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This is the beijing hour one hour of news and information brought to you every weekday
Now here's your host tianlu with you on this friday july the 17th 2026
You're listening to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
On today's program, Chinese President Xi Jinping has unveiled several major measures to support the global development of artificial intelligence as China hosts the World AI Conference.
The renewed conflict between the United States and Iran continues despite the MOU they signed in mid-June still in place.
And Mexico sues the Trump administration over the deaths of its citizens in U.S. immigration custody.
In business, China's foreign exchange market remains resilient amid external shocks.
In sports, FIFA has announced match officials for Sunday's World Cup finals.
In culture and entertainment, a look at the Shanghai International Sister City's youth camp.
Now checking today's top stories.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has announced the country's major measures to support global development of artificial intelligence.
The president addressed the opening ceremony of the World AI Conference and high-level meeting on global AI governance in Shanghai.
President Xi said China will provide developing countries with 5,000 opportunities in AI training over the next five years and also help 30 countries utilize the AI-powered Matsu meteorological early warning system.
He said China will develop international AI application cooperation centers with multilateral organizations such as ASEAN, the League of Arab States, the African Union, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and BRICS.
The president also offered observations on AI development and governance.
They include adhering to openness and win-win cooperation, boosting innovation-driven development, strengthening risk awareness, ensuring security, encouraging inclusiveness and mutual learning, and advocating solidarity.
President Xi also announced the establishment of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization.
For more, Li Wenqi joins us live.
So the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference officially opened today with President Xi delivering a keynote speech at the opening ceremony.
What are some of the key highlights of this year's conference?
Most visitors probably don't expect the scale of the event, how massive it is.
In order to fit in over 1,100 companies from around the world,
WAIC is held across three different venues in Shanghai, and they're quite far apart from each other,
The kind that needs shuttle services between three venues.
In the expo, we also showcase over 3,000 AI products and technologies, more than 140 forums, bringing together over 1,400 guests from governments, industry, and academia.
But beyond the numbers, the biggest highlights for this year today
Totally from today's opening ceremony that in President Xi Jinping's keynote speech, as you mentioned, that the Chinese president stressed again the importance of international cooperation in AI governance and also described the newly established World AI Cooperation Organization as an important milestone.
And he also announced a series of initiatives, including the ones you mentioned earlier, the training of 5,000 air professionals over the next five years.
And also that weather warning system known as MAZU to 30 countries, which is a very timely message as there has been increasing frequency of extreme weather patterns.
And the messages from the Chinese president are echoed by many international participants at the expo, including UN Secretary-General Antonis Guterres, who told CGTN that AI governance should be inclusive and universal and not becoming, I'm quoting his words, a club of rich countries or powerful companies.
But beyond these high-level discussions, what most visitors will be drawn to on the ground is how much AI has evolved beyond just the chatbot and seeing its integration with many traditional industries.
As we know that the event just kicked off today, so what has stood out to you the most at this year's conference?
Most visitors to this conference will probably be drawn to the flashy robots, arms, dogs.
But as for a journalist, I saw the people behind them, the developers.
That uh i am 35 years old this year and the most of the people the developers the owners the ceos the founders for these ai startups that i have spoken to today most of them i'll say 70 80 of those people are
Under the year of 30 years old.
And this year, the WIC has brought together nearly 200 AI startups, and most of them are concentrated in hall number four.
And just walking through the exhibition, I have spoken with founders
In their 20s and early 30s that are leading companies in areas of industrial AI, healthcare, intelligent manufacturing.
And what's interesting is that very few of these young entrepreneurs are trying to build another chatbot.
Instead, they are asking how AI can solve practical problems in traditional industries.
And whether that's improving factory efficiency, helping doctors make faster diagnosis, or making financial services smarter.
And this conference as well, the organizers, they don't aim just to flex the high-tech products, but actually to build a platform
And bringing in investors and industry partners through matchmaking sessions and financial platforms and that has reflect that and that's reflecting a broader shift in chinese ai sector that
The companies are no longer just developing better models, but they are looking for ways to find real world applications and sustainable business models.
And behind that efforts are a lot of young entrepreneurs contributing to this cause.
Right.
Thank you very much.
That was Li Yunqi, who is covering the World AI Conference in Shanghai.
The World AI Conference has drawn more than 1,500 international guests and received widespread global attention.
UN spokesperson Stefan Droruk described the event as critical.
It is another critical gathering of people who will work to ensure that artificial intelligence is used responsibly and is used for the benefit for all.
New Development Bank President Dilma Rousseff spoke highly of China's role as a stabiliser in the AI sector.
China acts as a pragmatic standard
A capacity builder and a partner of safety, shaping interoperable governance that seeks to preserve innovation while managing systemic risks.
Omar Yaghi, who won last year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry, said he is looking forward to the conference.
I'm excited about participating.
I think it's a great, it sounds like a great conference that brings people from different walks of society, from different professions to discuss our potential common future using AI.
So I'm looking forward to it.
The World AI Conference runs until Monday.
China is one of the founding members of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization, along with Kazakhstan, Laos, Pakistan, Russia and Indonesia.
