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.
Tian Liu with you on this Wednesday, December 3rd, 2025.
You're listening to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
On today's program...
China and Russia have jointly vowed to defend the outcomes of World War II, with senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi urging more cooperation to counter Japan's far-right forces.
French President Emmanuel Macron begins his fourth state visit to China.
And talks between the Russian president and the US envoy in Moscow have failed to produce a compromise plan to settle the conflict in Ukraine.
In business, China's efforts are boosting financial support for small and micro enterprises.
In sports, Erling Haaland becomes the fastest player to reach 100 Premier League goals, as Manchester City beat Fulham 5-4.
In culture and entertainment.
Chinese filmmakers boosted creativity through partnerships with major global studios.
Now checking today's top stories.
The foreign ministers of China and Russia have called for safeguarding the outcomes of World War II.
In a meeting with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on the two countries to strengthen cooperation to counter the provocative acts of Japan's far-right forces.
He said these forces undermine regional peace and stability and are attempting to pursue remilitarization.
Lavrov reaffirmed that Russia abides by the One China principle and supports China's position on the Taiwan question.
Also co-chair the 20th round of China-Russia Strategic Security Consultation with Sergei Shoigu, Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation.
The two sides agreed to uphold the outcomes of World War II, oppose any attempt to whitewash colonial aggression and counter any attempts to revive fascism or Japanese militarism.
They agreed to jointly safeguard world peace and security.
Historical truth This is Sergey Shoigu, Secretary of the Russian Security Council, patiently waiting for an important Chinese guest.
When Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived... it was visibly a meeting between France.
At the meeting that followed, the two discussed rising tensions in Asia, after Japan's new prime minister made remarks on Taiwan.
I would like to reaffirm our consistent and unwavering support for Beijing on the issues of Taiwan Xinjiang, Shenzhen and Hong Kong.
The government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing all of China.
Another high-level exchange continued in the afternoon with Russian Foreign Affairs Minister, Sergey Lavrov.
It was Wang Yi's third visit to Moscow this year.
The more frequently we meet, the more effective our cooperation will be in strengthening the diplomatic ties between Russia and China in the interests of advancing the national interests of our two countries.
The diplomatic activity in Moscow on Tuesday was notable. with U.S.
Envoy Steve Witkoff also present for separate talks.
And Wang Yi noted that in his opening remarks at the meeting with Foreign Minister Lavrov.
The fact that you still made time to meet with me demonstrates the high level of mutual trust and close ties between China and Russia and reflects the high-quality, comprehensive strategic partnership between our two countries.
Indeed, it is precisely at such critical moments that we need to strengthen our strategic communication and deepen our strategic cooperation.
China's top diplomat also praised Russia's recent decision to scrap visas for Chinese tourists.
This visit essentially wraps up the achievements made by the two sides over the course of this year and also paved the way for further collaboration in 2026.
It was another show of China and Russia's cooperation That was Alosha Milankovitch in Moscow.
For more on this, Wang Zihang spoke with Rongyin, chair professor at Sichuan University.
China and Russia voiced concern over Japan's far right forces and remilitarization.
How will the two countries coordinate their diplomacy and security policy to respond to Japan's changing security posture?
Close partners for strategic coordination and collaboration.
There are many ways China and Russia can work together, as always mostly, of course, at the diplomatic level.
A high level, a high degree of consensus on the question of how to uphold rather than uphold the victory victorious, I mean outcomes of the World War II and definitely a very important message.
And, most importantly, I think the two sides have also agreed to strengthen their strategic alignment on important issues.
And last but not least, I think this process is just the beginning and we're going to see more coordination alignment, in the diplomatic field, but also, I think, in other field.
Now, and we understand, both Beijing and Moscow stress the need to defend the outcomes of World War II and oppose efforts to whitewash historical aggression.
What concrete steps or international mechanisms do you think are needed today to protect the World War II settlement amid rising tensions, rising far-right and remilitarization trends in the region?
We have seen that the bilateral level China and Russia send out very strong message and the matter fact to Japan.
Any attempts along this line is doomed to failure.
But most importantly, i think the china and the russia can work together, for example at the un, at the un security council, even co-sponsor kind of a resolution or send out working together on a kind of a statement in terms of how, I mean, the international community should be vigilant, should work together to guard against any attempts along those lines.
And other multilateral sort of arena, for example the G20, the BRICS, SCO and even, I think, East Asia Summit, where both China and Russia are very close and important, close partners and important members of these organizations.
The statements, the communiques that have been sent out on that would be definitely important if China and Russia working together.
China and Russia.
Quite a lot we can do in terms of joint military exercises, joint development on some of the development of the capabilities to ensure that China and Russia can work together to ensure the attempt to revive Japanese militarism will be hit head-on.
China and Russia, being important allies of World War II, should also work together with other members of that alliance to ensure that the unity and the solidarity will continue.
That was Professor Rongying at Sichuan University sharing his insights.
