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the oath of office as the 21st president of South Korea, immediately starting his five -year term after a landslide election win.
The Chinese foreign minister stated that equality and respect are prerequisites for any exchanges with the United States and Gaza humanitarian foundations announced the closure of its aid distribution centers.
In business, the city of Shanghai is reporting surging export numbers.
In sports, the reigning and Women's Olympic tennis champion is out at the French Open.
In culture and entertainment, the ancient craftsmanship of the Shui ethnic group in Guizhou.
Now checking the day's top stories.
Lee Jae -mung's become the new president of South Korea, the country's 21st president.
He took the oath of office in the National Assembly Building Wednesday morning, formally beginning his single five -year term.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent a congratulatory message saying that China's willing to keep pursuing win -win cooperation with South Korea to advance the strategic cooperative partnership.
Lee's named presidential campaign co -chair Kim Min Suk as prime minister.
He also named top secretaries, including the presidential chief of staff and national security advisor.
Lee's victory in Tuesday's snap presidential election came six months after his predecessor, Eun Suk -yol's martial law declaration, which threw South Korea into disarray.
The new president's supporters are expecting him to bring stability and development to the country.
Shane Ham has more from South Korea.
As if the next president is entering the halls of the National Assembly.
We won't see the regular pomp and circumstance that we typically see at inaugurations, both out of necessity since he's immediately taking the presidency without a transition, but also as a symbol of austerity, that ceremony doesn't matter and that he's more focused on results, but really if you look at the election turn out the fact that with record a near record voter turnout and nearly 50 % of the vote there's a clear mandate from the electorate that the the country wants to move on from the political chaos from the past six months and Mr. Lee has said time and time again that he is someone
who gets things done and that was clear in his brief appearance in front of supporters immediately after it was clear that he was going to win the election.
I would never forget the duty of a president to unite the people.
I will fulfill the first mission the people have entrusted to me, which is to overcome the insurrection and make sure there'll be no military coup that threatens the people with the weapons entrusted by them.
I'll look for dialogue and communication between the South and the North, and find a way to exist and cooperate to find a path to shared prosperity.
Whether he'll be able to seek that national cohesion or unity or whether he'll resort to the political revenge or retaliation that we see typically in Korean politics is something that we'll all be watching out for.
I think internationally people are still trying to digest this election win.
Domestically I think the election results speak for themselves starting with of course his main opposition candidate, the opponent Kim Jong -un, of the conservative camp immediately conceding victory, when it appeared that Mr. Lee was going to win this election as a clear sign to also quiet any sort of allegations or suspicions of any election fraud.
I was at that gathering of Lee and his supporters.
And there's a lot of hope and optimism for the next five years for the country.
In this election, which served as a judgment on the insurrection crisis, the opposition should have won by a landslide.
So while I'm pleased with the result, the fact that the margin wasn't overwhelmingly large also reminds me that we still face many challenges ahead.
It's a day that brings joy, but at the same time, it is a day that calls for renewed determination.
The president -elect Lee Jae -myung's core message has been pragmatism and pragmatic policies must be practical and useful.
I believe his first priority will be to revive our economy.
He's mentioned time and time again that the economy is going to be at the top of this priority and in the list of items that he'll be tackling as president.
That was Shane Hamm reporting.
Seoul residents have voiced their hopes following Lee Jae -myung's election as president.
An important task would be to restore diplomacy and the economy.
Above all, the president must bring unity among a divided and confused public, which was caused by the martial law declaration.
Most importantly, I want him to get rid of rebel and martial law remnants.
I run a business myself and the country's economy is going through tough times.
I want our president to put efforts into bringing economic revival.
The 60 year old president, a liberal from the Democratic Party begins a single five -year term and he succeeds conservative Yoon Suk -yol who was ousted after briefly imposing martial law in December.
David Tizard is an assistant professor of Korean studies at Seoul Women's University and explained the challenges facing the new president including the lack of a customary transition period and the revival of the domestic economy.
Tizard described taking office without a transition period as jumping into a moving car while trying to change the tires at the same time.
This is not impossible, but it certainly raises the stakes of what is about to take place here in South Korea.
In practical matters, the absence of that interim period, that removes the usual time afforded for building teams, aligning policy goals, and signaling to markets both internationally and domestically, a sense of direction and competence.
Now upon taking office, the new South Korean President will have some domestic challenges, that includes inflation, that includes youth unemployment and public sector debt.
And these challenges will not wait for anyone.
So it's good that perhaps there will be someone at their helm straight away.
And for the new president to effectively govern, they're going to need more than just policies.
They're going to need language, they're going to need empathy.
They're going to be able to show that they're capable of reaching across the aisle, engaging communities, civil societies, and, where possible, the opposition political party.
We need to set a tone in this country for something that favors dialogue over dogma.
I was David Tizard, assistant professor of Korean studies at Seoul Women's University, sharing his insights on the challenges facing the new South Korean president.
And coming up, China's foreign ministry sets conditions for future exchanges with the United States.
In a world increasingly divided, can diplomacy speak with a new voice?
