
78-year-old Mrs. Xiong still carries memories of her family that suffered.
My father told me that my grandmother died of the plague.
She had fevers and swollen lymph nodes everywhere.
My granddad's brother died the same year.
Our family was poor. selling snacks just to get by.
Of course, I still feel that hatred today.
The first recorded victim was a 12-year-old girl.
Doctors found rodent plague infection in the postmortem, the same disease once known as the Black Death.
This used to be a marketplace where people came for supplies.
After they dropped the fleas here, every day, People died.
Every day there were coffins.
Roads were sealed.
Trenches were dug.
But because so much business happened here, the plague spread fast.
Mr. Lu, whose mother survived, keeps a list of all the victims and their descendants.
Across China, researchers are gathering records from multiple provinces and digitizing them.
7,643.
That's the number of victims of Japan's bioweapons attack here in Changde.
Over the decades, investigators from both China and Japan pieced together overwhelming evidence photographs, medical records, survivor testimony, even diary entries from the perpetrators themselves.
Japanese lawyer, Ichinose Keiichiro, filed a civil case on behalf of the victims in the Tokyo District Court in 1997.
Eight years later, the court reached a final verdict confirming the facts, but rejected claims for compensation.
The court revived an old Meiji era doctrine of state immunity, claiming Japan isn't liable for wartime sovereign acts.
But acts that violate international law cannot hide behind immunity.
The ruling should reflect Japan's post-war constitution, given the scale and cruelty of the crime.
The verdict was flawed legally and morally.
Still, it marked the first time a Japanese state institution formally acknowledged bacteriological warfare did occur.
Lawyer Gao Feng, who also lost relatives to the plague, now focuses on pushing for change inside Japan's political system.
After the verdict, we turned to political means, urging Japan to resolve this through legislation and government action.
I've visited Japan many times. speaking to lawmakers and presenting evidence.
A national investigation report issued in 2010 counted around 650000 deaths from Japan's repeated bacteriological attacks in China.
Japan has yet to apologize and instead its top leadership continues to stoke tensions of future conflict.
The mere suggestion that war could happen again is utterly unacceptable.
The purpose of our lawsuit has always been to prevent another conflict.
Acknowledging historical facts, addressing victims' suffering and showing genuine remorse are, in my view, the foundation of peace in East Asia.
At least here, in the town that bore the brunt of the attacks, history will not be forgotten.
Of course I want to continue fighting.
I want justice.
We cannot give up.
Even after I die, my children will continue this fight.
That was a report from Chengde on Japan's historical crimes and the plea for justice.
The Japanese Internal Affairs Ministry says consumer inflation in Tokyo remained flat this month.
Preliminary figures released on Friday show that Tokyo's consumer price index, excluding fresh food, rose 28 in November, the same level as October.
The figure is also slightly above market expectations for a 2.7% increase.
Food prices have continued to climb, while electricity fees also ticked up.
The release came out a week after Prime Minister Sanai Takeichi unveiled a US135 billion stimulus package to boost economic growth.
With more.
We spoke to Professor John Gong with the University of International Business and Economics.
What does the inflation data mean for Japanese people, who are already suffering from the burden of the high cost of living?
Well, I think the fact that the inflation level has been keeping flat, which means the same as the previous time last year, shows that the inflation is being pretty much under control.
I think there's not much of a high inflation in Japan in the first place.
So I think, even though the prices are high in Japan, but relatively speaking that's been fairly stable.
I think this affords the central bank to play with the interest rate.
And it seems to be the case that it is likely to increase interest rate moving forward, as the interest rate in Japan has been so low, abnormally low, for a long, long time.
So I think the Japanese government is interested in raising interest rate to a more of a normal level.
Okay, you've mentioned the inflation rate there.
What do you expect the central bank to do with this data then, when it has to make a decision on raising rates next month?
I think there's a positive likelihood here.
The market was expecting this anyway in October.
It didn't happen.
So I think the fact that the interest rate has – I mean, the price level has been fairly stable means that the Japanese – government Bank of Japan is probably more likely to take action this time, because it wants to move the interest rate to a more normal level, as well as actually trying to make the Japanese yen a little bit stronger vis-a-vis the dollar in order to attract investment into Japan.
So I think the environment seems to be right for a rate increase.
So I think it's probably going to happen.
If it's not going to happen, it's probably going to happen again the months after that.
So I think by the next few months definitely the baseline interest rate is going to be increasing from the 05 percentage point to a little bit higher, close to 1.
That was Professor John Gong from the University of International Business and Economics.
Coming up, the U.S. may soon expand its military action targeting Venezuela.
India has fully restored global visa services for Chinese travelers.
What's behind the policy change?