China has again demanded that Japan must reflect on its war crimes, retract its erroneous statements regarding Taiwan and stop interfering in China's internal affairs.
Zhang Han is the spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office.
She said Japan is obligated to comply with the international law and legal documents, including the current declaration.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of resistance against Japanese aggression, the 80th anniversary of Taiwan's restoration to China and also the 82nd anniversary since the Cairo Declaration was published.
The Cairo Declaration, as well as a series of international law documents, are significant achievements of the world anti-fascist war, clarifying China's sovereignty over Taiwan from the perspective of international law and forming an important part of the post-war international order.
Complying with those relevant laws is an obligation that Japan must undertake under international law.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takeuchi's erroneous remarks on China's Taiwan region interfere with China's internal affairs, send a gravely wrong signal to Taiwan's separatist forces and endanger peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
We urge Japan to deeply reflect on its war crimes, retract the erroneous remarks, stop interfering in China's internal affairs and take practical steps to adhere to the One China principle and honor its political commitments to China.
Japan has been bound to numerous international legal documents since its defeat in World War II, including the Potsdam Proclamation and the Instrument of Surrender.
The documents have served as safeguards to prevent the rise of militarism in Japan.
Wang Hao has more.
Eighty years ago, the Potsdam Proclamation delivered a clear and uncompromising message.
It stressed the complete ousting of those in charge who deceived the people of Japan into embarking on a global war.
Strict political constraints were placed to limit Japan's ability to wage war, including the removal of its ideological foundations of militarism.
Japan is also restricted from exercising the right to collective self-defense as defined in its constitution.
The concept was introduced in the UN Charter in 1945 and was created to safeguard collective security and prevent the resurgence of fascism.
The four China-Japan political documents and Article 9 of Japan's pacifist constitution further underscore its commitment to peaceful development.
In the 1972 Sino-Japanese joint statement, Japan explicitly expressed deep remorse for its wartime aggression and pledged to resolve disputes by peaceful means.
The exclusively defense-oriented policy enshrined in Japan's constitution has served as a fundamental assurance of Japan's pursuit of peaceful development since the war.
But in recent years right-wing forces in Japan have increasingly challenged the core principles of its post-war pacifist trajectory.
Proposals for armed intervention in the Taiwan Strait, talks on abandoning the three non-nuclear principles and efforts to revise the pacifist constitution sent a troubling signal suggesting Japan's departure from its long-standing commitment to peaceful development.
That was Wang Hao reporting.
Japanese Prime Minister Sino Takeuchi's remarks on China's Taiwan region have sparked strong criticism from academics and the public.
Japanese historian Shinichi Issa says her remarks are highly irresponsible, urging Japan not to abandon its post-war education.
Takaichi's remarks themselves are highly irresponsible, and so are the members of parliament who pretend not to understand, despite knowing it.
On the Taiwan question, China has already made its position very clear.
This is something that must not be disturbed.
They must clearly state its position.
If it is ambiguous, the same thing will happen again.
Takahichi is from a generation born after the war.
In their post-war education, there was no proper reflection.
Japan's reflection and reckoning on the war have not been truly done.
How the war occurred, how it developed and what processes it went through have not been properly taught in Japan's post-war education.
Media reports say teachers' groups in Japan are resisting a defense ministry plan to distribute a children's version of its defense white paper in elementary schools.
Many of these groups have met with government officials to criticize the material, saying it fosters a sense of The 2024 edition was reportedly sent to some 2000 people.
4,400 elementary schools for the first time with about 6,100 copies distributed.
In contrast to Japan's evasion and distortion of its crimes in World War II, Germany has undertaken consistent efforts to redress the suffering inflicted by the Nazi regime.
And Chancellor Frederick Metz assured his Polish counterpart, Donald Tusk, that Germany will not turn away from the pain injured by the Polish people.
Yes, the German-Polish agenda should point to the future.
But we cannot and do not want to ignore history.
We must keep memories alive, even painful ones.
I hope that we can do this in a way that does not divide us. but brings us closer together.
Today we are initiating the establishment of a permanent memorial to the Polish citizens who were victims of Nazi tyranny and the Second World War, from 1939 to 1945.
Germany, has already provided around 2 billion euros to survivors of Nazi rule in the past.
We are discussing further possibilities for appropriate humanitarian gestures towards the Polish people.
The two countries agreed on a plan to establish a memorial for Polish victims of World War II and the restitution of historical cultural artifacts, including 73 parchment documents.
French President Emmanuel Macron begins his fourth state visit to China.
China's new rule to seal public security violation records is being hailed as historic.
Yet, nothing has stirred more controversy than the plan to seal drug use records.
Why this issue?
How justified are the public's concern?
And with millions speaking out online, Could public pressure reshape how the role is ultimately implemented?
Or if not, what can be done to reduce potential risks?
All this and more on this week's Chat Lounge.
Tune in wherever you get your podcasts. and on CGTN Radio.
What?
President Macron is arriving with a clear ambition to bolster economic ties and deepen cooperation in sectors where French and Chinese interests align, from energy to aviation, to luxury goods and innovation.