From Hong Kong, a bold new initiative is taking shape.
The International Organization for Mediation, or IOMED, promises to settle disputes not with judges and rulings, but with conversation and consensus.
Is this a fresh, flexible alternative to the courtroom, or so -called challenge to the existing global legal order.
This week on the chat lounge, we dive into the future of peaceful dispute resolution.
Feel the power of dialogue wherever you listen to podcasts and on CGTN Radio.
About eight minutes past the hour, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi says equality and respect are the prerequisites for exchanges between the country and the United States and that dialogue and cooperation are the only correct choice for bilateral ties.
He made the remarks on meeting with David Perdue, the new U .S. ambassador to China, in Beijing.
Yeo Yong has more. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi welcoming U .S. Ambassador to China David Perdue to Beijing, saying he hopes Perdue will serve as a trustworthy communicator, a mediator of differences, and a promoter of cooperation.
Wang said China -US ties now stand at a crucial juncture.
He noted after trade talks in Geneva, China has earnestly implemented the consensus reached by both sides.
He believes recent negative moves by the US undermined China's legitimate rights and interests.
The Chinese foreign minister said Beijing firmly opposes those measures and hopes Washington will work together with China and create necessary conditions for bringing China -U .S. relations back on track." Purdue said U .S. President Donald Trump has great respect for Chinese President Xi Jinping, adding that it's essential for the two heads of state to maintain positive and constructive interactions.
The U .S. Ambassador to China added he looks forward to maintaining close contacts with the Chinese side in the spirits of mutual respect and listening.
David Perdue arrived in Beijing this May to assume office as the new US ambassador to China.
His arrival coincided with Beijing and Washington's agreements to a 90 -day trade truce in their ongoing dispute.
Earlier Chinese foreign ministry said Beijing will provide convenience for him to perform his duties, adding that China always views bilateral relations based on the principles of mutual respect and peaceful coexistence and women cooperation and hopes Washington to work with Beijing in the same direction." That was You Yang reporting.
Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wientao has called on the World Trade Organization to strengthen oversight of unilateral tariffs and urged its members to comply with trade rules without harming the interests of others.
The minister met WTO Director General Ngozi Acconjo -Iweala on the sidelines of a WTO ministerial meeting in Paris.
Wang also reaffirmed China's commitment to upholding the multilateral trading system.
The WTO chief says current frictions in international trading are harming global economic growth.
She called China a staunch supporter of the multilateral trading system, and expressed hope for the country to play a greater role in facilitating the organization's reforms. Wang also met separately with European Trade Commissioner Maris Efkovic, and his Canadian counterpart Meninder Sidhu.
China and Australia agreed to deepen economic and trade ties.
The announcement follows Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Mantao's talks, with Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell on the sidelines of the WTO ministerial meeting in Paris.
The two sides say the recent US trade policy has done more harm than good, and Sarah Coates has more from the French capital.
A busy day of sideline talks here in the French capital on Tuesday as trade officials converged on Paris, but two days of dialogue.
China's Commerce Minister, Wang Wenzhao sitting down with Australia's Trade and Tourism Minister Don Farrell, with China's Commerce Ministry releasing a statement saying the two sides held pragmatic and constructive discussions on deepening China -Australia economic and trade relations as well as strengthening multilateral and regional economic cooperation.
Well another positive seemingly coming out of Monday's meetings.
France's trade minister telling the media that he believes a spill in relations between Paris and Beijing over French cognac can be cleaned up after duties were imposed over alleged dumping practices then postponed.
These sideline meetings are happening in the backdrop of a major shift in U .S. trade policy, which threatens to upend global markets, with China's line clear that tariffs are a lose -lose situation for everyone.
Talks are continuing on Wednesday as Chinese, European and other trade officials try and forward and find common ground during an increasingly uncertain period.
That was Sara Coats reporting.
The United States has doubled its tariffs on imported steel and aluminum.
President Donald Trump has signed an executive order, increasing levies on the two metals from 25 percent to 50 percent.
The tariff increase took effect on Wednesday.
Karina Mitchell has more from New York.
We are going to be imposing a 25 percent increase.
We're going to bring it from 25 percent to 50 percent, the tariffs on steel, into the United States of America, which will even further secure the steel industry in the United States.
Nobody is going to get around that.
U .S. President Donald Trump vowing before a group of U .S. steel workers in Pittsburgh to double tariffs tied to steel and aluminum imported into the United States further ratcheting up global trade tensions and slowing down the world economy the announcement comes after the White House in March first imposed a sweeping 25 % tariff on all steel and aluminum imported into the United States a move that has hurt both manufacturers and consumers reaction over the intended increase was swift from some key economies including the European Union United Kingdom, Canada and Germany.
But on truth social, Trump touted his own tariff strategy saying because of tariffs our economy is booming.
Financial analyst Stephen Cates disagrees saying history has shown how unsuccessful steel and aluminum tariffs were in the first Trump administration and under President George W Bush.