Can they realistically expect a quick rebound in Chinese tourist numbers?
What are the biggest factors holding Chinese travelers back?
Could this full restoration of visas become a genuine turning point in China-India relations?
Tune in for insights beyond the headlines in this week's chat lounge, wherever you listen to podcasts and on CGTN Radio.
13 minutes past the hour.
U.S.
President Donald Trump says the United States will start taking action to stop suspected Venezuelan drug traffickers on land very soon.
The USS Gravely cruise missile destroyer is docked alongside a Navy support vessel in Puerto Rico.
An F-35 fighter jet was also seen taking off from a base on the eastern part of the island.
The US military has deployed forces to the Caribbean under a campaign allegedly targeting drug trafficking.
Meanwhile, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has called for national unity and readiness to defend against foreign threats.
Amid heightened tensions, Venezuela's revoked the operating rights of six major international airlines.
They suspended flights to the country following a warning from the U.S.
Federal Aviation Administration against risk associated with flying over Venezuelan airspace.
Stephen Gibbs has more from Caracas.
It's relatively quiet at Venezuela's main international airport.
Over the last week, almost all international airlines have suspended their flights to the country.
It follows a notice issued by the United States Federal Aviation Administration.
The FAA warning issued last Friday advised airlines of heightened military activity in or around Venezuela.
The order did not prohibit flights.
It did urge caution.
Spain's Iberia and Turkish Airlines, amongst others, cancelled their services.
On Monday, the Venezuelan government asked them to resume within 48 hours.
When they did not, citing safety concerns, they had their licenses revoked.
Venezuela accused the airlines of joining the actions of state terrorism promoted by the United States.
It comes amid the biggest US military buildup in the Caribbean in over three decades, an operation purportedly to stop drug trafficking.
More than 20 boats have been sunk, several off Venezuela.
The Dominican Republic, following a meeting between its president and the US Secretary of War, said it had authorized the US government to operate inside its territory to help the fight against drugs.
Meanwhile, the cancellations are causing serious disruption.
De Correa was on a trip to Brazil last week, leaving her children with relatives.
She was expecting to get back to Caracas with just one stop when the cancellations began.
She ended up taking three flights to Colombia, then crossing the border to Venezuela by land, and then taking another flight.
I was afraid that a war would break out, that something we were hearing about would happen and that I wouldn't be able to be there to protect my children.
It was a matter of whatever was going to happen I wanted to be with my family.
Flights that have been operating normally include those bringing deportees from the United States to Venezuela.
That's made the government here suggest that the safety concern is really a pretense for an embargo.
Choosing who lands and who does not is a sovereign decision, said Venezuela's interior minister on his weekly television show on Wednesday.
Most of the airlines that have suspended flights say they will review the situation by December, the 1st.
After that date, it will become clear just how long-term this situation is set to be.
That was Stephen Gibbs reporting on flight operations in Venezuela amid regional tensions.
Guinea-Bissau Transitional President Horta Intae has signed a presidential decree appointing Major General Tamash Jassi as Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces comes after the military high command inaugurated him as the head of the military government which will oversee a one-year transition period.
It follows the military's declaration that it fully assumed state authority.
The military has also announced lifting of the previously imposed movement restrictions and nationwide curfew starting Friday.
It said, all public and private schools, training centers markets, commercial centers and private institutions will resume normal operations immediately.
The High Military Command also prohibited protests, demonstrations and strikes, which it says could affect national peace and stability.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says a delegation will meet US officials later this week to work out a formula for ending the conflict with Russia.
The two sides had revised a 28-point U.S. plan in earlier talks.
At the end of this week...
Our team and American representatives will continue to push forward on the points that we worked out as a result of talks in Geneva.
We want to shape them so we reach the path to peace and security guarantees.
Our delegations will meet.
The Ukrainian delegation will be well prepared and ready to engage on work.
Solansky said he'll join further discussions next week, adding that Kyiv is preparing firm ground.
Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed that U.S. officials will visit Moscow next week.
He said the U.S. proposed list of points on Ukraine could form a basis for future agreements.
In general, we agree that it can be used as a basis for future agreements, but it would be impolite on my part to speak about any final versions, because there are none.
The Russian leader said there are specific issues in the US proposal that need to be tackled and added Moscow is ready to discuss European security.
The European Parliament has urged the EU to be more proactive and assume more responsibility for security, and to be more involved in peace negotiations.
U.S.
President Donald Trump says one of the two National Guard soldiers who were shot near the White House has died.
20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom was from West Virginia and started service in 2023.
24-year-old Andrew Wolfe remains in critical condition.
Authorities have unveiled more details about the suspect.
Walter Morris is in Washington.