The heart of the discussions is said to be China's rapid rise in technology and advanced manufacturing, a shift with major consequences for Europe.
So we have seen an increasing upgrading of the Chinese producing system from 20 years ago, only a manufacturing of goods of low quality to now a dominant capacity on high-level, high-value chain producing goods and services.
And French industry is watching closely.
China is no longer just a production powerhouse it's become a global innovator, setting new benchmarks across multiple sectors.
I ask my students to just look around.
How many objects on your desks are made in France?
Very few.
How many are made in China?
Almost all of them.
We depend on China.
A reminder of just how central China's growth has become to France's industrial and consumer landscape.
And that growth matters.
French industry, from auto to electronics to everyday consumer goods, there's a massive reliance on Chinese supply chains, with the market only continuing to expand.
For many in France, deeper cooperation is not only about economics.
It's also about long-term diplomacy, cultural exchange and a recognition of China's growing role on the world stage.
Today, France has a real chance to work with China, especially as cooperation with the United States has become complicated.
I see a genuine opportunity to build long-term cooperative, co-constructed partnerships with China, based on mutual understanding.
As President Macron gets set to meet China's leadership, Paris sees a chance to build momentum, strengthening economic ties, broadening cooperation and helping shape Europe's next phase of engagement with Beijing.
That was Sarah Coates reporting.
Legendary French football star, Zinedine Zidane, says he has always wanted to learn about the Chinese culture.
He made the remarks while reflecting on his last visit to China, where he was spotted watching Chinese people playing mahjong.
The Dan began his much-anticipated China tour late last month, seven years after his last visit.
I am extremely delighted to be here and spend time with all of you.
Every time I come to China, I feel the same way.
I have received numerous emails from China and tremendous support from many fans.
Thank you so much.
Watching Mahjong was truly an unforgettable moment for me.
I was with these elderly people I didn't know at all, and it wasn't planned.
I just stopped to see what game they were playing.
The most interesting part is that during our trip in China, we had many things on our agenda, but we could suddenly stop on the street and see these people playing.
And they might be thinking, what is this young man doing here?
It was really quite amusing.
I have always wanted to immerse myself in Chinese culture and learn more about it.
This is the purpose of my trip.
Coming here is not just for work, but also to enjoy the pleasure of traveling.
Zidane visited Shanghai and took part in a series of promotional events for the upcoming World Cup.
He also headed to Shanghai Jiao Tong University giving a masterclass to young players from the university and Qibao High School.
Coming up.
Talks between the Russian president and the US envoy in Moscow have failed to produce a compromise plan to settle the conflict in Ukraine.
The yellow river mosaic is a 12-part series of multimedia stories featuring the people who live by the river and share a close bond with it.
Subscribe the yellow river mosaic on your favorite podcast platform or visit radiocgtncom for more in this program.
Now it's 20 minutes past the hour.
Russia says there is still no compromise plan to settle the conflict with Ukraine, despite a lengthy round of talks in Moscow between President Vladimir Putin and US.
Special Envoy Steve Vykov.
Russian presidential aide, Yuri Yushakov, said the discussions were constructive and highly substantive, but he stressed that a lot of work remains.
We haven't discussed specific wording, specific US proposals, but we have discussed the essence of these US documents.
Territorial issues were specifically discussed. without which we see no resolution to the crisis.
Huge prospects for future economic cooperation between the two countries was also discussed.
Some of the American proposals seem more or less acceptable.
Some of the wording that was proposed to us doesn't suit us.
So the work will continue.
He also noted that a possible summit between Presidents Putin and Trump would depend on progress in the ongoing negotiations.
Tuesday's talks stretched for five hours inside the Kremlin as part of a renewed push by Washington to broker a peace deal.
Both governments agreed not to disclose the substance of the talks.
Speaking in Dublin during a European tour, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky insisted that no peace plan can move forward without Ukraine at the table.
It's important that this should be all open, fair and just so there would be no going behind Ukraine's back.
Nothing would be decided without Ukraine.
The meeting in Moscow followed US discussions with the Ukrainian delegation in Florida last week, which US
Secretary of State Marco Rubio described in cautiously optimistic terms.
Before the Kremlin meeting with US presidential special envoy Steve Witkoff, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Europe of sabotaging the US-led efforts to end the Ukraine conflict.
They are on the side of the war.
Even when they try to supposedly introduce changes to Trump's proposal, we can see clearly what they are doing.
All these changes are aimed at only one thing to completely block the entire peace process by putting forward demands that are absolutely unacceptable for Russia.
We're not going to have a war with Europe.
I've already said that.
But if Europe suddenly wants to wage a war with us and starts it, we are ready right away.
There is no doubt about that.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says his country is closer to peace than ever before.
He made remarks in an address to the Irish Parliament in Dublin, where he also met with the Irish Prime Minister.
The visit came as Kiev says its army has held on to Pokrovsk, an important logistics hub in the Donetsk region, denying Moscow's claims.
