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This is the Beijing Hour.
Examining the events that impact and shape China and the rest of the world.
This is the Beijing Hour, one hour of news and information brought to you every weekday.
Now here's your host.
Shane Bigum with you on this Tuesday, April 7th, 2026.
You're listening to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
On today's program.
The chairperson of the Chinese Kuomintang Party is visiting the mainland with a delegation from the Taiwan region.
Iran's rejected a U.S. peace proposal and delivered its own 10-point peace plan in response.
The UN's calling for fuel-related support for Cuba, which faces critical shortages under US restrictions.
In business, China's Qingming holiday unleashed a travel and spending boom.
In sports, heading into the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals.
In culture and entertainment, China Media Group announces a film carnival.
And now the day's top stories.
Chinese Kuomintang Party Chairperson Cheng Liyuan and a delegation are on the Chinese mainland for a six-day visit.
They landed in Shanghai on Tuesday and will also go to Jiangsu province in Beijing.
Cheng has repeatedly expressed her wishes to visit the mainland since her election as the KMT leader.
The trip comes at the invitation of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and General Secretary Xi Jinping.
Chairpersons and senior officials of the Kuomintang Party have been coming to the Chinese mainland to promote the peaceful development of cross-strait relations.
In 2005, Lian Chen led a delegation on the journey of peace, becoming the first sitting KMT chairman to visit the mainland since 1949.
Wu Poxiang visited many times as chairman between 2008 and 2011.
Eric Chu visited in 2015 and met with Xi Jinping, restarting high-level dialogue between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party of China.
In the following year, Hong Xiuqu came to the mainland to attend events marking the 150th anniversary of the birth of Dr Sun Yat-sen, upholding the 1992 consensus.
Ma Ying-jeou visited in 2023 as a former Kuomintang chairman.
Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council says if Chung engages in any behavior it deems is overstepping a boundary, she could face a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
Taiwan-based historian Cher Chia-Lin rejected that threat.
I should say that Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council is overly concerned.
Also, we all know Cheng Lihuan, during the past five months repeatedly made statements in Taiwan emphasizing that we are Chinese, we oppose Taiwan's separatist forces and we support the 1992 consensus which embodies the one China principle.
Cheng also cites facts. such as that the international community recognizes the one China principle.
In fact, the statements she made represent the voices of the people in Taiwan.
The scholar urged the Democratic Progressive Party authority not to cook up charges to undermine cross-strait relations and put the Taiwan region in a dangerous situation of war and violence.
A Taiwan entrepreneur has devoted his youth to designing and installing industrial dust collection systems for mainland factories.
Chang-Kua She runs an electromechanical equipment company in Kunshan.
He first started in the eastern city more than 20 years ago, but did not enter the industry until 2016.
At the beginning, my starting capital was around 120000 to 150000 yuan thanks to an entrepreneurship program for Taiwan youth in Kunshan.
I received support from company registration and many policy-related procedures were streamlined, significantly shortening the overall process.
As environmental and safety standards continue to improve, Chung's business is seeing sustained growth.
His company's completed dust collection system upgrades for scores of enterprises.
The entrepreneur also found love on the mainland and even changed his dietary habits.
I got married in 2012.
At first I couldn't understand the Luzhou dialect spoken by her parents and relatives, so I could only nod and go along with things.
I had already mentioned that I couldn't eat spicy food, But in the end there was still a hint of chili in the dishes.
To them, it probably didn't even count as spicy.
And well, there's no problem that a hot pot meal can't fix.
Lechon calls Taiwan and the mainland city his home, as he becomes more accustomed to life across the strait.
A political advisor in eastern China has been making efforts to foster understanding across the Taiwan Strait.
Lin Minjie at Nanjing Normal University began organizing gatherings for Taiwan compatriots because of her family ties with the island.
Chen Yilin has the story.
This is more than a celebration.
It's an annual gathering for the Taiwan compatriots living in Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu province.
Behind the event is Lin Mingjie, who has devoted years strengthening cross-strait exchanges.
For Lin, this mission is rooted in her family history.
My father was born in Taiwan.
My father, born in Taiwan, was among those who came to the mainland in the late 1940s, so for me this work has never been just a job.
It is a responsibility to ensure that the voices of Taiwan compatriots, like my family, are heard and reflected in policy.
Her work keeps her moving between campuses and communities, dedicating herself to building firsthand connections across the strait.
Being here in person, I found it very different from what I had imagined, friendly and familiar.
There's no better education than seeing it for yourself.
At Nanjing Normal University.
She now leads a national research project on the history of Taiwan's restoration, bringing together nearly 100 cross-strait scholars to trace the shared historical roots.
History is the best textbook.
It records the moments when people on both sides shed blood together, powerful evidence of our shared roots and cultural identity.
That is why I use history as a bridge to foster understanding across the strait.
Lin says she will keep working to promote cross-strait integration through education and exchange, as she believes understanding grows from shared memory and real connection.
That was Chen Yilin reporting.
Coming up, Iran issues a 10-point peace plan after rejecting Washington's offer.
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At eight minutes past the hour.
Iran's rejected a US proposed peace plan and delivered its response via Pakistan in a 10-point document.