On Thursday, 29 countries signed an agreement to establish the organization.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres was also present at the signing ceremony.
The organization will be headquartered in Shanghai as an independent international intergovernmental organization.
It aims to advance cooperation and global governance on artificial intelligence, promoting AI's healthy and orderly development to benefit all humanity.
Gao Yiming has more on what the new organization aims to achieve.
On July 26, 2025, Chinese Premier Li Qiang formally proposed the creation of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization.
Through this platform, China hopes to encourage countries to deepen cooperation on innovation, promote cooperation to unleash the potential of AI, and achieve common development and prosperity.
The organization aims to promote the inclusive development of AI and bridge the intelligence divide.
China seeks to empower global South nations by strengthening their capacity building and nurturing an AI innovation ecosystem.
The country hopes to ensure that developing countries benefit equally from AI while promoting the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The organization is also aimed at promoting enhanced coordinated governance and ensuring the use of AI for good.
It hopes to gradually form a global framework and international standards for AI governance, shaped by the needs and differences among member countries.
It also highlights respecting the principle of sovereignty and putting the United Nations at its core.
The organization will be headquartered in Shanghai, fully taking advantage of China's experience and leadership in AI.
That was Gao Yiming on the newly established World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization.
The China Meteorological Administration has launched MAZU early warning system for weather-related disasters.
MAZU stands for multi-hazard, alert, zero-gap and universal, aligning with the UN Early Warnings for All initiative, which seeks to ensure universal access to life-saving weather alerts.
China's cloud-based AI solution aims to provide timely and convenient weather and climate services while supporting early warnings.
Customized versions have been deployed in seven countries including Pakistan, Ethiopia and the Solomon Islands to meet local needs ranging from monitoring and forecasting to early warning and information sharing.
The UN Secretary General says AI cannot be limited to a club of rich countries.
Antony Guterres called for global involvement in AI governance.
Our main concern is to have a universal platform where everybody can be involved in the governance of AI.
AI cannot be a club of a group of rich countries or a group of very powerful companies.
AI is linked to the life of all of us.
China has been very supportive of that initiative.
First of all to create a independent scientific panel on ai that will be reporting in total independence 40 people from north and south where we agree on some guardrails that need to be respected and by the way this is very much in line
With what President Xi Jinping did when he proposed a global AI governance initiative and hoping to create a group of countries that will play an important role in making sure that AI is for everybody.
Guterres is attending the World AI Conference in Shanghai.
The Zhangjiang Science City in Shanghai is bringing together technology, talent, capital and market resources through a range of innovative policies and support measures.
Biran visited the community to see how industrial clustering is accelerating the journey from AI ideas to commercial applications.
Artificial intelligence development depends not only on algorithms, data and computing power.
But also on how quickly companies can connect technology with talent, capital and real-world demand.
In Zhangjiang Science City in Shanghai's Pudong New Area, AI is becoming part of both the industrial landscape and daily life.
Here, the deep integration of large models and humanoid intelligence has created a very efficient industrial ecosystem.
Partners can be matched within a day.
Prototypes are produced within three days, while the trial production begins within a week.
In Jiangjiang's Robot Valley and AI Town, developers' foundation models can work alongside computing providers, data companies, robotics startups and application developers.
This proximity allows companies at different stages of the AI supply chain to find partners, test technologies, and respond more quickly to market demand.
We bring together robotics developers, manufacturers, businesses across industries and end users, many of them based in Zhangjiang, to build a diverse ecosystem for commercial applications.
Shareable is a robot leasing platform.
Its early commercial rollout offers a possible model for bringing AI technologies out of the laboratory and into real-world settings.
AI cannot advance through the efforts of one company alone.
Clusters help resource flow more efficiently.
AI also relies heavily on real-world use cases.
Only by deploying it in practical scenarios can the technology create greater value.
Zhangjiang already hosts more than 600 such AI companies and over 30,000 industry professionals.
They are forming an industrial chain that stretches from basic infrastructure and core technologies to commercial applications.
For tech companies, the cluster effect is crucial.
Our company is increasing RD investment while making AI more accessible.
Its open-source models help companies develop applications without starting from scratch.
SkillHub offers 78,000 reusable AI capabilities with over 30 million downloads.
Ready-to-use products by Tencent also help businesses and professionals adopt AI for coding, documents, and creative work.
To make that collaboration less costly, Shanghai has introduced a package of support measures.
Office rent in designated spaces can be as low as one yuan per square meter per day, and young entrepreneurs can receive temporary free accommodation.
Companies can also apply for computing, model, and corpus vouchers.
Each type of voucher can provide subsidies of up to 1 million yuan, in some cases covering the full eligible cost.
Computing vouchers give companies with limited budgets access to computing resources in Western China.
Model and data vouchers provide access to advanced model APIs and training datasets, complementing broader policy support and talent subsidies.
By 2027, the Science City aims to attract more than 500 additional AI companies, complete the registration of 100 large models, and cultivate three to five globally competitive enterprises.
For Jiang Jiang, it's all in the pursuit of shortening the distance between an artificial intelligence breakthrough and its use in the real world.
That was Bi Ran in Shanghai.