Evangelos Sipsas reports from the Ukrainian capital.
Well, Kyiv is denying that Russia has taken all the city of Pokrovsk, actually.
And what they're saying is that they're pushing back on the lines.
They're pushing back in those claims that the Russian Ukrainian troops are in the front line, that they're holding their positions and they'll be able to keep that live stream of sources coming in from the west of the country to be able to help those that are in the front line.
Now, as they're saying, the Russians are claiming that they have controlled the whole city of Pogrovsk.
We have those images on social media with the Russian flags in the center of Pogrovsk, with them saying that they have control of it.
And Kiev is saying that the only thing that it's doing is trying to put pressure on the negotiations, on the peace talks, especially now that Steve Witkoff is in Moscow.
Well, it's his first official visit in Ireland and it's very important here because Zelensky and Ukraine is there not to only continue the support from its European counterparts but to establish a long-term support from its European counterpart.
So what does that mean?
A financial support that would help them rebuild and reconstruct Ukraine in case of peace prevails.
And that's why there will be a meeting, an economic forum between Ukraine and Ireland to discuss the potential reconstruction of Ukraine the day after peace happens and the day after fighting ends.
But what he will be getting out of this meeting is 125 million dollars, a hundred of it in non lethal weapons towards Ukraine, but 25 million to be able to put it towards its energy system, because winter is coming and its infrastructure system and energy system has been hit quite hardly.
U.S.
President, Donald Trump has held his final cabinet meeting of the year with senior officials, highlighting the success of their departments over the past 12 months.
The meeting came as lawmakers demand answers from the administration about deadly boat strikes in the Caribbean.
I want to thank the cabinet.
It's been a great cabinet.
Let's think of it.
Time flies.
For the last time in 2025, U.S.
President Donald Trump held a cabinet meeting at the White House.
More Americans are working today than at any time in the history of our country.
Thank you very much.
And while Trump celebrates what he calls a successful first year of his second term, his pick to run the Pentagon Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth is facing tough questions about a deadly strike against an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean in early September and his role in the operation.
I watched that first strike lot.
As you can imagine, the Department of War, we got a lot of things to do.
So I didn't stick around for the hour and two hours.
Hegseth said Navy Admiral Frank Bradley made the right call when he ordered a second follow-up strike on the alleged drug boat killing survivors.
And he made it clear that Bradley made the final decision.
He sunk the boat. sunk the boat, and eliminated the threat.
I did not personally see survivors, but I stand, because the thing was on fire.
It was exploded in fire or smoke.
You can't see anything.
You got digital.
This is called the fog of war.
Excess defense comes as Trump said he's considering expanding strikes on suspected drug traffickers.
Anybody that's doing that and selling it into our country is subject to attack.
Not necessarily just Venezuela?
No, not just Venezuela.
Meanwhile, lawmakers on Capitol Hill are demanding answers from the administration, concerned about whether the September strike may have violated international law.
Prominent Democrats are calling for an investigation.
And let me be very clear, killing shipwreck survivors. is a war crime.
While members of Trump's own Republican party say they also want more information.
I don't know what went into the Admiral's decision matrix.
But it's something that Congress will look at and will do that in the regular process and order.
I think it's very important for everybody to reserve judgment and not leap to conclusions until you have all the facts.
That was a report on the final cabinet meeting of 2025 held by the U.S. president.
Indonesia is grappling with the aftermath of a tropical cyclone that has caused casualties across four Southeast Asian countries.
Severe flooding and landslides in Sumatra Island have killed over 700 people, with 500 others still missing.
Blin Pilber reports from North Tapanuli Regency.
We are in North Tapanuli Regency in North Sumatra right now, Indonesia.
We're going from Balige to Lobu Penang, where this area in North Sumatra was hit by landslides and flash floods.
Now, as we were passing by in our car, we saw a number of landslides that were partially cleaned up by authorities.
Now we saw a lot of debris.
There were a lot of branches and rocks as well and mud as well.
And we also saw electricity poles that were buried under the debris that were partially visible.
Now, mind you, we're in a mountainous area right now, during the rainy season, with no reception as well.
So you can imagine how hard it is for local residents to go from point A to point B in these extreme conditions.
That's 29 minutes past 8 hour checking the forecast before the break.
Beijing is down to minus 5 on Wednesday evening.
Thursday will be cloudy with a high of 5.
Weihai will see sleet with a low of minus 3 tonight, then cloudy and 6.
Nanchang will be cloudy tonight, tomorrow with a low of 7.
Thank you very much. through tomorrow with a low of 23 and a high of 29 degrees Celsius.
Now it's time for a short break, so far in this hour.
China and Russia have jointly vowed to defend the outcomes of World War II, with senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi urging more cooperation to counter Japan's far-right forces.
French President Emmanuel Macron begins his fourth state visit to China.
Tianliu with you, stay with us here on the Beijing Hour.
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What if those other heartbeats were to stop?
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Examining the events that impact and shape China and the rest of the world.
This is the Beijing Hour.