Tehran's conditions include a permanent end of the war and the lifting of sanctions.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmail Begay, said Washington has lost its diplomatic credibility with its record of launching attacks during peace negotiations.
He also called U.S.
President, Donald Trump's deadline for Iran to make a deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz a war crime.
Begay said the recent US operation to rescue a downed fighter jet pilot in Isfahan could have been a deception operation aimed at stealing enriched uranium.
He said the U.S. operation ended in complete failure.
Trump said Iran's 10-point peace proposal is a significant step, but not good enough.
Ehsan Kevani reports.
According to the state-run Iran news agency, Tehran has sent its response to Pakistan to US proposal for ending the war.
The response is laid out in 10 clauses.
It rejects a ceasefire and instead insists on a permanent end to the war, while taking into account Iran's.
The text also lists a series of demands, including an end to hostilities in the region, the establishment of a safe transit protocol through the Strait of Hormuz, which not surprisingly protects Iran's economic interests, and lifting of sanctions.
All of this comes as intensified airstrikes by US and Israeli aircraft continue to hit the country.
We have just seen attacks in the central city of Isfahan, the capital Tehran and, for the first time, in the small town of Natanz, which sits right next to one of Iran's major nuclear enrichment facilities.
We've also had fresh strikes on petrochemical sites in the south, as well as on natural gas facilities in Boucher province.
Sharif University of Technology was hit into a lot.
In the latest wave of targeting military officials Islamic Revolution, the IRGC announced that Majid Aghami, the head of its intelligence organization, was killed.
In response, Iran keeps targeting the very same places, including petrochemical facilities, in its Arab neighbors across the Persian Gulf.
That was Esan Kevani on Iran's conditions to end the war as hostilities continue.
U.S.
President Donald Trump says Iran could be taken out in one night, and that may be Tuesday.
Trump's threatening more strikes on critical infrastructure unless Iran opens the Strait of Hormuz.
He said plans are ready to destroy bridges and power plants.
The U.S. president also claimed negotiations with Tehran via intermediaries are going well.
Trump has repeatedly claimed Washington has won the war with Iran, but many US experts say they believe the president is losing the conflict despite the overwhelming military advantage.
Jim Spellman has more from Washington, D.C.
US President Donald Trump took a victory lap at the White House Monday after a US rescue mission recovered a pilot and crew member from an F-15 fighter jet shot down by Iran Friday.
The operation resulted not only in the loss of that fighter jet, but also an additional A-10 Warthog warplane.
And Trump says the US destroyed two of its own cargo planes during the rescue operations and several US helicopters were also damaged or destroyed.
Still, Trump painted the incident as a success.
Both members of the crew ejected from the aircraft and landed alive on Iranian soil.
I immediately was asked to make a decision.
I ordered the U.S.
Armed Forces to do whatever was necessary to bring our brave warriors back home.
A risky decision. because we could have ended up with 100 dead as opposed to one or two.
It's a hard decision to make.
But in the United States military, we leave no American behind.
We don't do it.
The incident does little to change the larger dynamics of this war.
According to Trump, negotiations are underway but few details have emerged.
He set a deadline of Tuesday at 8 p.m.
Washington time for the Strait of Hormuz to be fully reopened or, he says the US will attack civilian power plants and bridges across Iran.
Attacking civilian power plants could potentially be a violation of international law.
Critics say Trump's handling of the war has been misguided and erratic.
President Trump seems keen on taking the madman theory to new heights by demonstrating that there is basically no red line, no limitation in what he's willing to do in order to achieve his objectives.
He also seems pretty furious because of the fact that this war, now in its sixth week, has not been as clean and easy as he expected to begin with.
And this is a war that started as a war of choice but now has turned into a war of necessity, because without reopening the Strait of Hormuz, this critical choke point, There is no way the president can frame this as a win.
The longer the strait remains mostly closed and oil prices remain high, the more the war is becoming a political liability for President Trump at home.
That was Jim Spellman on sentiments within the U.S. over the war with Iran.
UN Secretary-General, Antony Guterres, is alarmed by the US president's threat to attack Iranian infrastructure if Tehran does not agree to a deal.
Spokesperson Stefan Dujeric says the UN chief urged all parties to abide by international law on the conduct of hostilities.
The Secretary General has been very clear on issues regarding international law, and he urges yet again all parties to abide by their obligations regarding the conduct of these hostilities.
And he recalls that civilian infrastructure, including energy infrastructure, may not be attacked.
Even if specific civilian infrastructure were to qualify as a military objective, international humanitarian law would still prohibit attacks against them if they may be expected to cause excessive incidental civilian harm.
The spokesperson said, the Secretary General reaffirmed that it's high time for the parties to stop this conflict, as there's no viable alternative to the peaceful settlement of international disputes.
Fighting continues in the region, including an Israeli strike on an Iranian petrochemical plant.
A senior Houthi leader in Yemen says they may consider closing the Bab al-Mandeb Strait if tensions between the US and Iran worsen.
The strait's the only entry point to the Red Sea from the Indian Ocean and an important oil and natural gas chokepoint.
Houthi leader Abdullah al-Naami gave this warning.
If the enemy escalates or if other parties join to support the United States, then Bab al-Mandeb may enter the conflict.
If Bab al-Mandeb enters, it means the world is heading toward a very big disaster.