Coming up, the renewed conflict between the United States and Iran continues despite the MOU they signed in mid-June's stealing place.
China's southern island province of Hainan is racing toward a bold milestone, ending the sale of new fossil fuel-powered vehicles by 2030.
Why is Hainan leading the way?
How close is it to reaching its goal?
And could its experience become a blueprint for the rest of the country?
Join us on this week's Chat Lounge as we examine the opportunities and challenges behind China's most ambitious clean mobility experiment and ask whether it marks not just a shift in transportation but a broader transformation in energy, industry and city planning.
Now it's 17 minutes past the hour.
The US says it has completed the latest round of strikes on Iran, which lasted for more than seven hours.
Central Command says its forces attacked several Iranian military targets,
Tensions have escalated between Washington and Tehran over the past week, despite the memorandum of understanding they signed in mid-June's stolen place.
Autumn Morris reports from Washington, D.C.
The United States and Iran have exchanged attacks for nearly a week.
Thursday afternoon, the Pentagon announced U.S. forces were conducting a new wave of strikes against Iran for the sixth night in a row.
The latest attacks come as we're getting a better look at the U.S. military operation near the Strait of Hormuz.
Tuesday, U.S. Central Command reinstated the naval blockade on ships traveling to and from Iranian ports.
And Wednesday, CENTCOM released video showing US forces firing on a tanker headed towards an Iranian oil facility on Karg Island.
Military officials say the ship ignored multiple warnings before it was disabled.
This week, CENTCOM hit multiple Iranian military targets along the coast, including new attacks on a port city of Bandar Abbas.
The Pentagon says the strikes will degrade Iran's ability to threaten innocent mariners in the Strait.
Attacks intensified, Iranian forces fired back.
In retaliation, Iran launched missiles and drones at American military facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, and Jordan.
Despite the escalating attacks, Thursday, the Trump administration said diplomacy is still possible.
That was Walter Morris in the US Capitol.
US attacks have hit Bandar Abbas, a port city in southern Iran.
Iranian media says the attacks have injured at least seven people and caused power outages.
Iran has carried out retaliatory operations against U.S. military targets and vowed a broader response if the U.S. continues its actions.
Sipa Sarami reports from Tehran.
Iran is signaling that any continued U.S. military action could trigger a broader response.
An Iranian military spokesperson says if Washington continues its aggression, the conflict will expand to new areas.
He also warned that Iran could target U.S. infrastructure and broader regional infrastructure if President Trump follows through on threats to attack Iranian facilities here in Iran.
Officials are also pointing to attacks in south of the country, including what they describe as a US strike near a hospital in Ahvaz, adding to concerns over the growing human toll of the
Iranians also say the Strait of Hormuz is now closed as U.S. attacks continue on southern parts of Iran, although Tehran has not been targeted so far.
That was Sepe Sarami in Tehran.
Jamie Shear is a former NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges.
He says Washington and Tehran continue to believe they hold decisive cards in the conflict, making it more difficult to end.
I think essentially because both sides continue to believe, to use this Trumpian expression, that they hold the decisive cards.
Iran believes, for instance, that it can count on war fatigue in the United States, particularly with the midterm elections coming up.
It can count on the economic leverage.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the higher oil prices, economic damage, including in the United States.
It believes that it can soak up U.S. military pressure, thereby sort of undermining Trump's threats to escalate the military strikes against Iran.
And it can basically simply sort of sit it out.
Until Trump realizes that he's out of options and decides to retreat.
Conversely, the United States still believes in its military supremacy, that if it continues to strike, if it keeps up the military pressure, it can drive Iran back to the negotiating table and to make more concessions.
So it's kind of game of poker.
It's a game of bluff.
But both sides still believe that they have more to gain by continuing the confrontation than by giving in to the other.
It's an asymmetric war, which means that Iran doesn't need very much military capability
In order to continue to inflict serious damage whereas converse lead united states to up the military ante needs to spend billions of dollars
And and of course iran has the advantage of proximity and geography
The
Gulf states are vulnerable just over the waterway.
So the United States has to go back to negotiating with Iran.
But this time it really has to be prepared for serious, detailed, prolonged negotiations.
The kind of staying power in diplomacy that President Trump is not exactly famous for.
That was Jamie Shear, a former NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges.
A father who lost four children in the conflict in Gaza has found hope in the birth of a son.
But for thousands of pregnant women across the territory, bringing new life into the world remains a daily struggle.
Nigel Tebby has more.
Thank you.
More than a year after losing his four children, Hussein Ouda has welcomed a baby boy named Khaled after his eldest son who was killed.
The newborn offers hope after the conflict in Gaza claimed many of Hussein's relatives across multiple attacks.
At the beginning of the conflict, my mother, sister's daughter, brother with Down syndrome, and my uncle's family were killed.
Then, a year and a half later, my three sons, Khalid, Yousef, and Mohammed, and my brother were also killed.
It was incredibly difficult.
For a family that lost most of its members, the baby's arrival felt like a miracle and a new beginning.
Doctors said my wife could still become pregnant despite her injuries.
We did everything we could to protect the pregnancy.
This baby is our new hope.