One hour of news and information brought to you every weekday.
Now here's your host.
Tianlu with you on this Wednesday still to come.
In business, China's efforts on boosting financial support for small and micro enterprises.
Erling Haaland becomes the fastest player to reach 100 Premier League goals, as Manchester City beat Fulham 5-4.
In culture and entertainment.
Chinese filmmakers boost creativity through partnerships with major global studios.
To contact us, you can email radio at cgtn.com or follow our ex-account at cgtnradio.
But first, checking today's headline news, here's Wang Zihang.
Thank you, Tianlu.
China and Russia have agreed to pursue higher-quality strategic cooperation at a strategic security consultation co-chaired by senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi and Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu.
The Chinese foreign minister urged the two countries to strengthen strategic coordination and jointly face challenges.
He also said the two sides should work together to address emerging new threats and challenges and better safeguard world fairness, justice and peace and stability.
Shoigu said Russia is willing to promote a more fair and just multipolar world.
The two sides also reached consensus on issues related to Japan and agreed to firmly defend the outcomes of World War II and crush any attempt to revive Japan fascism and Japanese militarism.
An official on the Chinese mainland says Japan has the international legal obligation to abide by provisions in the Cairo Declaration.
A spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office said the Cairo Declaration confirms China's sovereignty over the Taiwan region and is an important part of the post-World War II international order.
The spokesperson said Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takeuchi's recent remarks on Taiwan sent wrong signals to separatist forces and threatened peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
The mainland official urged Japan to reflect on its historical crimes, stop interfering in China's internal affairs and honour its commitment to the One China principle.
A Chinese mainland spokesperson says recent routine law enforcement patrols by the Fujian Coast Guard in waters near Kinmen are both legitimate and necessary.
The spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office reiterated that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one China, and that Taiwan is part of China.
Jiang Han said patrols in this area are legitimate efforts to maintain orderly navigation and operations in these waters, in accordance with the law.
She said the patrols are necessary measures to protect the lives and property of fishermen across the strait.
Malaysia's transport ministry says underwater exploration company Ocean Infinity will resume search for the wreckage of MH370 on December 30.
The aircraft carrying more than 200 people went missing while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beirut.
Beijing in March 2014.
More than half of the passengers on board were Chinese.
Cambodia says it will exempt visa requirements for Chinese citizens travelling from China starting June.
During the four-month trial, it will allow Chinese passport holders to stay up to 14 days.
Figures from Cambodia's tourism authorities show Chinese travellers made around 1 million trips to Cambodia in the first 10 months of the year.
UN agencies are warning of deadly, record-breaking floods across Southeast Asia, where back-to-back tropical storms have devastated communities and displaced countless people.
The World Meteorological Organization says Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam are among the hardest hit.
Spokesperson Claire Noonlis.
Noted, the region is highly vulnerable to flooding, and this year's combination of monsoon rains and tropical cyclone activity has magnified the damage.
Tropical cyclones are rare so close to the equator, so it's not something that we that we see.
Very often.
Rising temperatures increase the potential risk of more extreme rainfall events, because the warmer atmosphere holds more moisture.
That's the law of physics.
So we are seeing more extreme rainfall and we will continue to do so in the future.
Indonesia has reported more than 700 deaths following severe floods and landslides.
One station in central Vietnam recorded 1739 mm of rain in just 24 hours, the second highest total ever measured worldwide.
Meanwhile, UNICEF says a fast-moving humanitarian emergency is unfolding in Sri Lanka after Cyclone Ditwa hit the East Coast, affecting 14 million people.
Thank you very much.
That was Wang Zihang with Hairline News.
Coming up in business China's efforts on boosting financial support for small and micro enterprises.
The Beijing Hour, your window on China and the rest of the world.
36 minutes past the hour, turning to business, here's Tianyu.
Thank you, Tianlu.
Stock markets on the Chinese mainland closed lower on Wednesday.
The Shanghai composite was down to over 0.5%, while the Shenzhen component lost nearly 0.8%.
Home appliance and forest shares were among the top gainers.
The Hong Kong stock market also ended lower as the Hansen index decreased nearly 1.3%.
In Japan, the Nikkei gained over 1.1%.
China has continuously strengthened its inclusive finance support for small and micro firms during the 14th five-year plan period.
The average annual growth rate of inclusive loans to these entities has exceeded 20 over the past five years.
Since its launch in 2013, continuous efforts have significantly enhanced the accessibility of inclusive financing for small and micro enterprises.
Official data shows that the balance of inclusive loans to small and micro firms reached nearly 358 trillion yuan, or about US51 trillion, by the end of October.
In addition, China has further lowered the costs of inclusive finance, as such loans primarily serve small and micro enterprises, individual businesses and farmers.
Such entities usually face difficulties in obtaining financing due to a left collateral and limited risk-bearing capacity.
In June, the interest rate for newly issued inclusive loans to small and micro firms stood at 348, roughly two points lower than the level required at the end of the 13th five-year plan period.