Well, officials gave an update.
They described the attack as an ambush.
We're standing a little more than a half a kilometer from the White House.
And now President Donald Trump is calling this an act of terror.
The U.S.
Department of Justice says the suspect walked up to a National Guard member in the middle of the afternoon, pulled out a revolver and opened fire before shooting another soldier nearby.
Investigators say the suspect was also shot and seriously wounded and they say he's now facing charges of assault with intent to kill and could face life in prison.
Officials identifying the suspect as Ramanula Lakanawa.
They say he's a 29-year-old Afghan national who lives in the Pacific Northwest with his wife and five children, and they allege that he drove across country to commit the attack.
Prosecutors say he came to the US in 2021 to flee the Taliban and they say he worked with the CIA-backed military unit during the war.
Thursday, officials did not disclose a motive for the shooting.
There is confirmation now that the subject had a relationship in Afghanistan with partner forces.
We are fully investigating that aspect of his background as well, to include any known associates that are either overseas or here in the United States of America.
My message to the individual who committed these acts is you picked the wrong target, the wrong city and the wrong country, and you will be sorry for the violence and the evil that you perpetrated in our nation's capital.
President Trump described it as an act of terror.
The administration has stopped processing all immigration applications from Afghanistan.
And Trump suggested that his predecessor, Joe Biden, is partially to blame.
And, in response to the shooting, President Trump has requested an additional 500 National Guard troops to patrol the city.
There are already about 2,000 here in the nation's capital.
That was Walter Morris reporting.
Coming up, Hong Kong officials have made more arrests linked to the high-rise fires.
At 22 minutes past the hour.
Hong Kong authorities have confirmed 128 deaths in the apartment complex fire as of Friday afternoon.
The Independent Commission Against Corruptions arrested two directors of an engineering consultancy linked to renovation work.
A special task force is probing possible corruption in Hong Kong's deadliest blaze in decades.
Three others were earlier arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.
Thailand's grappling with the aftermath of the worst flooding in centuries.
Hat Yai recorded the heaviest rain in 300 years.
More than 100 people have died and tens of thousands more are still trapped in their homes.
The disaster has affected more than 77,000 people.
Desita Sakyo has more.
The water took everything.
Then it came for the most vulnerable.
In the worst flood to hit Songkhra province in 300 years.
Soldiers and rescue teams are stretched to the brink as rescue calls multiply by the minute.
A 67-year-old grandmother, pale, bleeding after debris cut through her leg two days ago.
I fell on the floor of my house.
When the water receded, it left a lot of mud.
Soldiers lift her onto the truck.
Her breathing is shallow.
Her pulse is weak.
She goes in and out of consciousness, unaware of the chaos and destruction surrounding her.
In this devastating flood crisis, every minute, every second counts.
The elderly stuck in their homes, submerged for days, help extremely difficult to come by.
The army has sent in reinforcements to help evacuate, to bring medical assistance, but the severity of this crisis is making coordination extremely difficult.
It's a crisis, definitely a crisis.
I've lived here for 35 years.
This is the worst I've ever seen.
We face many obstacles because sometimes our equipment doesn't match the severity of the situation.
Big boats can't enter narrow alleys, and small boats can't handle the strong currents.
And communication is the biggest problem.
Some people call for help, but when we get there, we can't contact them.
A young pregnant woman climbs on, clinging to her husband.
Her contractions are strong.
She can barely sit up straight or even talk.
She tells us she is nine months pregnant.
These men are trained for disaster zones, but not for delivering babies in a flood while another patient bleeds beside them.
Nothing in Hat Yai is close anymore.
Roads are gone, bridges washed out.
What used to be a 15-minute drive now takes hours.
Please move.
A pregnant woman is about to give birth.
Two doctors jump in as the women's contractions intensify and the grandmother's pulse weakens.
Still, they hold it together.
The truck screeches through the hospital gates.
Medics rush out, lifting both patients into waiting gurneys.
The pregnant woman is pushed straight into the maternity ward.
The grandmother is whisked into the ER.
Hatyai's worst flood in 300 years hasn't just pushed the city to its limits.
It's pushing the rescuers to theirs.
And still they go back because every corner hides another plea for help.
That was Desita Sakow on emergency rescue operations in southern Thailand.
England is set to introduce a new tourist tax.
Regional mayors now have the power to bring in the charge for hotel and Airbnb stays.
A 5% levy in London could typically add around US$15 for an overnight stay in a hotel.
Siobhan McCall finds out about reactions across the city.
Iconic stores, luxury hotels and beautiful architecture.
London is one of the most populous cities in the world.
In 2024, more than 20 million international visitors came to the UK's capital.