For Hossein's family, this birth marks a new beginning, but for many pregnant women across Gaza, childbirth remains another challenge.
The United Nations says pregnant women face worsening shortages of food, medicine and health care amid continued displacement.
At the beginning of my pregnancy, we were living through famine.
Because I was suffering from anemia, I was very worried about my pregnancy.
I was constantly exhausted and feared that malnutrition or other illnesses would affect my baby.
Months of hunger and harsh humanitarian conditions have contributed to more pregnancy complications and miscarriages, doctors say.
Six months ago, we went through a famine that had a major impact on pregnant women.
Many of them suffered miscarriages due to severe malnutrition and the famine we experienced.
Gaza's health ministry says miscarriages reached 460 per 1,000 births, while 57% of pregnant women suffer from anemia.
That was Nadja Al-Tibi in Gaza.
Coming up, Mexico sues the Trump administration over the deaths of its citizens in U.S. immigration custody.
A selection of the best podcasts in China, covering history, customs, music, literature, and in-depth dialogues.
Find your way to a wealth of Chinese culture and thinking, all on POS+.
Now it's 25 minutes past the hour.
Mexico has announced a legal action against the Trump administration over the death of its citizens in U.S. immigration custody and enforcement operations.
17 New Mexicans have died since the federal crackdown began last year.
Alastair Beverstock has the story.
Central Georgia, the heart of peach farming country, where gloomy clouds darken the horizon.
Immigration raids in recent months have terrified the local Hispanic population.
Before, it was lovely.
You could go anywhere and there was no fear.
Not anymore.
If they arrested me, I would pay for my own flight to return to Mexico so as not to go to immigration detention.
That's the biggest fear.
You don't know how you'll be treated in those places.
The prospect of immigration detention terrifies the undocumented community in the United States.
14 Mexicans have died in privately run centers across the country.
Human rights groups, as well as journalists and others, have reported inhumane conditions inside many of those facilities, though federal authorities reject such allegations.
That's causing a diplomatic incident, as Mexico's government says it began filing criminal complaints in the United States this week against ICE and sending cease and desist orders to private companies running detention centres.
It is the responsibility of any government to protect its citizens abroad.
We need a full investigation into why Mexicans have died in detention centers.
Three further Mexicans have died during ICE operations, which has sparked outrage.
In Macon, where local law enforcement partnering with ICE have arrested and detained hundreds of people, word has gotten back about the conditions of their confinement.
This woman's niece was arrested and spent five months in a detention centre before her removal to Mexico.
She asked to remain anonymous for fear of sharing the same fate.
She was punished.
She was accused of bad behaviour and was stripped naked and forced to sleep in a freezing cell.
American citizen Stormy Ibarra believed President Trump's campaign pledges to remove the worst of the worst, but has been horrified by the reality.
They're supposed to come and take the ones that's done this and done that, but no, they're taking families that are hard workers here.
They're only here to work and provide for their families.
Every time you turn on something, it's something about I did this or I did that.
It's just sad.
It just makes me tear up and very emotional.
Mexico's legal action aims to hold the US government criminally responsible for the deaths of its citizens and make Washington accountable for the fallout of its hardline immigration policies.
That was Alastair Berestock reporting.
It's 29 minutes past 8 hours, checking the forecast before the break.
Beijing will be overcast tonight, sender showers tomorrow.
The low is 21 and the sub to 30 on Saturday.
Shanghai will be overcast tonight, light rain tomorrow with a low of 29 and a high of 34.
Chongqing will have heavy rain tonight, easing to light tomorrow with a low of 29.
And a high of 35.
Nanchang will be cloudy tonight.
Thunder showers tomorrow with a low of 29 and a high of 36.
Last hour have moderate rain tonight easing to light tomorrow with a low of 11 and a high of 22.
Elsewhere in Asia, Islamabad will see light rain tonight and tomorrow.
The low is 30 and is up to 39 on Saturday.
Vientiane will have moderate rain tonight, becoming overcast with a low of 23 and a high of 31.
Phnom Penh will see light rain tonight and tomorrow with a low of 25 and a high of 34.
In Africa, Nairobi will be overcast tonight, light rain tomorrow, the low is 13 and it's up to 25 on Saturday.
Kampala will see light rain tonight and tomorrow with a low of 18 and a high of 25.
It's time for a short break.
So far this hour, Chinese President Xi Jinping has unveiled several major measures to support the global development of artificial intelligence as China hosts the World AI Conference.
The renewed conflict between the United States and Iran continues despite the MOU they signed in mid-June's stolen place.
Tianliu with you, stay with here on the Beijing Hour.
The transition to a greener future is no longer a distant goal.
It's happening now.
In power plants, factories, farms and cities across China.
As the world grapples with climate change, energy security and the growing demand for electricity, China is searching for new ways to cut emissions while keeping its economy moving.
Across the country, our reporters visit renewable energy hubs, industrial centres
And agricultural communities, to see what that transformation looks like in practice.
Through first-hand stories and on-the-ground reporting, we explore the opportunities, the challenges, and the ideas shaping China's green transition.
Listen to China's Green Code, Rewriting the Rules of Growth, a special series from Climate Watch, available wherever you get your podcasts.