Official data shows that China's logistics sector continued to expand in November, with demand and investment indicators pointing to steady growth.
According to the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing, logistics demand kept rising and the outlook stayed upbeat.
The business volume, new orders and employment indices all remained in an expansion range.
The logistics industry's prosperity index stood at 50.9%. up 0.2 points from the previous month.
The business volume indices in central and western China both stood at around 51, while the business volume index in eastern China registered 505.
Sectors including transport equipment, smart devices and automobiles, all maintained solid logistic demand levels last month.
Brick and mortar stores and e-commerce platforms were all advancing in parallel.
The federation says investment in the logistics industry remained buoyant.
The logistics sector's fixed asset investment index stood at 55.4, well within the expansion range.
The cross-border railway between China and Laos stands out as one of the most tangible achievements of China's 14th five-year plan that concludes this year.
Now entering its fourth year.
The railway has reshaped mobility, trade and culture in the region, offering a clear example of the Belt and Road Initiative's impact on the ground.
Yang Jinghao takes us on board to show how this project is driving regional growth.
For Kaplan, the nav phone will run wait as it's known in China.
This railway is more than a line on the map.
It's a thread stitching together his life in two countries.
Whenever I go home for the holidays, I take the China-Laos railway and each time I can see how fast my hometown is developing, with more Chinese tourists visiting and more Chinese businesses coming in.
Spanning more than 1000 kilometers, the cross-border railway links Kunming in southwest China with the Lao capital, Vientiane.
It began service in late 2021.
Official data shows that, to date, over 620000 people from some 120 countries and regions have crossed the border by rail.
Yeah, very comfortable.
Very good and nice service.
Take less time for transport durian from our country to your country.
It's good for the farmer in Thailand.
Fresh produce like durian however, is just one of the many types of goods moving along these tracks.
I'm here at one of Kunming's key freight hubs, where shipments move out around the clock.
From this point, goods travel down the China-Laos railway into Laos and then continue onto markets across Southeast Asia.
The railway operator reports that around 63000 freight trains have carried more than 70 million tons of goods, including 16 million tons of cross-border shipments reaching 19 countries and regions.
Its enhanced efficiency and reduced costs have been widely welcomed by customers.
The railway's impact extends beyond goods and passengers.
Wuhan, once a quiet border town, is now rapidly transforming into an international gateway.
New industrial parks are emerging attracting investment and creating jobs for workers from Laos.
More importantly, the railway is building a stronger connection between people.
Just a short distance away, this vocational school has become a popular choice among Lao students.
More than 800 Lao youths are now studying here. and over 350 of them enrolled just this year.
Before the railway began operating, most of our Lao students came from just a few northern provinces near China.
Today, we welcome students from across the country, including the capital, Vientiane.
The China-Laos railway is just one of the flagship projects under the Belt and Road Initiative during China's 14th Five-Year Plan period.
Landmark projects such as Indonesia's Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway and Cambodia's Siem Reap Angkor International Airport are also delivering tangible benefits on the ground.
That was Yang Jingha reporting.
China's service trade maintained steady growth in the first 10 months of the year.
Total imports and exports reached nearly 6.6 trillion yuan, or about US$934 billion, up 7.5%.
Service exports rose 143 to over 29 trillion yuan, while imports increased 26 to more than 36 trillion yuan.
The service trade deficit narrowed by over 269 billion yuan compared to the same period of 2024.
Knowledge Intensive Services saw continued growth in trade, with imports and exports totaling roughly 25 trillion yuan up 64.
Travel service trade totaled almost 18 trillion yuan, an increase of 85, with travel services exports surging 525.
The world's largest port, Ningbo Zhou Shan in eastern China, has reached another milestone.
The port has loaded the 40 millionth container of the year, marking the first time it has ever handled that many containers in a single year.
Chen Tong takes a closer look at what has supported this strong performance.
This is a landmark moment.
On December 2nd, the 14 millionth contender of the year was loaded at China's Ningbo Zhou Shan Port.
With one month left in 2025, this number has already surpassed last year's total.
We now operate over 300 shipping routes and have expanded its services to the Arctic Ocean this year.
The Ningbo Zhou Shan Port majorly serves factories in the Yangtze River Delta region, China's economic powerhouse.
In the first 10 months of the year, foreign trade here in Zhejiang province, for example, jumped by over 5 from a year ago.
Robust growth is the backbone of the shipping industry.
To learn more, I visited one of the largest shipping agencies in Ningbo.
Wang Zhanyou has been in the shipping forwarding business for decades.
This is the busiest time of the year for him, as factories rushed to ship their cargo before year-end.
This year, his business has hit yet another record.
Economic volatility continues, with tariffs affecting foreign trade in recent months.
But Wang says factories near Ningbo Zhoushan Port have been actively shifting their strategies to target other destinations.
Many factories that once relied on European and American markets are now exploring opportunities within the RCEP and belt and road markets.
Ningbo Zhoushan Port is adjusting its shipping routes to meet this demand, especially to Southeast Asia, the Middle East and the Mediterranean.