And in both cases they did damage to the U .S. Now, they protect steel workers, which is great for steel workers, but they have grievous downstream impacts that impact consumers and impact other manufacturers, and overall increase everybody's costs.
A new report from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development shows worldwide growth is now expected to slow to 2 .9 percent in 2025, down from a previous forecast of 3 .1 percent, in part due to trade barriers.
While Trump says the increase will protect steel workers in the U .S., American consumers could be the collateral damage, with potential price hikes possible among a range of products as businesses try to navigate higher costs.
That includes everything from cars and appliances to things like soda and canned food in the grocery aisles.
Kate says, if President Trump really wants to help both steel workers and consumers, there are alternatives to tariffs.
If we want to protect a domestic industry, subsidies might be the better option because it does offer a break for consumers in terms of the costs remain the same or go down.
And it still offers a protection to the domestic industry and protects the ability of steel workers to maintain or expand their industry.
That was a report on the U .S. doubling its tariffs on imported steel and aluminum.
Coming up, Gaza humanitarian foundations announce the closure of its aid distribution centers.
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Sixteen minutes past the hour— Israel and US -based Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says its distribution centers will close and warns people not to go to the sites.
At least 27 Palestinians died as they headed towards an aid hub on Tuesday.
The International Community of the Red Cross says over 150 were injured.
The Israeli army says its forces fired warning shots at what it described as suspects who approached them near the aid distribution point.
An Israeli military spokesperson and warned Gaza residents against moving in the areas leading to the aid sites, deeming them as combat zones.
The UN's rejected a new aid distribution system seeing it does not address Gaza's mounting hunger crisis and allows Israel to use aid as a weapon.
Rahmi Almagari has more from Gaza City.
The place that the center is at is controlled by the Israeli army.
And it is the distance between the place where the crowds should be gathered and the centre itself or the distribution centre itself is about 800 to 1 km.
800 meters to 1 km actually.
So this Israeli narrative towards this can be averted by the Israeli army by allowing their people or by letting the people to stay where the Israeli army wants them to stay rather than shooting them deadly and killing hundreds of them.
That's according actually to Palestinian, local Palestinian officials.
Local Palestinian observers here in the Gaza Strip.
This is the latest among those killed during these Israeli actions against those seeking that aid at that center.
But, in terms of other Israeli actions in the territory, we can see a number of new Israeli actions that have not been presented in the middle of the day.
An Israeli airstrike pounded to the ground a story, a four -story building in the Nusayrath refugee camp, killing at least three people, including one child.
How is Rami Amagari reporting?
In the caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago, a small fishing village once known for hunting leatherback turtles has undergone a remarkable transformation.
Over the past 30 years, Matura has become one of the few places in the world where you can still witness leatherback turtles nesting in the wild.
Former hunters have become protectors and local residents are taking action to safeguard these ocean giants that travel thousands of miles to return and lay their eggs, lay Xian Ping as more.
Matora, a quiet village in northeastern Trinidad and Tobago, was once steeped in a long -standing tradition of hunting lead -back turtles.
But today, it is recognized as a global model for sea turtle conservation.
More than 100 local residents are now involved in ecological patrols, beach clean -ups, and forest restoration.
a grassroots movement largely driven by Susan Larkin Baptist. She's the founder of the environmental group, Nature Seekers and has led the conservation efforts for over three decades.
Now, in her 50s, Susan recalls the moments in 1990 that sparked her lifelong dedication to protecting the turtles.
Just about 18 years I was, and when I came onto the beach, I would see so many carcasses.
The stench was horrendous.
One would never conceptualize that ecotourism would have been possible on Metura beach. It was seen that it was chopped all over, some missing, a few pound of shoulder meat, some just being chopped and no part thereof.
It was a real carnage.
And the sad thing about it, we were part of the problem.
Our community, we had children of poachers, Our fathers were poachers and so on.
So it was part of our culture in coming and take a turtle and book an air and take the eggs and so on.
Susan was the first woman in the village to speak out against the turtle hunting, rallying her family to join her cause.
In 1989, the 2019 government designated Matura Beach as a protected area, and began encouraging community involvement in conservation.
Today, in a village of just over 2 ,000 people, more than 100 locals are active in total protection efforts.
Among them is Sherry and Rushford. Well, they wouldn't get room to lay the eggs.
They could get tangled up with these seaweeds.
Yeah, that is the reason why we are cleaning the seal.
They could come up really early.
because the leatherback turtles are rare and species of animals so it have a lot of tourists that's coming here, that's the reason why for the beach cleanup.
Susan's daughter, Reima, is among the young generation now carrying the torch. It matters because we need leatherback turtles to nest here for us so that in years to come we could see or in the next 25 to 30 years I should say we could see more turtles coming up and nesting and we can have that to still give sustainable livelihood to the community and to persons that work in the environment and also educate more and much more of the public about leatherback turtles and its importance.
But conservation goes beyond the beach the forests surround the Madura spanning over 9000 hectares is a metal part of the ecosystem.
Since 2004, local residents have helped restore more than 300 hectares of forest land.