Bab al-Mandeb is a key pressure tool.
The Axis cannot give it up.
Here in Yemen, we warned the United States against any escalation that could drag Bab al-Mandeb into the conflict.
If Bab al-Mandeb enters the conflict, it will first harm the United States and Israel.
But closing it or using it as a pressure tool will not affect only them.
It will impact the whole region and possibly the entire world.
We do not want the war to expand.
We hope it will not.
But if the enemy wants escalation, we are ready.
The strait carried about 12 of global seaporn oil trade and 8 of liquefied natural gas trade before the Iran war.
Brazil is facing a sharp rise in nitrogen fertilizer prices as the Middle East conflict drags on in the country's key southern farming belt.
That's putting pressure on the coming winter wheat season.
Lei Shengping reports.
In here, the soybean harvest is already underway.
In the normal year, farmers here will soon be preparing to plant weeds.
But this year, many are hesitating.
The reason is simple.
Fertilizer has become much more expensive.
Paulo Vargas, planted more than 400 hectares of soybeans this season and had planned to sow weeds on 200 hectares in June.
Now he is reconsidering.
Last year, his farm produced around 70 bags of wheat per hectare, with each bag weighing 16 kilograms.
But this year the cost of planting 1 hectare of wheat is already close to the value of those 70 bags.
That means months of work could bring little or no return.
Since the war in the Middle East began, nitrogen fertilizer prices have risen by 40%.
It's a very sharp increase.
In agricultural production, fertilizer is the biggest cost and diesel is the second.
But wheat prices are now low. which means we cannot pass these higher costs on.
So planting wheat here no longer pays, and it's not economically viable.
Paulo's concern is shared by many farmers in the region.
If they plant wheat this winter, they risk losing money.
If they don't, they may only grow cover crops to help restore the soya, but that brings in no direct income.
For now, many are choosing to wait.
And that uncertainty is also hitting local suppliers.
Claudio Luiz Kowalski has worked in the fertilizer business for more than 30 years.
He says he has rarely seen the market this frozen.
Normally, by this time of year, farmers would already be buying supplies for the next crop.
But now, sales have almost stopped.
Brazil imports more than 80% of the fertilizer it uses.
And, according to Cloudio, about 30 of global nitrogen fertilizer exports pass through the Strait of Hormuz, making Brazil highly vulnerable to disruptions linked to the conflict.
At this time last year, we were already selling fertilizer and calculating input costs for the next crop.
But with fertilizer prices and supplies now so unstable, everything has come to a halt.
When fertilizer is not selling, other inputs are not moving either, because farmers simply do not know what to do or how much to invest.
We're going through a very hard period, and this is entirely because of the war.
Some Brazilian farmers are now looking for alternatives to nitrogen fertilizers, such as ammonium nitrate.
But that option has also become more uncertain after Russia, the world's biggest exporter of ammonium nitrate, recently suspended exports.
For Brazil's pharma sector, that is adding yet another layer of pressure.
And if the conflict in the Middle East continues, many fear the impact on Brazil's agricultural production could become even more visible in the months ahead.
That was Lei Shengping reporting with contributions from Liang Xin.
Coming up, the United Nations says Cuba needs support because of U.S. trade restrictions.
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20 minutes past the hour.
A coordinator says the United Nations has launched a restructured action plan in Cuba to focus on the traceable and equitable use of limited fuel.
The island has gone more than three months without enough fuel, and the humanitarian crisis is worsening daily.
UN coordinator Francisco Pichon said the energy shortage is affecting health water, food and other sectors.
The energy crisis is having a rather systemic and multiplying humanitarian impact affecting all aspects of daily life in Cuba health, water and sanitation, food system education transportation, telecommunications.
And the country has gone for more than three months without sufficient fuel and the humanitarian consequences, as you might expect, continue.
Pichon also said the UN's in talks with the United States, with support from some member states, to secure permission to bring fuel into Cuba for humanitarian aid.
This comes after a US executive order in January that restricted fuel shipments from third countries to Cuba.
The UN says it's now working with the private sector and other partners to find logistical solutions.
The World Health Organization announced it's suspending evacuations from Gaza following the death of a person under contract to provide services to the organization in the Strip.
WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says the security incident is under investigation.
Two other WHO staff members were present, but they were not injured.
The WHO has suspended medical evacuations of patients from Gaza to Egypt, saying the evacuations will remain on hold until further notice.
The Director General also called for the protection of civilians and humanitarian workers.
China's made noticeable progress in its commitment to environmental sustainability, from green energy innovations to substantial improvements in air, water and soil quality.
The country pledges to do even more as it pursues economic growth, while aiming to become carbon neutral by 2060.
Sean Calebs takes us to China's smallest national-level nature reserve, in Shenzhen, to find out how these goals are coming into play.
When Zhang Xuan looks through the lens, she sees a China that is committed to keeping its cities green and providing a safe habitat for an array of wildlife.
It's very diverse and very important to China's environment.
In the past, there was almost nothing here.
But over the past 40 years, the changes have been enormous.
Shenzhen has become very beautiful.
Shenzhen, the hub of China's tech world, is also an important area for migratory birds.
Each year, some 100,000 birds call this lush mangrove home.
From high above, it has the look of a lush tropical forest.