For Wang, Southeast Asia is the main destination.
He has even opened three offices in Thailand, Cambodia and Malaysia to serve Chinese clients with high shipping demand to the region.
In terms of cargo, The Customs Bureau says new products, such as goods from new energy vehicles and batteries, have shown strong performance.
In the first 10 months of the year, the export value of new energy vehicles soared by 2653, while lithium batteries jumped 1369.
Ningbo Zhou Shanpo's strong performance mirrors the nationwide trend.
In the first 10 months of the year, despite economic volatility, China's export value rose by more than 6.
That was Chen Tong reporting.
Thank you very much.
That was Tianyu with Business.
You're listening to the Beijing Hour, coming up in sports.
Erling Haaland becomes the fastest player to reach 100 Premier League goals, as Manchester City beat Fulham 5-4.
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The hottest topics, latest events, juiciest stories, all with a very personal take.
Subscribe to Sideline Story podcast.
It's 47 minutes past the hour.
Turning to sports, here's Yang Guang.
Thank you, Tianlu.
We start with football.
Manchester City forward, Erling Haaland, has made history by becoming the fastest player to reach 100 primary goals.
As Pep Guardiola's side survived a frantic finish to beat Fulham 5-4 at Craven Cottage.
Phil Foden scored twice, Tianyi Reinders added another, and Sander Bergis' own goal helped City build a 5-1 lead, keeping them second in the table with 28 points just behind leader Arsenal.
Fulham 15th with 17 points, staged a thrilling comeback with a brace from Samuel Trucresi and a goal from Alexi Wobi.
Guardiola reflected on the nervy finale.
Two posts, goal and two posts, then have a 6-3 and immediately later a 5-4.
And what has happened is just a question of survival.
Don't tell me how.
The players don't know neither.
And a little bit of luck.
At the end, we take it.
Haaland scored his 100th in just 111 games, 13 fewer than Alan Shearer, cementing his place in Premier League history.
City has also won their last 19 matches against Fulham, the longest winning run against any opponent in English football.
Staying in football.
Barcelona came from behind to secure a 3-1 victory over Atletico Madrid, handing the visitor their first La Liga defeat since August and extending the defending champions' lead at the top.
Rafinha, Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres found the net at the partially renovated Camp Nou, boasting Barca to 37 points, four ahead of second-placed Real Madrid.
Atlético struck first through Alex Boiner, but Pedri's brilliant through-ball set up Rafinha for the equaliser.
Olmo added a second before Torres wrapped up the win deep in injury time.
Manager Hansi Flick praised his team's resilience.
You know the first.
I think the first three four, five minutes.
Atletico controlled the game, but we came back.
Then they scored the goal.
We come back again and control also the game.
And this is good to see.
We also could score the penalty we have.
It was also a big chance for us.
But at the end, we never gave up.
We focus on that, that we want to win and this is making the next goal important goal, and this is what I saw today and I'm really proud about my team.
De Wijn highlights Barca's persistence and their focus on crucial points in the title race.
In women's football, Spain has retained the Nations League title with a commanding 3-0 victory over Germany in the second leg of the final, following a scoreless draw in Kaiserslautern on Friday.
Forward Claudia Pina was the star scoring twice in the second half.
Vicky Lopez also scored in between curling home from the right to make it 2-0.
Germany, who had dominated first leg, were unable to convert their chances, while Spain's clinical finishing and attacking flair.
In short, they lifted the trophy for a second consecutive year, following their 2024 triumph over France.
Turning to table tennis.
Host China dominated debutants Chile at Mixed Team World Cup in Chengdu, cruising to an 8-0 victory and finishing Group 1 unbeaten.
World No.
1 mixed doubles pair Lin Shidong and Kwai Man said the turn, edging past Nicholas Burgos and Paulina Vega in three cents.
Home favorite Wang Manyu followed with a commanding win in women's singles, while Liang Jingkun wrapped up the sweep in men's singles with 11-6 11-2 victories.
Liang ranked world number 7, reflected on his performance.
I worked hard to find my form during the match and tried my best to adapt to the court.
I performed well in my first game with a 6-0 lead.
I did not feel any pressure, so I just let loose and went for it.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong of China also advanced, defeating Egypt's A2 with standout performances from Chen Baldwin, Wang Chutin and Du Huiqian.
And finally, in snooker, China's Zhou Yuelong pulled off a major upset at the UK Championship, defeating snooker legend Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-4 in the first round.
Joe cleared colours to claim his first victory over the eight-time UK Championship winner, advancing in snooker's second most prestigious event.
The match held in York marked O'Sullivan's first appearance in Britain since May, when he lost to another Chinese player, Zhao Xintong, in the World Championship semi-final.
Joe's composed performance, tactical shot-making and nerve under pressure allowed him to overcome the sport's most celebrated modern-era champion, marking a statement on the big stage.
With this win, Zhou cements his reputation as one of China's rising stars in professional snooker.
Thank you very much.
That was Yang Guang with sports.