But those visits could now get more expensive with plans to introduce a so-called tourist tax in England.
The tax could raise over 300 million a year for London, which the government says can be put towards local transport improvements to some of the city's most famous streets and cultural events.
But opinion is split as to whether it's a good idea.
London's mayor says it could improve the tourist experience, but the Tourism Alliance says the move is disappointing.
I think the key thing is here, really, this is the wrong tax at the wrong time.
There is so much of a burden on businesses in tourism and hospitality and we just feel that Actually this hasn't been properly consulted upon.
London won't be the first major city to have a tourist tax.
New York has one of the most expensive hotel taxes in the world, close to 15 a night plus a flat nightly surcharge of 350.
Amsterdam has the priciest holiday tax in Europe, at 125 a night, and Paris varies by accommodation.
A night at a five-star hotel will have a tax of close to $13.
So will the tax make people more reluctant to visit?
If you increase the tax on tourists, people will never enter again in the UK.
But however, there is another country with less tax.
I think the people, especially in the Middle East, They will change their route.
It's not easy to come to London right now.
If they add the tax, what will happen?
I think the tourists will be less.
It wouldn't put me off because I think London is a great city, but it depends how much it is.
Spending by international tourists in London last year was more than $22 billion.
But that was down in real terms compared with pre-pandemic levels.
One reason is the axing of VAT-free shopping in the UK for international tourists four years ago.
I think all these things are disincentives and just presents a negative image of the UK, when you know we're an incredibly welcoming country.
There's so much to enjoy in the UK, both in tourism shopping events, everything that we have to offer.
Tourism is vital to London's economy and analysts say getting this latest move right will ensure that time isn't ticking on the UK capital's place as one of the top cities in the world.
That was Siobhan McCall on travellers facing higher costs in England.
Health workers in Pakistan are trying to get as many young children vaccinated against measles and rubella as possible, as the country faces a surge in those potentially life-threatening illnesses.
Data from the UN shows the infection rate is three times higher than the WHO threshold for measles outbreaks to be classified as large and disruptive.
A local health official said Pakistan has registered almost 17,000 cases so far this year.
The government and several world organizations have launched a vaccine campaign to protect over 34 million children aged between six months and five years against those two diseases.
Health workers say though, that it's not an easy job to get parents to agree to the jabs, as they are often suspicious of vaccinations.
Pakistan's reported over 130,000 measles cases over the past three years.
At 29 past the hour, Beijing down to minus 1 Friday evening.
It'll be cloudy and 13 on Saturday.
Nanchang 7 overnight, then sunny and 22.
Elsewhere in Asia, Islamabad's 8 this evening, sunny and 20 degrees for Saturday.
Vientiane will be cloudy tonight and tomorrow.
The low's 11, a high of 25.
Phnom Penh's overcast through tomorrow, a low of 18, a high of 28.
In Africa, Nairobi is getting a light rainfall and 25 degrees on Saturday.
Kampala is getting some rain through the day tomorrow with a low of 18, a high of 27.
Juba is overcast and 25 overnight, then cloudy and 37 degrees Celsius.
It's time for a short break.
So far this hour.
China's foreign minister says the Japanese prime minister's comments on Taiwan violate China's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
US military action against Venezuelan boats over suspected drug trafficking may soon expand to include land targets.
And officials in Hong Kong have announced more arrests linked to the deadly high-rise fire that's claimed well over 100 lives.
Shane Begum 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?
How are things really going between China and Africa?
What's the narrative of this relationship?
Well, get a perspective with China Africa Talk.
Hear from African diplomats, entrepreneurs, academics, Chinese natives, and more.
Get on our wavelength every week to find out what's real with China Africa Talk.
Find us on your favorite podcast.
We'll see you there.
Examining the events that impact and shape China and the rest of the world.
This is the Beijing Hour, one hour of news and information brought to you every weekday.
Now here's your host.
Shane Bigham with you on this Friday.
Still to come in business.
The number of generative AI users in China has doubled in just six months.
In sports, Changchun will host a world sporting event in the winter of 2027.
In culture and entertainment.
Young artisans in China are bringing ancient crafts into the modern world.
To contact us, you can email radio at cgtn.com or follow our ex-account at CGTN Radio.
Now check in the day's headlines.
Fujian Coast Guard says it's conducted law enforcement patrols in waters near Kinmen in the Taiwan Strait.
A spokesperson said fleets have been patrolling the region and strengthening surveillance and control measures since the beginning of the month.
The spokesperson said the move aims to protect fishermen, including those from the Taiwan region, and safeguard their rights and interests.
The routine patrols also aim to help maintain navigation and operations in Xiamen-Kinmen waters.