But down here, a much different picture.
It looks like just a collection of mud and some twisted trees.
But this mangrove is actually critically important to China's environment.
And the country has been working to not only preserve these but also make sure that they grow for environmental reasons.
Mangroves are really a storage area for carbon dioxide.
Song Changsha, the senior ranger at the Nature Reserve, wades through this muck as often as possible.
He monitors the health of this mangrove in the ongoing battle against pests and climate change.
What Song does is just one example of how China is reinforcing its commitment to the environment.
China is pursuing strong economic growth, but not at the expense of the environment.
And it finds real value in preserving areas like this mangrove.
In late September last year, one of the most powerful typhoons to ever hit this coastal area Ragasa, roared ashore.
The mangroves offered coastal protection from massive waves and the storm surge.
There was a time these wetlands, a buffer between salt and fresh water, were viewed as a hindrance to development, a nuisance, and were being destroyed.
But today we realize mangroves must be protected.
They provide clean air and oxygen and many ecological benefits.
More importantly, they show us how cities and nature can coexist.
For more than 40 years, Zhang Shu'an has lived in Shenzhen and watched the city spring to life in every way imaginable.
Shenzhen now places such importance on environmental protection and that environmental protection is integrated into so many aspects of the city's development.
Projects are maturing, and they really strongly emphasize environmental protection.
And that commitment allows the mangroves to flourish along with the city.
That was a report from Shenzhen, where the environment's a large part of the city's development.
The crew of NASA's Artemis II has made history by traveling farther into space than any humans have before.
The four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft reached a distance of over 406000 kilometers from Earth on Monday.
They broke the record held by the Apollo 13 crew in 1970.
They also conducted a rare manned flyby over the shadowed far side of the moon.
Walter Morris has details.
Five days after a successful liftoff from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, history is made.
The crew of NASA's Artemis II reaching a critical point in its 10-day mission on Monday. the Orion spacecraft making its closest approach to the moon, 6,400 kilometers or about 4,000 miles on a lunar flyby, using the gravitational pull to slingshot around the moon before heading back to Earth.
The Artemis II crew consisting of three Americans and one Canadian, going deeper into space than humans have traveled before.
As they make the trip around the far side of the moon, they will collect data and take thousands of images, getting a unique perspective that has never been seen.
This is the first moon-bound mission in more than five decades.
And during the flight, the Orion spacecraft putting its life support systems to the test.
And so it's already special, the view that we have.
And yes, the Earth is quite small and the moon is definitely getting bigger.
Because of this launch date, something that the scientists have added for us is we're going to see an eclipse of the sun behind the moon, which would be pretty neat actually.
The Artemis II mission is the first step in NASA's ambitious plan to send humans back to the Moon and eventually build a sustainable lunar base.
The agency plans to land astronauts on the moon surface by 2028.
If we're looking to eventually go back to the moon and eventually go to Mars, we want to have a better understanding of the consequences of deep space exposure.
And really you can think of the Artemis 2 mission as a dress rehearsal for when we eventually then claim to put people back on the moon with the Artemis 3 mission.
The Artemis II crew is scheduled to return to Earth and splash down in the Pacific Ocean on Friday.
That was Walter Morris on NASA's latest moon mission.
SpaceX has outlined details of its highly anticipated IPO, telling bankers that the company plans to earmark a large portion of shares for retail investors and will host 1500 of them following the IPO roadshow launch.
The meeting brought together the full syndicate for the first time as part of the process for what's expected to be the biggest initial public offering ever.
The rocket maker is reportedly seeking to raise $75 billion, valuing SpaceX at nearly $1.8 trillion.
Sources said the company plans to launch its roadshow on the week of June 8th.
Reuters previously reported that founder Elon Musk wanted to set aside up to 30 of the company's shares for smaller investors, compared with 5 or 10 for most companies.
Officials in Afghanistan say extreme weathers killed at least 110 people across the country over the past 12 days, with several others missing.
Flooding and landslides have destroyed nearly 1,000 homes and damaged over 4,000 more.
Herat Province resident Mohamed Renine says rain prevented them from reaching the market for food or other supplies.
The road has been blocked for two weeks.
People are unable to pass through this area easily.
Residents of the area cannot reach the market to buy essential supplies.
I've been trying for several days to purchase food for my household, but due to the heavy rain and the blocked road, Authorities say over 320 kilometers of road have been destroyed, while businesses, agricultural land, irrigation canals and freshwater wells have also been damaged.
They also issued weather warnings for Tuesday for nearly the entire country and warned people to stay away from rivers and areas prone to flooding.
In 2024, spring floods killed more than 300 people in Afghanistan.
We're at 29 past the hour.
Beijing down to 5 degrees this evening.
Wednesday, we'll get a light rainfall in 20.
Shanghai is overcast in 11, then a light rain in 17.
Chongqing is getting a light rainfall overnight and through tomorrow, with a low of 18 and a high of 29.
Nanchong will be overcast in 18, followed by clouds in 27.
Last is cloudy overnight and through tomorrow a low of plus 4.
The high is 13.
Elsewhere in Asia.
Islamabad will be getting moderate rainfall in 14 this evening.
Heavy rain in 18 for Wednesday.
Vientiane is down to 25, then sunny in 38.