Amazing.
Tianluo with you on this Friday still to come.
In business, China's foreign exchange market remains resilient amid external shocks.
In sports, FIFA has announced match officials for Sunday's World Cup final.
In culture and entertainment, a look at the Shanghai International Sister Cities youth camp.
To contact us, you can email radio at cgtn.com or follow our ex-account at cgtnradio.
You're also welcome to subscribe to our Substack newsletter Beyond Beijing for the world's biggest stories, along with sharp insights and exclusive analysis.
But first, check in today's headlines.
Chinese President Xi Jinping says China will provide developing countries with 5,000 artificial intelligence training and seminar opportunities over the next five years.
He made the announcement in a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai on Friday.
President Xi said China will establish international AI application cooperation centers with ASEAN, the League of Arab States, the African Union, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and BRICS.
He added that Beijing will expand the use of the Mazu Climate Early Warning System to 30 countries.
The president also announced the establishment of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization.
29 countries have signed an agreement to establish the Shanghai-based body, which aims to strengthen international AI cooperation and global governance while promoting the safe, fair and beneficial development of the technology.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has met Thai Prime Minister Anuti Chavirakul in Shanghai.
Anuti arrived in the Chinese city on Thursday to attend the 2026 World AI Conference and a high-level meeting on global AI governance.
It marks his first official visit to China since taking office.
In 2025, China and Thailand signed a memorandum of understanding to deepen cooperation in artificial intelligence with the aim of strengthening collaboration and promoting the use of AI technologies to benefit people in both countries.
Meantime, President Xi also met Cambodian Prime Minister Hon Manat.
China has rejected US President Donald Trump's claim that Beijing interfered in the 2020 presidential election, calling it baseless and a malicious smear.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said China has never interfered in American elections and has no interest in doing so.
The relevant claims made by the US side are pure fabrications and malicious smears, claims that have long been proven baseless.
China consistently upholds the principle of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs.
We have no interest in the US election and have never interfered in it.
Lin urged Washington to stop using China as a political issue and take steps to improve bilateral relations.
Meanwhile, US media outlet CBS News, quoting a US intelligence community assessment, reported that there is no evidence that China or any other foreign country attempted to manipulate the outcome of the 2020 election.
A landslide has struck a section of road in Chongqing burying houses and trapping people.
Authorities have urged the efforts to search and rescue those trapped and prevent secondary disasters.
Hundreds of personnel have been deployed for the ongoing rescue operations.
Japan's parliament has passed the first major revision to the imperial house law since 1947, aiming to address the shrinking size of the royal family.
The new law allows unmarried male descendants of former imperial branches that lost their royal status after World War II to rejoin the imperial family.
It also lets female royals keep their status after marrying commoners although their spouses and children will remain commoners.
The revision does not change Japan's male-only succession rule leaving unresolved the question of whether women can inherit the throne.
You're listening to The Beijing Hour, coming up in business.
China's foreign exchange market remains resilient amid external shocks.
The Beijing Hour, your window on China and the rest of the world.
36 minutes past the hour, turning to business.
Here's Wang Zihan.
Thank you, Tianlu.
Stock markets on the Chinese mainland closed lower on Friday.
The Shanghai composite was down over 3%.
The Shenzhen component lost around 5.4%.
Major banks and electricity shares led the gainers.
Elsewhere, in Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index declined almost 1.8%.
Japan's Nikkei dropped over 4%.
China's foreign exchange market held steady in the first half of the year, weathering increased turbulence in global financial markets.
The yuan accounted for nearly 53% of cross-border payments, up 1.3 points from 2025.
The country's foreign exchange regulator says that's a sign of growing vibrancy in cross-border trade and investment.
Meanwhile, trading volume in the foreign exchange market posted solid growth.
The onshore RMB market rose 5% on a yearly basis, beating the 2025 growth rate by 1.5 points.
On the reserves front, China's foreign exchange holdings continue their steady climb, increasing by US$58.4 billion from the end of last year.
For more insights, Lily Liu spoke with Zhang Gong, a professor of economics at the University of International Business and Economics.
So let's start with this.
What do you think are the key characteristics of cross-border investment revenue and expenditure patterns?
I think what the statistics are showing is that China is in very good position in terms of its strategic foreign exchange reserves, in terms of the exchange rate, in terms of the capital inflow and outflow, in terms of trade.
Situation surplus or deficit we enjoy very large sizable trade surplus all of these indicators showing that we're in a fairly good position and certainly this is driven mostly by you know Chinese products being very competitive on international markets
Our products are very much in demand worldwide
I think these are the underlying forces that are driving a very good, here we economists describe as a terms of trade situation right now.
And also, based on the latest foreign exchange balance data, what fundamental factors drove the RMB's strength during this period?
We have a foreign exchange reserve of $3.4 trillion.
If you put this money as a GDP figure, you're probably talking about making it into the world's top 10 economy.
That's the kind of money we have on the side.
And we can put this money in good use and get a decent return from it.
And I think the fundamental reason, as I explained, is that we have a very strong economy.
Corporate China is very competitive internationally.