Hong Kong's fire department says firefighting and rescue efforts have concluded at the residential complex where a fire killed at least 128 people.
Officials say dozens of residents are still missing.
Emergency teams faced additional challenges after discovering fire alarms in several affected buildings were not functioning.
The Independent Commission Against Corruptions arrested two directors of an engineering consultancy linked to repair work at the site.
A special task force is also probing possible corruption.
Three others were arrested earlier on suspicion of manslaughter.
Authorities say evidence collection and investigation into the fire are expected to take three to four weeks.
The fire is Hong Kong's deadliest blaze in decades.
An institute in Beijing is aiming to launch its first new type of high computing power experimental satellite.
The launch is scheduled in November late this year or early next year.
Analysts say China is seeking new ways to meet surging demand for computing power amid global energy constraints, driven by artificial intelligence.
According to the director of the Beijing Astrofuture Institute of Space Technology, several obstacles are impacting the growth of large-scale data centers.
They include heavy land use, soaring energy consumption, and limits on atmospheric cooling.
A report on the environment in waters surrounding the island of Huangyandao shows that conditions are excellent.
The levels of heavy metals and pollutant residue in fish samples were below limits.
The report by the Environment Ministry also says the coral reef ecosystem is healthy, with live coral coverage reaching nearly 30.
It concludes that the ecology near Huangyandao is diverse, but warned of the risk of coral bleaching as the pace of climate change intensifies.
The transitional president of Guinea-Bissau has signed a presidential decree appointing Thomas Jassy as chief of the general staff of the armed forces.
Meanwhile, the country's military said the previously imposed movement restrictions and nationwide curfew will be lifted on Friday.
U.S.
President, Donald Trump says one of the two National Guard soldiers shot near the White House on Wednesday has died.
20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom died from her injuries, while Andrew Wolfe remains in critical condition.
Beckstrom was from the state of West Virginia and started service in 2023.
Media reports say the suspect's a 29-year-old Afghan national who entered the US in 2021 and had worked with the CIA previously in Afghanistan.
FBI Director Kash Patel said they've confirmed that the attacker had a relationship in Afghanistan with partner forces and that they are investigating that aspect of his background.
Partnering with the D.C.
United States Attorney's Office.
We have also executed multiple, multiple search warrants around the country to include the subjects last known residents, which is in the state of Washington.
The search warrant was executed on that house last night or early this morning and it is an ongoing process.
West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrissey described the attack as an unspeakable act of violence.
I ask every West Virginian to make that your top priority today on this Thanksgiving Day.
We know that the circumstances surrounding this, this is unspeakable violence.
Afghani came in and did outrageous things.
We need to have a comprehensive investigation and ultimately, that investigation needs to lead to justice.
I've been working closely and talking with federal officials and those on the ground to make sure that we're getting up-to-date information.
The alleged shooter who is in custody was also shot and injured.
Italy's extradited a Ukrainian suspect in the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline blast to Germany.
The extradition follows a ruling by an Italian court that cleared the transfer.
The German federal prosecutor's office said in August that the suspect was arrested in Italy.
A warrant alleged that the suspect served as a coordinator of a group that placed explosive devices on two Nord Stream pipelines in 2022, damaging the gas lines linking Russia and Germany.
The suspect will be brought before a judge of the German Federal Court of Justice.
You're listening to The Beijing Hour.
Coming up in business, the number of generative AI users in China has doubled in just six months.
The Beijing Hour, your window on China.
And the rest of the world.
37 past the hour.
In business, stock markets on the Chinese mainland closed higher on Friday.
The Shanghai composite was up nearly three-tenths of a percent.
The Shenzhen component gained almost nine-tenths.
Aerospace equipment and forestry shares were among the top gainers.
Hong Kong stocks ended lower.
The Hang Seng index declined over three-tenths.
In Japan, the Nikkei gained almost two-tenths of a percent.
Official data shows that China's generative AI user base more than doubled in the first half of this year, soaring to 515 million people as of June from 249 million last December.
According to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, that tech now reaches 365 of the population.
The data also shows a predominantly young and educated user base.
Three quarters of users are under the age of 40 and over one third hold a college degree or higher.
The ministry also confirmed China's leading position in global AI patent applications as of April.
Looking ahead, authorities plan to drive product and scenario innovation in the consumer goods sector through AI integration.
A study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology shows that China has, for the first time, surpassed the United States in the open-source AI market.
According to the report, Chinese developed open-source AI models made up more than 17 of global downloads over the past year, exceeding the US share of 158.
Leading models behind the growth include DeepSeek and Alibaba's Quen.
The findings indicate that China is gaining a competitive edge in one of the world's most dynamic technology sectors.