Phnom Penh is 24 this evening, then overcast in 37.
In Africa, Nairobi is getting cloudy conditions and 26 degrees on Wednesday.
It's time for a short break.
So far.
This hour, the chairperson of the Chinese Kuomintang Party is visiting the mainland with a delegation from the Taiwan region.
Iran's rejected a US peace proposal and delivered its own 10-point peace plan in response to the UN's calling for fuel-related support for Cuba, which faces critical shortages under US restrictions.
Shane Biggin 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?
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Examining the events that impact and shape China and the rest of the world.
This is the Beijing Hour.
One hour of news and information brought to you every weekday.
Now here's your host.
Shane Begum with you on this Tuesday.
Still to come.
In business, China's Qingming holiday unleashed a travel and spending boom.
In sports, heading into the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals.
In culture and entertainment, China Media Group announces a film carnival.
To contact us, you can email radio at cgtn.com or follow our ex-account at CGTN Radio.
Now a check of the day's headlines.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has congratulated To Lam on his election as Vietnam's president.
To Lam is also General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam's Central Committee.
He served as the Minister of Public Security until 2024.
He was elected as the country's president in May of that year and general secretary of the CPV Central Committee in August.
Meanwhile, the National Assembly elected Le Minh Hung as prime minister.
China's expressed concern over Japan's rectification on its three principles on the transfer of defense equipment and technology.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning says the international community must stay on high alert against Japan's trend of remilitarization.
She also urged Japan to reflect upon its history of aggression and act prudently on the military and security matters.
Moscow has issued a warning to Baltic states following reports of their intention to open their airspace to Ukrainian drones attacking Russia.
A spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry warned of retaliatory measures if the Baltic states proceed with the action.
Media reported information about the official opening of the airspace in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia to Ukrainian drones.
But officials from some of those countries, along with the European Union's foreign policy chief, have denied the claim.
Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has proposed a mutual ceasefire on energy infrastructure with Russia.
If russia is ready to stop strikes on our energy infrastructure, we'll be ready to respond in kind.
This proposal has been conveyed to the russian side through the americans.
We are also working very concretely right now on documents with the american side.
As agreed, Ukraine is preparing its proposals strengthening the document on security guarantees.
Zelensky said work continues with U.S. negotiators on security guarantees.
The proposal follows his earlier call for an Easter ceasefire, but after new Russian attacks, including a drone strike on the Black Sea port of Odessa that killed three people, Zelensky said Russia appears unwilling to agree.
Moscow's reacted coolly to the plan, saying it favors an overall peace deal instead.
Iran's rejected a US proposed 15-point peace plan, instead calling for a permanent end of the conflict.
According to Iran's official news agency, officials delivered a 10-point response via Pakistan, citing past experiences as the reason for refusing a ceasefire.
Tehran's proposal includes demands for an end to regional fighting and ensures safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
It calls for rebuilding war-damaged areas and lifting international sanctions.
Authorities say traffic on the King Fod Causeway linking Saudi Arabia and Bahrain has resumed after a temporary suspension.
The bridge halted operations as a precautionary measure following alerts issued by Saudi Arabia's National Early Warning Platform in the eastern region.
The Saudi Defense Ministry says debris from ballistic missiles fell in the vicinity of energy facilities.
Media say the driver is dead after a high-speed train collided with a military truck in northern France.
At least 27 people were injured.
State-owned railway operator SNCF said the incident occurred at a level crossing between the towns of Bethune and Lens, interrupting traffic.
The transport minister said he'll go to the scene.
The city of Minneapolis has released video showing a chase and shooting in January involving federal immigration officers.
The footage shows officers pursuing a Venezuelan man to his home, where another was shot in the thigh.
Federal authorities initially charged both men with assaulting an ICE officer with a broom handle and a snow shovel.
But the top federal prosecutor in Minnesota later dropped the charges, citing newly discovered evidence that contradicted the allegations.
A criminal investigation is now underway into whether the immigration officers lied under oath.
Both men have been released while seeking legal status.
Local prosecutors say they're frustrated by federal authorities' refusal to share information about the incident.
Lao authorities have issued an extreme heat warning, forecasting temperatures of up to 42 degrees Celsius across the country.
Peak temperatures are likely to occur over the next several days.
Forecasters also warned of possible isolated thunderstorms, lightning and hail in some areas.
Authorities highlighted increased risks, including fire hazards and heat-related illnesses, particularly among children and older adults.
You're listening to The Beijing Hour.
Coming up in business, China's Qingming holiday unleashed a travel and spending boom.
The Beijing hour, your window on China and the rest of the world.
37 past the hour.
Stock markets on the Chinese mainland close higher on Tuesday.
The Shanghai composite was up nearly three-tenths of a percent.
The Shenzhen component gained almost four-tenths.
Sports and animal care were among the top gainers.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index decreased more than 0.7%.
Japan's Nikkei remained almost flat.
Chinese shoppers spent heavily on novel, smart and green products and services during the just-concluded Qingming Festival holiday.
Average daily sales at major enterprises rose 2.4% on a yearly basis during the three-day holiday.
A foot turnover at 78 key pedestrian streets monitored by the Chinese Commerce Ministry increased by 67.