Uh their products are very much in demand everywhere um to the extent that uh you know some countries some for example european even thinking about a uh imposing tariffs on chinese products um
So I think overall, you know, we're in pretty good shape from an international economic perspective.
And I think this is very much due to, you know, very rapid technological advancement, innovation drive here in China.
Chinese companies.
At the end of the day, we're just talking about a very competitive set of Chinese companies being winners all over the world.
Okay.
And also the 15th five-year plan prioritizes RMB internationalization.
So based on foreign payment and revenue numbers, what additional benefits will this bring to global investors who are allocating RMB denominated assets?
Yeah, well, I think one of the statistics shown is the percentage of trade being settled in RMB.
It's actually a quite astonishing number.
It's now close to 60%.
I remember it's like 56%.
It is actually a very good number.
That means that RMB is being used everywhere for trade settlement purposes.
RMB is rapidly becoming, I think it's already become the world's third largest and widely used currency lineup after the U.S. dollar and euro.
And I think China's RMB internationalization initiative
Uh is uh track record is underway
Um and we're making progress very standard i think the probably we're getting pro approaching rapidly to the final stage of a a free capital market
Uh that will turn up into a fully fully
Convertible currency that is going to be used globally by many, many countries.
That was Professor John Gong with his observations on China's foreign exchange market.
Over 1,660 A-share listed companies in China have released performance forecasts for the first half of the year.
More than 900 companies expect yearly net profit growth, while 180 others anticipate turning losses into profits.
More than half of the reporting firms forecast profit increases.
Companies in areas such as artificial intelligence, commercial aerospace and electronic manufacturing reported particularly strong growth.
Meanwhile, analysts say traditional sectors such as chemicals and non-ferrous metals, now deeply integrated with the new energy supply chain, have also demonstrated the global competitive advantage of Chinese manufacturing.
Chinese artificial intelligence startup Moonshot AI has released Kimi K3, making it the largest parameter open-source AI model in the world.
The company says it has been optimized for complex tasks, including knowledge-intensive work, deep research, and multimodal understanding.
It has a higher ceiling for its capacities and can deliver more intelligent performance.
According to the company, Kimi K3's overall intelligence level is close to that of globally leading closed-source models.
Experts say a growing number of Chinese open-source large models are moving from individual breakthroughs to collective advances, offering new approaches to the global development of AI.
China's embodied intelligence industry saw strong growth in the first five months of the year.
According to the State Taxation Administration, revenue in the sector jumped 22.4% during the period, building on a 13.9% yearly gain in 2025.
Core component manufacturers posted a 6.8% revenue increase, while spending by industrial enterprises on embodied intelligent robots surged 2.3 times, a clear sign of deeper integration between the technology and industrial production.
Revenue from supporting services also rose not 1.9 times.
Geographically, Guangdong dominates the sector, accounting for 78.7% of national sales revenue.
AI is improving the lives of ordinary people in China.
Belarusian vlogger Ekaterina Kaligaieva takes us to Beijing's smart health site to see how digital tech is powering urban wellness.
I've arrived at Loyin Park.
At first look, it's like a regular neighborhood park.
But here is where technology is changing the way people exercise.
In fact, Loyin Park has become a showroom for high-end technology parks.
People come here from all over the city to experience the high-tech and smart fitness.
Behind me is an AI screen and the virtual coach will teach you some Chinese traditional exercises such as Tai Chi or Ba Duan Jing.
Here you'll find smart cycling machines and other equipment as well as health testing stations where people can check indicators such as heart rate and body composition.
This machine is like a quick health check-in.
It measures things like your height, weight, BMI and other body indicators.
In a busy city like Beijing, these small tools can help us stay more aware of our lifestyle and daily habits.
What I find really interesting is the combination of traditions and modern.
Traditional wellness practices together with AI screen and digital feedback.
This shows that health is not just about medicine or hospitals.
It's also about daily movement, prevention, and making wellness accessible in public places.
Just a few minute walk from the Liuying Park, you will find this hidden gem right inside the community.
This is Anzhen Health Community Center, where you will find a smart health station, which has been running over a decade.
And Beijing has over 400 similar stations all over the city.
Residents just tap their medical insurance card or ID to start a free checkup on an all-in-one machine.
It measures blood pressure, blood sugar, height, weight, and even does a traditional Chinese medicine institution analysis.
From checkup to ongoing management, all is done right at the doorstep.
This is the kind of convenience that makes healthy living accessible for everyone.
Health is a global topic.
Every country, every city and every family care about it.
And I find out that most important is how it's making people's life more convenient, safe and healthy.
There was a Belarusian vlogger exploring house sites in Beijing.
And finally, China has become the third largest buyer of Ethiopian coffee in the 2025-26 fiscal year, which wrapped up on July 7th.
That's a jump from fifth place, and it means China has now overtaken the United States.
Saudi Arabia remains the top destination for Ethiopian coffee, with Germany coming in second.
The Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority says the increase is thanks to such factors such as shipments of organic coffee, improved delivery services, and growing trade and diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Over the course of the fiscal year, Ethiopia exported nearly 48,000 metric tons of coffee to China, bringing in about $347 million.
That's a significant jump from less than $220 million the previous year.