Open source models enable developers to freely use and improve existing technologies, accelerating innovation and shaping the future of AI globally.
And for more.
Vivian Nunes spoke with Andy Mock, a senior research fellow at the Center for China and Globalization, a Beijing-based think tank.
Generative AI is already being integrated into industries like music and video.
Which sectors do you expect it to emerge in next?
So I think, first of all, music entertainment certainly will see a huge impact, just as we saw with iPhones and video editing software democratized the creation of videos and created an entirely new category of economic opportunity for creators.
I think we will see something similar with AI.
But also, I think keeping an eye on professional services is important as well.
So law accounting consulting, financial advisory not just because of the generative capacity of large language models, but also the ability to analyse and make good predictions based on vast amounts of data.
Last month we saw data from a US employment consulting firm showing that corporate layoffs had reached a two decade high for that month.
Now, some attribute this to a trend where AI is replacing workers already.
What's your view on the impact AI has had on employment so far?
Well Vivian, I think there's some debate about what is causing these layoffs, but I think it's inevitable that we will see artificial intelligence reduce headcount, especially in large publicly listed companies, because these companies are under enormous pressure to increase earnings on a quarterly basis.
And it's clear that AI is can be more productive.
It doesn't get sick.
It doesn't need time off.
So that we will see an impact on the labor force.
And the question is, how do we as a society, how do governments around the world respond to this?
But certainly from a business and investment perspective.
Many see this as a positive again because of the opportunity to increase quality, raise productivity and lower costs all at the same time.
That was Senior Research Fellow Andy Mock at the Center for China and Globalization on talking about China's AI development.
China has established 36 national talent markets and 29 national human resource services industrial parks as part of a strategic push to optimize labor allocation and employment services.
The network of these national-level facilities and local industrial parks has formed a services system focused on employment services and industrial talent allocation.
Since the beginning of the 14th five-year plan period, the employment services sector has expanded rapidly, providing services to an average of 300 million workers and more than 50 million employers annually.
Authorities are focusing on aligning human resources with key economic drivers, including high-end manufacturing, the digital economy and modern services.
The aim is to bridge the gap between talent production, talent supply and industry needs addressing labor shortages in critical sectors.
The 2025 World Intelligent Manufacturing Conference is underway in Nanjing, drawing top experts, entrepreneurs and industry leaders from around the world.
Participants are holding discussions on emerging trends, advanced technologies and innovative applications shaping the future of smart manufacturing.
A highlight of this year's event is the debut of an international exhibition zone featuring over 450 companies from 21 countries and regions.
China's unveiled its first list of 15 leading smart factories, covering key industries such as equipment manufacturing, raw materials and electronics.
Industry analysts say the initiative marks a significant step in the country's transition from digital to intelligent manufacturing.
China has built more than 7000 advanced smart factories and become the world's largest intelligent manufacturing base.
According to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the country has also established over 500 excellence-level smart factories.
The industrial scale of its intelligent manufacturing equipment, software and solutions has expanded to 45 trillion yuan, approximately 636 billion.
Suppliers of intelligent manufacturing solutions in sectors such as vehicles, batteries and petrochemicals are accelerating their global expansion.
A US48 billion gigafactory joint venture between Chinese battery giant CATL and global carmaker Stellantis has held a groundbreaking ceremony in Spain.
It's a collaboration that could be a roadmap for the rest of Europe, Ken Brown reports.
A time capsule for a promising future.
This was part of a groundbreaking ceremony in Zaragoza, on a groundbreaking day, launching construction of a near five billion dollar gigafactory, one of the biggest foreign direct investments in Spanish industrial history.
CATL is the world's biggest and best-selling electric vehicle battery maker, and Stellantis is a global car manufacturer that has Jeep, Fiat Chrysler Dodge, Peugeot and Vauxhall under its umbrella, among others.
These two multinational powerhouses have teamed up to build an EV battery plant in northern Spain, and the aim is clear.
To accelerate the transition towards affordable, accessible, sustainable mobility for all.
Wu is CEO of Contemporary Star Energy, the name of the new joint venture company that will oversee the building and implementation of the factory that will transform the region, creating some 3000 direct local jobs and many more indirectly.
The plan is for production to begin in 2026 and have a million EV batteries rolling off the production lines by 2028.
Spain's Minister for Industry and Tourism, Jordi Arreo, was on hand and talked about Europe's strategic independence on the world stage.
Today we are laying the first stone, the fruit of cooperation and of a vision of what an independent European strategy needs to be open to cooperation, to dialogue, to work with all of the countries in the world and especially with a country like China.
As China continues to lead innovation in sustainable technology, Spain is positioning itself as a global EV car manufacturing hub through high education levels, lower costs and cheap clean, on-site solar and wind energy.