Kevin, who leads the Forest Conservation program, says protecting the landscape is directly tied to total survival.
A lot of anthropogenic activities, quarrying, specifically in our area that could hamper, change the the dynamic of our rivers.
And so as a result of that, we have a lot of sedimentation happening at our river mouth, you know, that buildup of silt which also causes our profile on the beach to change, And a key fact is that our turtles love that steep sloping gradient of our beaches.
So it's really important that it's harmonious.
Thanks to these efforts, Mathura is no longer a place of slaughter.
In peak nesting seasons, as many as 2 ,000 turtles attacked are rescued.
On some nights, more than 300 leatherbacks come ashore to nest. Ecotourism centered around these majestic creatures has revitalized the local economy.
Villagers now operate guest houses, sell handmade goods and offer guided turtle tours.
In recent years, the Trinidad and Tobago government has ramped up support creating dedicated funds for community -led conservation projects like those in Matura.
After more than 30 years of Taylor's work, Susan says the biggest reward is witnessing a cultural transformation.
Today is not a graveyard anymore but it's an active maternity ward because the community who was part of the problem are now the rangers.
They are the ardent conservationists.
That is one of my greatest achievements to see a community culture change.
Our country is now proud of us in terms of our achievement, and more so Trinidad.
The hope for the Ladubak population is focused on Trinidad.
So, I am happy and proud to be a part of that change -making.
From a history of poaching to a future of protection, Mathura stands as a living proof that local action can drive global change.
For the Beijing Awards, this is Le Shan P 'ing in Mathura, Trindad and Tobago.
Villagers living near wildlife parks in Zimbabwe often have to make noise and start fires to drive away elephants that stray outside parks and raid their fields.
But technology is helping them monitor elephant movement and warning them when the animals are nearing human settlements.
Farai Mwakatuye has more.
In 2024, 16 elephants in Wangke National Park had GPS tracking collars fitted around their necks.
The gadgets are now providing hourly updates on their movements.
The data is useful for conservationists trying to preserve a habitat that is under pressure due to the growing animal population.
16 is really a good number because if you feed one collar in a head of 10, on average, which is basically the average age size of elephants.
So we are basically taking the movement of probably 160 elephants plus.
There's also a human life conflict lens to it where we want to assist communities to detect possibilities of conflict early.
Villages in communal areas adjacent to the park have frequently had their crops damaged and some have been maimed and killed by elephants that have strayed out of the park in search of food and water.
The EarthRanger software tracking tool has a virtual geofence marking the boundary of the National Park.
From this dashboard people here can see when elephants are encroaching into human settlements, so they can warn those communities to take necessary precautions.
We try to identify youth who are still very energetic, who are also literate, who can also perform some of the demanding roles of patrolling around the buffer zone areas where the boundaries of the protected areas and where the communal land starts and we've provided the basic equipment, and the basic knowledge for them to understand and appreciate behavior of probably more life species like elephants, like lions.
Mitigating human wildlife conflicts has become a top priority given the overpopulation of elephants.
Wangye National Park is home to 45 ,000 jumbos, three times more than its capacity.
Authorities say the callers have aided other conservation efforts.
It also helps us even to detect things like poaching.
If the elephant is no longer moving, it means researchers can easily detect that it has stopped for quite a long period and becomes a concern.
Zimbabwe has recently registered progress in anti -poaching efforts.
Success it hopes to extend to reducing human wildlife conflict.
That was Farai Moakatuya reporting.
Peruvian Army and Police Forces have launched an operation to fight illegal mining in the north of the country.
Energy and Mines Minister Jorge Montero says the operation aims to dismantle mining mafias.
We are recovering the territory which is something that must be valued.
I know that in part as there is concern about mining activity and that we have to reactivate it of course that is something that is being taken into consideration But the first priority is to recover the territory, to arrest the criminals, to restore peace, development, tranquility and order, the rule of law to the province of Pardez.
In early May, attackers killed 13 gold miners in the area.
Authorities found their burned bodies after reports of their kidnapping.
Security forces destroyed entrances to illegal gold mines and tore down makeshift structures used to extract gold.
The operation took place over the weekend while the Pataas area remains under a state of emergency You're listening to the Beijing Hour 60 minutes of comprehensive news your window on China and the world 29 past the hour check in the forecast head of the break and Beijing's down to 22 degrees on Wednesday evening Sunny skies in 36 for Thursday Nanning's at 24 overnight Then sunny in 32 elsewhere in Asia up is llama beds down to 20 followed by sunny conditions and 33 on Thursday the intense 24 overnight then a slight rainfall in 32 but on pens down to 26 degrees then a slight rain and 34 in Africa and everybody's
getting a slight rain in 24 degrees on Thursday compile is 19 overnight then a slight rain and 26 Juba is at 21 this evening, then cloudy in 34 and finally to Oceania Port Vila is 23 overnight and then a slight rain and 29 degrees Celsius.
It's time for a short break.
So far this hour, Lee Jae Myung has taken the oath of office as the 21st president of South Korea immediately starting his five -year term after a landslide election win.