Thank you very much.
Now it's Wang Zihang with Business.
You're listening to the Beijing Hour.
Coming up in sport, FIFA has announced a match officials for Sunday's World Cup final.
Sideline story brings you all things sports related the hottest topics latest events juiciest stories all with a very personal take
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46 minutes past the hour, turning to sports.
Here's Yang Guang.
Thank you, Tianlu.
FIFA has announced the fifth match officials for Sunday's World Cup final between Argentina and Spain, with Slovenia's Slavko Vincic as the referee for the title clash at New York New Jersey Stadium.
Fellow Slovenian officials Tomas Kloknik and Andrzej Kovacic will assist him.
Meanwhile, FIFA has revealed that the 2026 World Cup winners will receive championship rings alongside the traditional trophy and gold medals.
Thirty rings will be awarded to the members of the winning team, while the rest of the limited edition collection will be released as official memorabilia.
Each reign features the World Cup trophy on one side with the other side customized to celebrate the identity of the tournament champion.
The new award tradition brings a North American touch to FIFA's presentation following the longstanding custom in U.S. professional sports of honoring champions with commemorative reigns.
Spain has been hit by a fitness concern ahead of Sunday's World Cup final against Argentina with teenage star Lamin Amal missing training due to a reported thigh strain.
The 19-year-old winger has already been managing his fitness after recovering from hamstring injury suffered while playing for Barcelona in late May.
His absence from the session along with Pedro Porro has raised questions as Spain prepares for its first World Cup final since winning the title in 2010.
It remains unclear whether the decision was a genuine injury precaution or a tactical move ahead of the highly anticipated clash with defending champions Argentina.
Sunday's final will be the first time the South American champions and European champions meet for football's ultimate prize.
Former England striker Michael Owen has questioned the team's mentality and manager Thomas Tuchel's decisions after England lost 2-1 to Argentina in the World Cup semifinals.
Owen says England's failure to capitalize on key moments against the strong opponents has become a recurring issue, arguing that the team's fear of defeat has held them back despite having talented players.
This lies squarely on the manager's decisions and our mentality as a nation, because it's not the first time we've done it.
We did it in my era.
I scored against Brazil in the quarterfinals of the World Cup.
They were down to 10 men, like we were against Mexico.
And what happened?
We didn't get a kick.
Brazil played us off the park with 10 men, beat us 2-1.
Looking ahead to Sunday's final in New Jersey, Owen believes Spain can overcome defending champions Argentina, saying La Roja has been the more impressive side throughout the tournament.
Turning to basketball, Giannis Antetokounmpo has been officially unveiled as a Miami Heat player, saying the move represents a chance to challenge himself and begin a new chapter in his career.
The two-time NBA MVP leaves the Milwaukee Bucks after 13 seasons, and since joining Miami was an easy decision, with the Greek star embracing the pressure and expectations that come with his new team.
I know the expectations that this team has.
I love pressure.
Coach Spohr talked about pressure, and I think I thrive pressure.
I think I need pressure at this time of my career.
I think in order for me to go to the next level, I've got to get out of my comfort zone, and I feel like Miami was the place for me to be.
It was a no-brainer.
I wanted to be here.
And Tocompo will wear number 7 with heat, leaving behind the number 34 he wore throughout his successful career in Milwaukee.
The reason that I really changed my number is because I feel like 34 holds so much weight and has so much history.
And out of respect to the organization that drafted me and I played for for 13 years, I decided to leave that number there and try to start a new chapter.
The 31-year-old forward now turns his focus to helping the Heat compete for another NBA title.
In golf, American Jackson Subba produced the surprise of the opening round at the 154th Open Championship shooting a 5-under par 65 to take the early lead at Royal Birkdale in England.
Making his first appearance on the Lynx course and playing in just his third major, the 26-year-old finished one-shot clear of South Korea's In Sung Jae and England's Dan Brown.
Defending champion Scotty Scheffler opened with a 2-under 68, while world No.
2 Rory McRoy endured a difficult day, cutting a 2-over 72.
Sabah said his round gathered momentum after a key birdie on the back nine.
McRae said he was encouraged by his driving despite failing to convert his chances.
I drove the ball incredibly well.
You know, I took the golf course on off the tee and obviously with the positions that I put myself in off the tee, I feel like I obviously should have shot a better score, played the hard holes well.
The two bogeys on the par fives wasn't great.
And yeah, I just sort of struggled the first few holes to get the speed of the greens and felt like they were very inconsistent.
The second round gets underway on Friday, with Sabah looking to build his breakthrough performance and the chasing pack aiming to climb the leaderboards.
Thank you very much.
That was Yang Guang with sports.
You're listening to the Beijing Hour, coming up in culture and entertainment.
A look at the Shanghai International Sister Cities youth camp.
From north to south, east to west, people in China are chasing their dreams and leaving their mark.
Want to know how they beat the odds and made a difference?
Footprints brings you the true life stories of their journeys.
Now it's 52 minutes past the hour, turning to culture and entertainment.
New friendships are taking shape in Shanghai as over 150 students and teachers from 23 countries begin a two-week cultural exchange journey.
This is Shanghai International Sister Cities Youth Camp.