This is an investment in the future of sustainable transport and in the future of China-Spain collaborations, all symbolized by this time capsule that's going to be opened 20 years in the future.
The capsule was filled with symbolic elements like Spanish and Chinese newspapers from the day, coins and money from both countries.
Blueprints are plans for the factory and joint symbols of luck and good fortune.
The capsule will be opened on November 26 2045, when an entire China-Spain EV ecosystem could already be driving us towards net zero.
That was Ken Brown reporting.
Three newly developed Chinese chips have made their debut at the Spatial Computing Summit in Ningbo.
This marks a significant step forward in terms of the country's achievements in spatial computing.
This includes tech that processes and analyzes information in three-dimensional environments.
It enables users to better explore the world through extended reality devices, smart vehicles and virtual assistants.
According to the developer, the flagship GX100 chip is a high-performance processor for mixed reality devices.
Its key breakthroughs lie in ultra-low latency, which enables extremely fast response times.
You're listening to The Beijing Hour.
Coming up in sports, Chung-Chun will host a world sporting event in the winter of 2027.
Sideline Story brings you all things sports-related the hottest topics, latest events, juiciest stories, all with a very personal take.
Subscribe to sideline story podcast for heated sports discussions covering events that are happening in china and around the world.
247 past the hour.
In sports.
Now the International University Sports Federation announced that Chungchun will host the 33rd FISU Winter World University Games in 2027.
The federation signed a contract with the China Student Sports Federation and the municipal government of the Northeast City.
FISU President Leon Zeiter congratulated Chungchun, saying he's confident the city will deliver successful games.
I expect just a great festival of peace, of youth, of future.
The student athletes who come here, they are the leaders of tomorrow.
Let's work together to make a unique experience for all of them, but also for the citizens of this region.
The decision marks the second time that China will stage the Winter Universiade, after Harbin hosted the event in 2009.
It also adds to China's growing list of major winter sports events following the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin.
The 33rd Winter World University Games will take place from January 15th to the 25th, 2027.
Harbin's become the headquarters of the new International University Alliance of Winter Sports.
The alliance has 22 founding members, including the Russian University of Sport, Korea National Sport University and Beijing Sport University.
It aims to integrate global resources for ice and snow sports.
The key focus will be on talent cultivation, scientific research, faculty development and resource sharing to build a high-level platform for international cooperation.
Day two of the Olympic torch relay took a winding path through parts of Greece on Thursday.
Olympic gymnast or gymnastic silver medalist Zhang Bohong led three other Chinese torchbearers on that journey.
I feel honored and proud to represent Chinese delegation in torch relay.
It's also a huge encouragement for myself.
The flame was lit on Wednesday and headed north to the coastal town of Patras, the gateway to mainland Greece.
Other Chinese athletes joining Zhang on the day were basketball player Wang Siyu, sprinter Chen Yujie and cross-country runner Wu Yongbo.
I hope all Chinese Winter Olympic athletes can achieve good results.
I hope they are able to realize their Olympic dreams in Milan.
After a nine-day relay in Greece covering 2200 kilometers, the flame will be handed over in Athens to Italian Games organizers on December 4th.
The Milan Cortina Winter Olympics open on February 6th.
At the FIS Snowboard Big Air World Cup north of Beijing.
China's Su Yiming was in brilliant form in front of the home crowd to start the season.
Canada's Eli Bouchard topped the men's qualifiers in Chongli, winning 93.25 points in his heat.
Su led his heat with 92.75 points, securing his spot with a massive 19.80 spin.
I can feel the pressure is big due to the season opener.
I hope I could present the home crowd with a good performance or at least reach the final with a sound result.
It's the first competition of the World Cup after having got through the off-season during the summer.
I hope I can have a good start in order to embrace the upcoming snow season.
The high rotation trend continued, with China's Guo Chunyu and all four qualifying Japanese snowboarders also landing 1980s.
60 male athletes were divided into two heats of 30.
The top five riders from each of those heats now advances to Saturday's final.
In the final stop of Olympic qualifiers in the Netherlands, China secured spots in two semifinals on the first day of the ISU Short Track Speed Skating World Tour.
Chinese women's 3000-meter relay team, featuring Gong Li Wang Xinran, Zheng Chutong and veteran Fan Kexin, put in a strong performance.
After a dramatic race when fans skillfully avoided a collision between the US and Dutch teams, China finished a solid second place to advance.
The day's excitement continued in the 2,000-meter mixed team relay.
China and Italy sprinted to the line.
In a photo finish with China coming home just a millisecond behind Italy to reach the semis.
In Asian football, Vietnam's Song and Hanoi has booked a spot in the AFC Champions League 2 knockout stage after coming from behind to defeat China's Beijing Guayan 2-1.