The Chinese foreign minister has stated that equality and respect are prerequisites for any exchanges with the United States and Gaza humanitarian foundations announced the closure of its aid distribution centers.
Shh! 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 heart beats were to stop?
Would ours keep on ticking?
Ever wondered what's actually going on in Africa through the perspective of an African?
How are things really going between China and Africa?
What's the narrative of this relationship well get a perspective with China Africa talk here from African diplomats Entrepreneurs academics Chinese natives and more get on our wavelength every week to find out what's real with China Africa talk find us on your favorite podcast. We'll see you there Examining the events that impact and shape China and the rest of the world This is the Beijing hour one hour of news and information brought to you every weekday now Here's your host Shane bigam with you on this Wednesday still to come in business the city of Shanghai is reporting Surging export numbers
in sports the reigning women's Olympic tennis Champion is out at the French Open in culture and entertainment the ancient craftsmanship of the shui ethnic group in Guizhou to contact us you can email radio at cgtn .com or follow our ex account at cgtnradio.
First of all, checking the day's headlines, here's Tianyu.
Thank you, Shane. Chinese President Xi Jinping has congratulated Li Zhemian on his election as South Korean president.
President Xi said China is willing to keep pursuing win -win cooperation with South Korea to advance the strategic -cooperative partnership.
Li Zhemian has taken office after winning a snap election in a landslide.
He has named Presidential Campaign Co -Chair Kim Min -seok as Prime Minister.
The new president also named top Secretaries, including the Presidential Chief of Staff and National Security Advisor.
Lee pledged to seek dialogue with North Korea and establish peace on the Korean Peninsula.
China and Belarus have agreed to work together to safeguard international fairness and justice.
Chinese President Xi Jinping met his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko in Beijing and urged the two countries to enhance cooperation under multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
Lukashenko said China set an example for the world in defending multilateralism and opposing unilateralism.
United Nations member states have elected Bahrain, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Latvia and Liberia as non -permanent members of the UN Security Council.
The vote required only one round of balloting.
Representatives from the five countries will begin their two -year terms in January, serving on a council responsible for maintaining international peace and security through the end of 2027.
Delegates highlighted their intention to address conflicts in the Middle East, Africa and Ukraine during their terms. The cornerstone for achieving peace in the region is resolving the Palestinian -Israeli conflict, it's a long -standing conflict.
The immediate requirement or need is really to have a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages and detainees, the immediate allowance for inflow of humanitarian support, and work towards achieving a two -stage solution." We will most certainly come to the Security Council bearing the experience of a country that knows what it is like to have decades of conflict, that has a thorough understanding of the challenges of peacekeeping operations and protection of civilian's issues, as well as the convergence between conflict, natural resources and environmental changes.
Latvia will take a seat on the Security Council for the first time in its history, the other countries have previously served.
The United Nations is urging governments, civil society and the private sector to take urgent action to reduce disaster risks and protect vulnerable communities.
Deputy Secretary -General Amina J Mohammed delivered the message at the opening of the 2025 global platform for disaster risk reduction in Geneva.
A glacier collapse could have cost countless lives.
But thanks to the early warning systems, people and their livelihoods were evacuated in time.
The event comes after the recent collapse of Burj Glacier, which triggered a flood through the Swiss village of Blatten.
Early warning systems and anticipatory action allowed residents to evacuate in time.
The platform brings together voices from across sectors, including youth, indigenous people, persons with disabilities and climate vulnerable nations, underscoring that resilience must be built with everyone and for everyone.
And finally, the World Food Programme in Latin America and the Caribbean warns that its warehouse in Haiti is empty as hurricane seasons begins leaving no emergency supplies.
Regional Director Lola Castro says half of Haiti's population currently faces hunger.
Haiti also is one of the five countries in the world where we have catastrophic levels of hunger.
In fact, in the displaced air camps of Port -au -Prince, we have around 8500 people who are really suffering with food, water, sanitation, and it's really dramatic to have this in this Western Hemisphere.
She adds that as the hurricane season approaches, a single storm could push hundreds of thousands more Haitians into humanitarian disaster and hunger.
And that was Tian Yu with headline news coming up in business, the city of Shanghai is reporting surging export numbers.
The Beijing hour, your window on China and the rest of the world.
Thirty -six pass and with business now here's Tian Lu.
Thank you, Shane. Stock markets on the Chinese mainland closed higher on Wednesday with the Shanghai Composite Index rising by more than four tenths of a percent and the Shenzhen Component Index gaining nearly nine -tenths of a percent.
The rally was fueled by strength in technology shares and upbeat sentiment from Wall Street where Nvidia surged nearly 3 percent to reclaim its position as the world's most valuable publicly traded company.
Elsewhere in China, the Hong Kong stock market closed higher with the Hun Sen index up over six -tenths of a percent.
Meantime, the Nikkei in Japan gained eight -tenths of a percent.
Shanghai's foreign trade saw steady growth in the first four months of the year with exports surging nearly 14%.