China's recorded more than 15 million applications under the Vehicle Trade and Subsidy Program this year, driving new car sales worth nearly 247 billion yuan, roughly 36 billion US dollars.
Sales of home appliances under trade and programs, along with digital and smart devices, surpassed 628 million units, generating around 216 billion yuan in revenue.
Increased outdoor travel boosted sales of smart electronics.
Sales of smart glasses surged 32 times and smart watches and fitness bands increased 123 on major e-commerce platforms.
Services also remained strong during the holiday.
Sales at key catering businesses monitored by the ministry rose 39, while cross-city trips on major platforms climbed 15 from a year earlier.
Spending at theme parks increased nearly 12%, and car rental orders jumped around 40%.
Chinese authorities have adopted regulatory measures on prices for refined oil products to mitigate the impacts of rising international prices on the domestic market.
The National Development and Reform Commission says domestic prices for gasoline will increase by 420 yuan per metric ton, or around US61, and diesel prices will rise 400 yuan per metric ton.
This means the price for 92 octane gasoline is going up by a third of a yuan per liter, or around 48 cents slightly less than originally expected.
The price increase for diesel will be similar to the gas increase.
Mountainous province of Guizhou used to be one of the least developed regions in China, but now it's transformed into a leading center for data storage and computing power.
Enoch Sekoliat reports.
In today's digital world, data is the new oil.
Every click, every message, every online purchase generates information that must be stored, processed and protected.
But where?
Does all this data go?
Guizhou is one of China's most mountainous provinces.
Nearly 92% of the land is covered by mountains and hills.
For decades, the terrain limited industrial development.
But what once looked like a disadvantage would later become a technological advantage.
Our refreshing climate allows data centres built in Guizhou to operate at a significantly lower cost.
Guizhou essentially acts as a natural air conditioner, providing consistent temperatures and cooling for these facilities, with winters that are never harsh and summers that are never sweltering.
Our average annual temperature stays between 14 and 16 degrees Celsius.
This natural cooling is ideal for server heat dissipation and drastically reduces energy consumption.
Behind me is one of the many data centers here in Guizhou.
Inside such buildings, Over 100000 servers are working 24 hours a day receiving, processing and storing data from many parts of China.
This is China Telecom's information park, which has been running for more than 10 years.
Gui, the deputy general manager of the computing power center, ushers me into the park's world of computing.
As he shows me around, he tells me how the park has gradually evolved from general computing into an integrated data center that combines general computing, supercomputing and intelligent computing.
The information park is trying to shift from being a simple resource provider in its early stage to a comprehensive service provider that integrates resources, computing power, technological innovation and operational services.
In other words, we are moving from a purely resource selling model toward becoming a full-scale computing service provider.
This is the backbone of China's digital future.
Data centers like this are becoming the new infrastructure of the digital age.
Today, the province hosts more than 30 large data centers serving companies including Apple, Huawei and Tencent.
Technology-driven agricultural practices are enhancing efficiency in spring plowing across Nan'an, a key early rice production base in eastern China.
Farmers are planting nearly 10,000 hectares of early rice fields.
In Pulip, seeding cultivation is taking center stage in this year's spring farming preparations.
A fully automated seedling sowing production line is streamlining the entire process.
Operators simply place seedling trays on the conveyor belt and the machine spreads a layer of soil, sprays water, sows seeds and adds a top covering.
The entire process takes less than five seconds per tray.
The system is also equipped with LED grow lights at the base, as well as an electric spraying unit for automated watering and fertilization.
All key environmental parameters, including lighting, temperature and humidity, can be intelligently controlled via the integrated system.
China's AI industry is entering a new phase, marked by a steady increase in the volume of tokens generated by its large language models.
The growth is supported by the country's strong computing power and robust electricity infrastructure.
Li Xiaoyao has more.
Token, the UI usage unit, now has an official Chinese name, Ziyuan.
From food delivery and short videos creation to healthcare and education.
China has the world's densest digital landscape and every scenario consistently consumes tokens.
In March, China's average daily token cost surpassed $140 trillion.
That's over 1,000 field search since early 2024.
So what's filling this search?
The growing number of token calls reflects the rapid development of China's AI industry.
China's consumer-facing token calls are already among the global leaders.
With AI widely integrated into e-commerce, travel and social platforms, The deployment of large language models in China has clearly reached a mature stage.
OpenRouter, a global platform that aggregates over 300 large language models, shows Chinese models dominate the top four spots in token usage last month, far ahead of their US counterparts.
Users are opting for Chinese models not only for performance, but also for cost efficiency, according to IDC research.
Currently, token prices in China are very competitive.
Some overseas companies are also beginning to use the computing power provided by Chinese large language model firms.
Compared with the US, the cost of tokens offered by domestic model providers is roughly one-eighth to one-twentieth of that in America a remarkably low price.
This cost factor is extremely important for enterprises aiming to scale their AI deployments.
According to our estimates, in an AI project, token costs can account for about 60-70 of total expenditure.
This AI boom is also pushing up demand for China's computing and electricity.
The country's stable energy supply keeps its computing power dependable.
By the end of 2025, China's installed power capacity reached 389 billion kilowatts, with renewables exceeding 60.
By turning power into computing and computing into tokens, China effectively exports its green energy digitally across borders.