Hanoi sealed the victory with a late winning goal, completing a hard-fought comeback after Beijing took an early lead in the 11th minute.
The crucial win elevated Hanoi to 8 points in the group, finishing 3 points clear of Beijing Guayan.
Liverpool manager, Arnie Slott, has vowed to keep fighting as his team prepares for a difficult Premier League trip against West Ham United on Sunday.
The Reds are in crisis, suffering three consecutive defeats by an aggregate score of 10-1, including a shocking 4-1 home loss to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League.
We acknowledge the team's poor form, but insisted that they have to find the solution together.
The Dutch manager confirmed that he continues to have the backing of the club's ownership.
West Ham has been enjoying a resurgence.
The Hammers are undefeated in their last three games.
You're listening to the Beijing Hour.
Coming up in culture and entertainment.
Young artisans in China are bringing ancient crafts into the modern world.
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.
3.53 past the hour.
In culture and entertainment.
Traditional crafts once passed down through generations have gained new momentum as more young people are using technology to keep these skills alive.
Xing Renan has more.
Traditionally, the Chinese craft of plant dyeing survived in people's hands and memories passed down from master to apprentice, once generation at a time.
It was a beautiful but fragile tradition, with few patterns recorded and little room to scale.
Tradition and technology now share the same table.
Many traditional artisans still work from home and struggle with sales and design updates.
They don't always know how to apply for policy support or write submissions.
So our team helps out, using modern design and AI to develop new styles and opening offline channels to connect to markets.
Patterns from traditional blue dyeing are digitized, stored and reused.
AI generates new variations and virtual fitting tools test ideas before production.
Canton-style cured duck was once a winter culinary tradition.
Production stopped when seasons changed, and quality varied batch by batch.
Now the same recipe can be made constantly year-round through controlled processing lines.
We now combine natural air drying with modern control systems.
Instead of relying on the weather, Production runs all year with stable quality.
Temperature, curing time and packaging are all standardized, allowing year-round supply instead of seasonal output.
Traditions last when they adapt and in the hands of contemporary Chinese craftspeople, heritage is not only preserved, It is moving forward.
Xingrui Nan reporting.
The Tanzanian government's moving to protect one of its most iconic cultural and economic treasures the Kanga garment.
An effort to secure its place on UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list.
Isaac Lukando has more.
The Kanga has been worn by East African women since the 19th century.
The Tanzanian government now wants this fabric protected.
Safina Kimbokota, who is working on a doctoral thesis on the Kanga, says the fabric is closely tied to East African and Tanzanian history, particularly the Swahili people along its coast.
The Swahili are a group of people who, after coming out of slavery, sought to define their identity.
That is where the term the Swahili comes from.
So in Tanzania I can say this is part of our identity, because there is nowhere else in the world you will find a Kanga.
And if you do, it's from East African countries.
Though sizes vary, a typical Kanga is about one meter wide and about 15 meters long, featuring patterns and sometimes proverbs.
Once used primarily as a simple wrap, the kanga is now inspiring modern designers who see new opportunities in its versatility.
People like to distinguish themselves from other fast fashion clothes.
When you wear a kanga, even in a crowd, you stand out.
Someone else may show up in jeans and a t-shirt, but when I walk in like this, people notice me because of how the Kanga looks, its unique colors and its messages.
That's why for me, creating and selling Kanga outfits has been easy.
The Tanzanian government argues that safeguarding and branding the Kanga as a protected heritage product could help stimulate domestic textile processing, support small and medium enterprises and expand the country's footprint in regional and global fashion markets.
Prior to independence, kangas were produced outside Tanzania.
But the number of local factories producing them, along with overall textile output, has fluctuated over time.
This is partly due to a mix of competition from cheap imports and high production costs.
However, experts say there's still a chance to breathe new life into the industry.
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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 the living from the river.
Would you like to move away from the Yellow River?
I don't think I will.
I love it so much.
The Yellow River, the second longest river in China, is regarded as a shaping force in the history, economy and culture of northern China.
Today, about 100 million people live within its water basin, making up nearly 9 of the country's population.
How is climate change felt at its headwaters?
And what are the locals doing to cope with it?
What are the descendants of the boatmen doing?
What has kept some people from leaving their home village by the river?
And what has drawn others back?
Could the fading fishing community revive in a time of digital transformation?
From 2021 to 2024.
Our reporters visited the upper, middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, talked to the herders farmers boatmen, fishermen and eco-activists who share a close bond with the river, and present their stories in pictures, podcasts and videos, all in our 12-part series, The Yellow River Mosaic, available only on CGTN Radio.