Customs data shows total trade volume hit 1 .4 trillion yuan or about USD 190 billion up 1%.
Exports led the rise jumping to 629 billion yuan.
Shanghai contributed one -fifth of China's electric vehicle exports during the period.
Trade with Central Asia, the Middle East and East Asia rose over 20 percent, signalling strong regional demand.
To maintain momentum, Shanghai Customs has rolled out measures to streamline cross -border trade, including faster clearance for key goods and improved logistics.
The policies aim to boost volume and quality, strengthening Shanghai's role as a global trade hub.
Chinese tech giant Midir is taking its air -conditioning business to new heights with the help of artificial intelligence.
Each year, millions of units roll off the production line at the innovative plant in Guangdong province.
Peter Oliver has the story.
Everything you need to keep your home cool while the temperatures outside soar.
Chinese tech company Media are at the forefront of what's been called the Fourth Industrial Revolution, where AI and modern robotics lead the way.
Our AI -driven generative system, which empowers manufacturing, consists of two parts.
The first part uses discriminative AI, such as AI quality inspection.
The second part is the generative AI, similar to China's popular large language models, to enhance production through content generation.
All that means that the smart systems used here not only carry out the checks, they also So learn where problems can arise to flag them up before they happen.
Out on the manufacturing floor, it's the domain of the robot.
While one set of robots build, another set transports the components to where they need to be in the production facility.
This manufacturing hub was named a Lighthouse Factory by the World Economic Forum in 2020.
As it lights the way in the use of the latest Artificial Intelligence, while striving to cut emissions.
Medea has advanced inverter refrigeration technologies including tech to save energy, reduce noise and maintain a steady temperature, digital multi -split AC units, and eco -friendly refrigeration.
We specialize in environmental comfort tech such as low temperature heating and user centric parameter optimization.
The AI and robots used in this factory have had a significant impact.
They've resulted in an almost 30 % increase in productivity, a 14 % reduction in the cost for consumers, and it makes sure that these AC units get into the hands of those consumers almost 60 % quicker than old -fashioned manufacturing models allowed. Domestic bookings are turned around from order to delivery in around seven to 15 days, with international orders taking an additional three to five weeks, depending on customization and where they're to be shipped.
That banked the Madea Group around $21 billion in 2023, from the air -conditioning market alone, with this factory as the key hub for its global A .C.
production. That was Peter Oliver reporting.
An increasing number of Chinese companies are investing in Indonesia and the wider ASEAN region, focusing on key sectors such as manufacturing, renewable energy and electric vehicles.
Wang Tianyu spoke with Standard Chartered Indonesia CEO, Donny Donosipiretro about the bank's role in supporting this growth and his outlook on future trade and investment flows between the two countries.
We're well -placed to help our China investors coming into Indonesia in navigating to the local landscape.
So what we have also is our structuring product capabilities, we facilitate transactions, RMB -led financing, project finance and of course the advisory capability that we have for our global China clients investors who are coming into Indonesia.
Look, if you look at the data in 2024, China's FDI into Indonesia on manufacturing has more than doubled.
Going forward, this China will continue to accelerate further and we see that overall in ASEAN China's is already having a third of all the manufacturing related FDI in Southeast Asia.
Now with Indonesia because of you know population actually is quite big so there's a lot of labor actually over there it suits actually to do manufacturing base and if you combine it with the availability of the different natural resources that Indonesia does have it brings it does make sense actually for that production diversification from a geographical perspective from Chinese companies into Indonesia.
On digitalization, I just wanted to add, I think ASEAN digital economy is really booming.
It's expected to reach 300 billion dollars worth of economic value by this year.
Indonesia, along with a few other countries in ASEAN have been leading the way.
Given the mass population, you know, sort of from that perspective and young and growing middle class.
So you see that penetration of mobile is accelerating, the innovation on FinTechs and payments are really there, and of course the associated digital infrastructure such as data centers and all of the others.
China's leading capability in super apps in payment and digital logistics would really enabled China to play a catalytic role in that digital economy in ASEAN as well as in Indonesia.
That was a CEO of Standard Chartered Indonesia on China -Indonesia economic ties.
Eurostat says that Eurozone inflation fell to 1 .9 % last month, down from 2 .2 % in April, bringing inflation back below the European Central Bank's target of 2%.
prices for food, alcohol and tobacco rose 3 .3 % while service inflation eased to 3 .2%.
Non -energy industrial goods inflation held steady at 0 .6 % and energy prices remained in negative territory at minus 3 .6%.
Among major economists, France recorded the lowest inflation at 0 .6 % while Germany stood at 2 .1%.
Chief economist Bert Colling of ING bank said the slowdown is largely due to the ongoing trade war which has pushed down commodity prices and strengthened the Euro.
The EU has yet to impose retaliatory tariffs on the US.
The European battery show is underway in Stuttgart, Germany, gathering manufacturers, suppliers and engineers from the world's top battery technology firms. The event has attracted over 1 ,100 companies, providing a platform for the advanced battery and electric vehicle sectors.