With deep strengths in electricity supply, data centers and computing infrastructure, China is well positioned to power both its AI innovation in the export for digital services.
That was Li Xiaoyou reporting.
A U.S. services PMI came in at 54 in March, down 2.1 points from February.
While the country's services sector continued to expand last month at a slower pace, inflationary pressures rose notably and employment unexpectedly weakened.
According to the institute for supply management, the figure remained in expansionary territory for the twenty first consecutive month and stayed above the twelve month average of fifty two point three.
The business activity index fell to fifty three point nine, its lowest level since last september, pointing to a loss of growth momentum.
The employment index fell to 452, plunging 66 points from the previous month.
It entered contraction territory for the first time in four months and hit its lowest level since late 2023.
The price index jumped to 707, surging 77 points from the prior month, the highest reading since October of 2022.
You're listening to The Beijing Hour coming up in sports, heading into the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals.
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47 past now and turning to sports.
Here's Yang Guang.
Thank you, Shane.
Bayern Munich and Real Madrid are preparing for their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal first leg.
Both sides heading to Tuesday's clash on the back of dominance last 16 victories.
Harry Kane is sidelined after suffering an ankle injury.
While on international duty, Bayern head coach Vincent Kompany says a late decision will be made on his availability.
Everybody in the club, including myself, and especially Harry Kane knows how important this game is.
I think it's still always the right thing to have a discussion with each player to make sure that you get the thumbs up.
And when we decide it's a goal, then it's a goal with no more extra thinking about it.
It's just about performing and winning the game.
Real Madrid, the 15-time champions, defeated Manchester City 5-1 on aggregate, while Bayern cruised past Atlanta 10-2 over two legs.
The two sides have met 28 times in European Cup history, with 26 of those encounters coming in the knockout stages.
Bayern are currently winning in their last nine matches against Real.
Still in football.
AC Milan are no longer in the race for the Serie A title following a damaging 1-0 loss to Napoli.
The defeat leaves Milan 9 points adrift of leaders Inter and 2 behind Napoli.
Both teams struggle to break down solid defences in a tense encounter.
The breakthrough came late in the second half, when Napoli substitutes fired in a left-footed volley from a tight angle.
Milan pushed for an equaliser but Napoli held on to keep their title ambitions alive.
Juventus boosted their Champions League hopes with a 2-0 win over Genoa at Allianz Stadium.
The opening goal came just four minutes in as a header off a knockdown found the back of the net, despite Genoa's claims for a foul.
In the 17th minute, a fast counter-attack resulted in a clinical finish into the bottom left corner, doubling Juventus' lead.
The win came after a run of just two victories in their last seven Serie A matches.
Corinthians has appointed former Brazil manager Fernando Diniz as head coach on the contract until December next year.
The 52-year-old replaces Dorival Junior, who was dismissed after a 1-0 home loss to Internacional on Sunday.
Diniz made 50 appearances for Corinthians as a player in 1997 and 1998.
His first match in charge will be an away game against Argentina's Plantense in the Copa Libertadores group stage on Thursday.
Chinese international striker Xiao Ziqin has joined Portuguese club Benfica women through 2029.
The 23-year-old became available after a contract with Jiang Suu Kyi expired in December.
Xiao helped Jiangsu to a run-up finish in the domestic league last season and was shortlisted for the 2025 Chinese Women's Footballer of the Year award.
She recently started four of China's five matches at AFC Women's Asian Cup, scoring twice and providing one assist.
In the NBA, the San Antonio Spurs held off the Philadelphia 76ers 115-102, despite Victor Wimbayama leaving with a left rib contusion.
Stephen Castle posted a triple-double with 17 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds for the Spurs.
Philadelphia's Joel Embiid had 34 points and 12 rebounds. while Paul George added 16 points.
Wemba Yama did not return after taking an elbow from George near midcourt.
His status for the final week of the regular season is uncertain at the moment.
Elsewhere, the Denver Nuggets defeated Portland Trail Blazers 137-132 in overtime.
Portland set a franchise record with 25 made threes, but the Nuggets rallied from a 24-8 round-tied game at 23 and a secured win in overtime.
Nikola Jokic posted 35 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists.
The Nuggets have now won nine straight games and moved into third place in the Western Conference, surpassing the Los Angeles Lakers.
And finally, in tennis, Sebastian Baez knocked Stan Wawrinka out of the Monte Carlo Masters in the first round, defeating him in straight sets.
This marks Wawrinka's final appearance in Monte Carlo before his retirement at the end of the year.
The veteran reflected on his career and thanked tennis fans for their support throughout his ATP tour journey.
Always been a dream to be a tennis player.
I've been enjoying it.
That's wrong for more than 20 years.
And again, as I said before, one of the best emotion I have is on the courts, is because of the support, because of everybody still pushing me when I'm five, one down.
That's really always been helping me, putting fire on myself to keep.
The 41-year-old won the tournament in 2014 by his next-to-face top seed, Carlos Yacres.
Thank you very much.
That's Yang Guang with sports.
You're listening to The Beijing Hour and coming up in culture and entertainment.
China Media Group announces a film carnival.
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.
53 past the hour.
In culture and entertainment, China media groups announced a film carnival.
Shen Li has more.