It's the largest since the program began in 2009.
Ye Qingzhuo reports.
For hundreds of teenagers from around the world, Shanghai has become more than a stop on their summer holiday.
It's a classroom cultural bridge and for some, a future study destination.
International Sister Cities Youth Camp has brought together 151 students and teachers from 23 countries, its largest edition to date.
For many of them, coming to China starts with curiosity.
Some are drawn by its rich culture, while others are eager to see firsthand how the country has grown into a major global contributor.
The culture is very interesting to me, but also just China's global position in the world.
So it's been rising in the very few years.
There's a lot of things similar for the Mexican culture and Chinese culture, and we all love it.
Once they arrive in Shanghai, many say it's the city's unique blend of tradition and innovation that leaves the biggest impression.
Ancient culture sits comfortably alongside advanced technology, and that creates an experience unlike anywhere else.
I know Shanghai has a lot of nature, but it also has a lot of tradition.
It also has a lot of technology.
There are many cities in the world that have science or nature or tradition, but Shanghai has all.
China, especially Shanghai, but all China, is really advancing technology.
We have a robot that you can ask for food and it delivers it to your room for meat.
For many participants, this visit isn't just a summer experience.
It has inspired them to imagine a future in China, whether through university study, academic exchanges, or even a long-term career.
Because I want to study business later.
I hope this chance can help me take an exchange year in university.
I would like to come here to study science or technology.
I expect that I learn a lot from all the people I meet and that I can bring some information and culture back
To France.
I would love to study here.
If I have the opportunity to choose between studying in another place or Shanghai, I will choose Shanghai, 100%.
That was Ye Qingzhe reporting.
One of China's greatest theatrical classics is returning to the stage this summer.
The Beijing People's Art Theatre will revive Thunderstorm, the landmark drama by renowned playwright Cao Yu, with veteran actor Yang Lixin taking on the role of director for the first time.
After portraying the play's central character Zhou Puyuan for the past 15 years, the 69-year-old actor is now leading a new generation of performers.
The production will open at Beijing's Capitol Theatre on August 5th and run through the 21st.
Written in 1934, Thunderstorm is a milestone in modern Chinese drama.
The Beijing People's Art Theatre first staged a play in 1954 and it has since been revived several times with more than 600 performances over the past seven decades.
The latest production is part of the theater's Classic Repertoire Restoration Program, an initiative to keep its most celebrated works alive for new audiences.
Theatre president Feng Yuanzhen says Thunderstorm is a cornerstone of the company's artistic legacy and its literary and cultural value deserves to be passed on to future generations.
China has launched a nationwide documentary screening program to showcase its rich culture.
The initiative features more than a dozen documentaries highlighting traditional crafts, performing arts and cultural heritage.
The films include stories about Suzhou's iconic craftsmanship, Cantonese opera legend Hong Xiannu and Peking opera master Mei Lanfan.
Organisers say the programme will travel to 30 cities with screenings in cinemas, universities, community centres, heritage workshops and rural areas.
Now it's 57 minutes past 8 hour checking the forecast for the day.
Beijing will be overcast tonight, thunder showers tomorrow, the low is 21 and a sub to 30 on Saturday.
Shanghai will be overcast tonight, light rain tomorrow with a low of 29 and a high of 34.
Chongqing will have heavy rain tonight, easing to light tomorrow with a low of 29 and a high of 35.
Nanchang will be cloudy tonight, thunder showers tomorrow with a low of 29 and a high of 36.
Nassau will have moderate rain tonight, easing to light tomorrow with a low of 11 and a high of 22.
Elsewhere in Asia, Islamabad will see light rain tonight and tomorrow with a low of 30 and it's up to 39 on Saturday.
That's it for this edition of the Beijing Hour Making News Today.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has unveiled several major measures to support the global development of artificial intelligence as China hosts the World AI Conference.
The renewed conflict between the United States and Iran continues despite the MOU they signed in mid-June is still in place.
On behalf of the staff, this is Tian Lu 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.
The best military commander is not he who fights a hundred battles and wins every one of them.
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Decoding the Art of War will help you understand why there's no art in war and how Sun Tzu stayed undefeatable using the science of war with fun stories and insightful breakdown of famous battles.
Find Decoding the Art of War wherever you listen.
A poem for the Tibetan antelope, the gentle spirit of the Qinghai Cizon Plateau, spoken by voices from across the world.
Every spring, female antelopes migrate hundreds of miles to Zhuonai Lake to give birth, as we build gentle passages for their journey.
Hello, little Tibetan antelope.
Eyes opening to the light for the very first time.
To see a world in a grain of sand and a heaven in a wild flower.
So much wonder calls for so much courage.
But have no fear.
The way home is right there, waiting for you.
From the snows of Kunlun to the winds of Tangula, the wilderness will teach me to be strong.
But the call of life itself never ceases.
A train runs toward the horizon.
A road stretches through the wilderness.
The bridge that soars through the clouds is no barrier across the land, but a gateway to where I truly belong.
Tibetan antelope's hoof prints loosen the soil, letting snow melt sink into the earth.
Human presence passes through, but we've never walked this land alone.