Many exhibitors say US terror fund certainty is delaying projects and complicating business planning.
This is a major issue for all of our clients.
All our customers in this industry have suspended or delayed some of their projects related to the US, because they want to wait and see how the situation develops.
Nobody knows what will happen, so let's see what will happen.
Let's see. Everybody is just expecting to see what will happen with the taxes, what will happen.
The market is... nobody knows what will happen right now.
There are some new announcements every week, every two weeks.
So it's a big mess.
We never know what will happen.
I think that we should take this also as an opportunity for us in Europe and maybe in China to show our capabilities." Companies are now adopting a wait and see approach amid deepening trade uncertainty.
The US tariffs have forced many European exporters to look for alternative markets including China.
Elon Musk has criticised the US President Donald Trump's signature tax bill, calling it a disgusting abomination.
Musk, who left his position as a top advisor in the Trump administration last week, since the spending bill detracts from efforts to reduce the US budget deficit.
In a series of posts on x, Musk criticised the bill as pork -filled and warned that Congress is making America bankrupt.
Last month, the House of Representatives passed a bill by one vote.
The Senate will vote on it next month.
The sweeping bill includes tax and spending cuts, child tax credits and provisions on border security and welfare reform.
US House Speaker Mike Johnson insists that Elon Musk is terribly wrong about Trump's tax bill.
He says he clarified their misunderstanding through a phone call on Monday.
With all due respect my friend Elon is terribly wrong about the one big beautiful bill.
We had a long conversation yesterday he and I spoke for I think more than 20 minutes on the telephone and I stole all the virtues of the bill.
He seemed to understand that.
Several Senate Republicans have echoed Musk's views which could complicate the bill's past to approval.
Thank you very much that was Tian Liu with Business.
and coming up in sports, the reigning women's Olympic tennis champion is out at the French Open.
From Barcelona bad boy to travel -winning maestro, Ussman Dembele is now the Ballon d 'Or favorite.
What sparked his PSG transformation?
This week on Sideline Story, we dissect Dembele's rise and debate new era.
Are superstar privileges over?
What truly defines the best player after Messi and Ronaldo.
Leadership, sacrifice, find out where the game is headed.
Subscribe to sideline story wherever you get your podcasts.
47 past now with sports.
Here is Yangguan. Thank you Shane, we start with tennis.
World number 1, Arena Sabalanca has overcome a sluggish start to dismantle reigning Olympic champion Zheng Qingwen 7663 booking a place in the French Open semifinals.
Zablanka had last to Jun for the first time in seven meetings just last month in Rome, and she went behind early in the opening set at a half full court Philip shutter gear.
Jun broke for a 2 -1 lead with a blistering forehand winner and was bidding to become the first chinese woman to win Roland Garros since Le -Na in 2011, but Zablanka quickly found her rhythm, breaking back and pushing the first set into a tiebreak.
After missing a set point at 6 -5, the Belarusian top -seat refocused and capitalized on Jones' mounting errors to take the tie -break convincingly.
The second set saw both players exchange early breaks in a high -energy battle, but Zabalanka's firepower eventually took over.
A crushing forehand winner gave her a 5 -3 lead, and three -time Grand Slam Champion Closeout match with confidence.
Zabalanka talked about how she enjoys taking on tough challenges.
I love it. I love tough challenges, and I think this is the matches where you actually improve as a player, where you get much stronger.
So I love those challenges, and I am always excited to face someone strong and someone who can challenge me.
I love it because I take it as a challenge and I go out there and I fight.
I am ready to leave everything I have to get the win.
So I love those challenges.
Meantime, Jeong said that she believes her gameplan worked quite well.
But unforced errors cast her the match. I think my gameplan went quite well, but I get tired and I give so many easy mistake after when I am leading in the first set.
I mean, that's it. Because I think my gameplan is working quite well.
It's just I am not able today to stick or to do it, my gameplan from the beginning until the end.
because I just think sometimes I give her so many easy enforcers.
Awaiting Sabalanga in the semis is full -time French Open winner Iga Svyatnik.
The Polish star breezed past Ukraine's Elina Svitlina 6175 earlier in the day and remains on track for historic 4th straight Roland Garros Crown.
Svyatnik now riding a 26 -match winning streak in Paris is aiming to become the first woman in the open era to win 4 consecutive French Open titles.
On the men's side, defending champion Carlos Alcaraz has delivered a masterclass at Roland Garros, demolishing 12th seed American Tommy Paul 6 -0 6 -1 6 -4 in one of the most lopsided men's quarterfinals in recent French Open memory.
The 22 -year -old Spaniard, already a full -time Grand Slam champion, made quick work of Paul with an electrifying display of all -out attacking tennis.
For long stretches, Paul, who is a former French Open Junior champion, looked completely overwhelmed, struggling to find footing against Alcaraz's relentless pace and precision.
Alcaraz needed just 53 minutes to rip through the first two sets, barely putting a foot around as he struck winners at will and chased down everything in sight.