A key highlight of the campaign is Real Views, Real Journeys, an initiative launched by China Global Television Network.
The program promotes travel routes tied to filming locations and story settings, along with film-themed spending incentives to attract more international visitors and immerse them in China's natural and cultural landscapes.
During the press conference, three expats living in China shared heartfelt stories of their film-inspired travels across the country.
I have watched recently the Li Xi Road.
And I know it's filming Guangdong.
It actually impressed me to go there.
I have seen in the movie people eating and drinking and having a lot of fun.
And I will definitely want to try that.
I really liked a movie called .
It's an animated film but still, like you see, kind of like what the scenery likes there.
A lot of the food there.
I think it was springtime in the movie when they went there.
It's supposed to be really nice and stuff.
When I saw that, I was like, ooh, I'd really like to go too.
It's the Blades of the Guardians.
A lot of it was shot in Xinjiang.
Again, for work, I got to go to Xinjiang.
Sometimes in the desert, but to go to a solar farm, so it wasn't like typical desert.
But that was very, very cool.
I'd like to go back to the mountains, to the snow in Xinjiang.
I like snowboarding.
China's a big place, and there's a lot of things to do and see.
So film's a really good way to communicate those landscapes and the culture.
The event will also feature major airlines, cruise lines and film bases in China offering film-themed travel packages enabling tourists to experience the cultural heritage and cutting-edge technologies showcased in movies for a truly immersive journey.
And that was Shen Li reporting.
Archaeologists have completed the restoration of a northern library on the second level of Angkor Wat in Cambodia.
The work began in November last year.
It focused on repairing and reinforcing deteriorated stones in the foundation walls, bas-reliefs and roof to ensure long-term stability.
Angkor Wat was built in the 12th century.
It's part of a UNESCO-listed park which covers over 400 square kilometers and contains over 90 temples dating from the 9th to the 13th centuries.
Archaeologists at the Shendanto site in Anhui province have uncovered about a thousand artifacts linked to a bronze casting industry dating back over 2500 years.
The discoveries include tools, weapons, furnace parts, and molds.
The site covers 80000 square meters and marks the first large-scale Zhou Dynasty bronze casting site found along the lower Yangtze River.
The Myth on Pottery exhibition is underway at Ningxia Museum in northwest China.
Featuring 115 pieces of ceramics, sculptures and glassware from Italy's Puglia region.
The exhibition draws on myths of ancient Greek deities to showcase Mediterranean culture and history.
The exhibition will run through June and oil painting exhibitions underway at Beijing's Red Brick Art Museum.
Fu Rao's works reflect influences of romanticism and expressionism, and that one runs through June 21st.
The fourth Vogue China Fashion Fund is launched in Shanghai to support Chinese designers' participation in the global fashion industry.
Since its debut in 2023, Vogue China has aimed to cultivate a group of designers with long-term potential.
This year's competition will run from June to October, with the panel of judges yet to be announced.
Founded in 2003 by Vogue US and the Council of Fashion Designers of America, the Fashion Fund is known for providing financial support and commercial mentorship to emerging talents.
A major print exhibition featuring works by Henri Matisse is open at the Times Art Museum in Beijing.
The exhibition brings together 100 prints showcasing his artistic development, from early line studies to later cutout works.
Titled Bathe in Color.
It's organized into five sections and includes several interactive installations.
57 past the hour.
Beijing down to 5 degrees this evening.
It'll be a light rainfall and 20 for Wednesday.
Shanghai's overcast and down to 11, then a light rain and 17.
Nanchang will be getting a light rainfall overnight and through tomorrow.
A low of 18 and a high of 29.
Nanchang's overcast in 18, giving way to clouds in 27.
Last is cloudy overnight and tomorrow, a low of 4 and a high of 13.
Elsewhere in Asia.
Islamabad will be getting moderate rainfall in 14 this evening.
Heavy rain in 18 for Wednesday.
Vientiane's down to 25, followed by sunshine and 38 degrees.
That's it for this edition of the Beijing Hour.
Making news today.
Chairperson of the Chinese Kuomintang Party is visiting the mainland with a delegation from the Taiwan region.
And Iran's rejected a U.S. peace proposal and delivered its own 10-point peace plan in response.
On behalf of the staff.
This is Shane Bigum in the Chinese capital, hoping you'll join us for the next edition of The Beijing Hour and open a window to the world together.
Find The Beijing Hour at precisely 6 p.m.
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The Yellow River is so noble and elegant.
Both my grandpa and dad made a living from the river.
Would you like to move away from the Yellow River?
I don't think I will.
I love it so much.
The Yellow River, the second longest river in China, is regarded as a shaping force in the history, economy and culture of northern China.
Today, about 100 million people live within its water basin, making up nearly 9 of the country's population.
How is climate change felt at its headwaters? and what are the locals doing to cope with it?
What are the descendants of the boatmen doing?
What has kept some people from leaving their home village by the river?
And what has drawn others back?
Could the fading fishing community revive in a time of digital transformation?
From 2021 to 2024.
Our reporters visited the upper, middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, talked to the herders farmers boatmen, fishermen and eco-activists who share a close bond with the river, and present their stories in pictures, podcasts and videos, all in our 12-part series.
The Yellow River Mosaic, available only on CGTN Radio.