Coming up in culture and entertainment.
Chinese filmmakers boost creativity through partnerships with major global studios.
From north to south, east to west, people in China are chasing their dreams and leaving their mark.
Want to know how they beat the odds and made a difference?
Footprints brings you the true life stories of their journeys.
52 minutes past the hour turning to culture and entertainment.
Disney's Zootopia 2 is rewriting the record books in China, surging past 2 billion yuan, or about 280 million US dollars, within six days and making China the film's largest global market, ahead of North America.
Ahead of its release last week, Shanghai Animation Film Studio teamed up with Disney China to produce a series of special shorts.
Four Chinese animation directors blended new techniques with traditional art styles, an effort that resonated strongly with domestic audiences and showcased China's growing creative influence.
Zhang Jingfeng, deputy editor-in-chief of China Film News, says the film's huge success highlights China's vast market potential and its openness to world-class filmmaking.
This performance really shows the strong foundation and huge demand of China's film market.
Our willingness to embrace good films from around the world reflects the resilience of China's film industry and its open, inclusive attitude, making China a key driver of global box office growth.
Analysts say such collaborations underscore the increasing recognition China now holds in the global movie community.
Nigeria's comedy skit industry has exploded from quick online clips into a full-blown digital economy worth millions.
A new generation of creators is cashing in, transforming jokes into careers and brand deals and social influence.
As viewership soars, the so-called skit economy is becoming one of Nigeria's fastest-growing entertainment sectors.
Nkuluchi Ilokalem reports from Abuja.
Across Nigeria...
Short comedy skits posted on platforms like TikTok, YouTube and Instagram are no longer just entertaining millions.
They're creating jobs and powering a fast-growing industry.
Abuja-based comedian Stanley Nilius, known as Gospel Elachi, started making skits back in 2017, long before the industry took off in 2021.
His political and social satire character, Honorable Member, now earns him millions of views and a large online following.
He says things changed even more in 2024 when his content became fully monetized.
Apart from you making money, you make friends and you make new families that watch after you.
So that's what content creation has given me so far.
Apart from that other benefit I had in content creation, I'm an ambassador to a real estate in Abuja, my Abuja home.
I've been given plots of land, almost five plots of land.
The skit business is now part of Nigeria's wider creative industry.
Valued at about 31 million dollars.
It employs thousands of young people camera operators editors scriptwriters, sound technicians and digital marketers.
Adelists save a low cost of entries helping more young Nigerians tap into the digital economy.
Many more Nigerians now see the fact that they can put out their personal content, their creativity, their skill, their own knowledge base, and they can earn money from that.
It's affecting the economy because many more Nigerians now are tapping into their creative side.
But creators say the sector still faces challenges.
Many skits makers lack the technical know-how to properly set up their pages and maximize earnings.
Something, Stanley says, cost him years of revenue.
I've worked for more than five or six years creating content, and it is the platform that is making the money instead of me, because one I don't have the proper knowledge of setting up my page.
Despite the gaps, experts say the future looks bright.
With more creators gaining digital skills and more Nigerians consuming online content, the sector is expected to expand rapidly.
That was Kalechi Elakalem in Abuja, Nigeria.
That's 57 minutes past the hour, checking the forecast for the day.
Beijing is down to minus 5 on Wednesday evening, Thursday will be cloudy with a high of 5.
Weihai will see sleet with a low of minus 3 tonight, then cloudy, and 6.
Nanchang will be cloudy tonight, then with a low of 7. a high of 14.
Elsewhere in Asia, Islamabad will be overcast with a low of 8 this evening.
Thursday will be overcast with a high of 19.
That's it for this edition of the Beijing Hour Making News today.
China and Russia have jointly vowed to defend the outcomes of World, with senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi urging more cooperation to counter Japan's far-right forces.
On behalf of the staff, this is Tian Liu in the Chinese capital.
Hope you are joining us for the next edition of the Beijing Hour and open a window to the world together, precisely 6 pm.
Beijing time.
We meet you on podcast and on air every weekday.
The Beijing Hour, your window on China and the rest of the world.
He can't live without the Yellow River in his eyes.
The Yellow River is so noble and elegant.
Both my grandpa and dad made a living from the river.
Would you like to move away from the Yellow River?
I don't think I will.
I love it so much.
The Yellow River.
The second longest river in China, is regarded as a shaping force in the history, economy and culture of northern China.
Today, about 100 million people live within its water basin, making up nearly 9 of the country's population.
How is climate change felt at its headwaters?
And what are the locals doing to cope with it?
What are the descendants of the boatmen doing?
What has kept some people from leaving their home village by the river?
And what has drawn others back?
Could the fading fishing community revive in a time of digital transformation?
From 2021 to 2024.
Our reporters visited the upper, middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River.
Talk to the herders farmers boatmen, fishermen and eco-activists who share a close bond with the river.
And present their stories in pictures, podcasts and videos.
All in our 12-part series, The Yellow River Mosaic. available only on CGTN Radio.