Paul briefly steadied himself in the third, going up 4 -3, but Spaniard quickly shut the reading of three straight games to wrap up the match in just 94 minutes.
Elcrest said he was delighted with his performance heading into the last fall.
I think it's great to have energy for the next matches.
So, you know, a night session it's even better you know to spend not too much time on court just to have more time to recover after the match. In the semi -final, Alcaraz is set to face info Italian Lorenzo Musetti who reached the final four in Paris for the first time, with a greatly four -set win over Frances Tiafoe.
Mosetti overcame a mid -match wobble, and some controversy earning a warning for kicking a ball at line judge, but ultimately overpowered 15th seed to keep his dream run alive.
Finally, in cricket, royal challengers, bengaluru and their tailsmen, Virat Kohli have ended a 17 season drought by winning their made in indian primary league title, beating Punjab kings by six rounds in the final.
Kelly top -scored with composted 43 as our CB posted 190 -9.
But it was their inspired building that sealed Dwayne holding punch -up to 184 -7 despite the Shaan Shaq's since unbeaten 61 of 30.
Thank you very much. That's Yang Guang with sports.
Just ahead in culture and entertainment, the ancient craftsmanship of the Shui ethnic group in Guizhou.
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 bring you the true life stories of their journeys.
Fifty -three past the hour.
In culture and entertainment, a university's students from the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu recently took part in a cultural trip to San Do Hsuan Autonomous County in Guizhou at a local center dedicated to preserving intangible cultural heritage.
They explored the delicate craft of horse hair embroidery, an ancient and intricate art of the Hsuan ethnic group in the southwestern province.
Yang Yan has more. At the San Do Intangible Cultural Heritage Experience Center, 74 students from Yangzhou University took part in a full cultural mansion, touring the facility, attending expert -led sessions, and trying traditional techniques for themselves.
Guided by local artisans, they twisted horse hair and stitched delicate patterns, learning each step of this ancient embroidery art.
Despite their inexperience, the students stayed focused, discovering the patience, skill, and history behind every thread.
Often described as a living fossil of embroidery, horsehair embroidery uses two types of thread, a thicker strand to outline the design and the final one to secure it to fabric, creating a rich three -dimensional texture.
Horsehair embroidery is quite different from what we usually learn.
Machine and hand embroidery tend to be flat.
This technique has depth and texture.
Once the outline is done, we fill it in with colourful silk threads.
It gives clothing a unique and thick touch that could really appeal to a global audience.
When you use horse -hair embroidery instead of regular printing for traditional patterns, the texture really pops.
It elevates the whole design and allows for creative expression within tradition.
Yangzhou University's Guanglin College has made these cultural studies tours an annual tradition giving students a chance to connect with ethnic heritages up -close.
Sandhu, often referred to as the hometown horse hair embroidery, remains a key stop on their itinerary.
This is our tenth visit to Sandhu.
We always make a point to stop here to study horse hair embroidery.
It's a remarkable cultural heritage with vibrant threads and raised patterns that truly bring the art to life.
In recent years, Sandu has launched tourism initiatives centered on intangible heritage, including themed travel routes, experience centers, and exhibition halls.
By blending tradition with tourism and education, the country is helping ancient crafts like horsehair embroidery live on — not in museums, but in the hands of a new generation.
With Karate Kid legends set to theaters across China this week, Jackie Chan is once again at the forefront of martial arts cinema, this time championing fusion and cultural unity.
Chan, a long -time advocate for evolving kung fu traditions, believes that all martial arts share the same roots.
Karate and Chinese kungfu are essentially the same.
Kicks and punches have different names but the essence is shared.
Whether it's the fusion of martial arts or the connection between people, what we need most right now is unity.
Combining karate and kungfu not only promotes our own culture but also expresses a form of love.
And love between people is just as important.
In today's world, what we need most is compassion.
I hope to share that through culture.
Co -starring rising actor Ben Wang, the film follows Master Han and his disciple Li Feng as they confront American style bullying in New York.
Together they blend Chinese Kung Fu and Japanese karate forging a distinctive martial arts identity and winning respect through perseverance and skill.
To prepare Li Feng for a decisive competition Master Han seeks the help of karate master Daniel deepening the film's message of collaboration across styles.
Math 57 passed the hour.
Beijing's 22 degrees over my Wednesday evening.
Thursday we'll be getting sunny skies in 36.
Nanchung's down to 24.
That's followed by sunshine in 32.
Elsewhere in Asia Islamabad's 20 this evening, then sunny in 33 on Thursday.
Vientiane's down to 24.
That's followed by a slight rainfall in 32.
Phnom Penh 26 this evening then a slight rain and 34 degrees Celsius on Thursday.
And that's it for this edition of the Beijing Hour, making news today.
Lee Jae Myung has taken the oath of office as the 21st president of South Korea, immediately starting his five year term after a landslide election win.
And Gaza humanitarian foundations announced the closure of its aid distribution centers.
On behalf of the staff, this is Shane Begum 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 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 nine percent 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.
or in our 12 part series, The Yellow River Mosaic, available only on CGTN radio.
