The Beijing Hour

Chinese Kuomintang party Chairperson Cheng Li-wun is visiting Shanghai, Jiangsu Province and Beijing, bringing a delegation from the Taiwan region (01:01). Iran has rejected a U.S. peace plan and is demanding a permanent end to the war and the lifting of sanctions (07:30). And Chinese shoppers have spent heavily on novel, smart and green products and services during the Qingming Festival holiday (36:44).

China's transport authorities have estimated more than 840 million passenger trips during the Qingming Festival holiday - a 6% increase - as people traveled to honor ancestors or enjoy the spring, boosting consumer spending (01:09). Iran says it will retaliate after U.S. President Donald Trump set a Tuesday deadline to open the Strait of Hormuz or face strikes on Iranian infrastructure (10:13). And Chinese authorities have issued guidelines to encourage AI-powered e-commerce (36:51).

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has discussed the Middle East situation in separate phone calls with top diplomats from Saudi Arabia, Germany and the EU, urging a halt to hostilities and the protection of civilian targets (01:11). Many in China are going on vacation looking for new experiences during the Qingming Festival holiday this weekend (12:45). And Russia is preparing to send a second oil tanker to Cuba after a vessel delivered the first shipment to the island in months (22:46).

President Donald Trump says the U.S. is achieving its goals in the Iran conflict, though analysts dispute his claims (01:04). European leaders have pushed back against Washington's threats to quit NATO, reaffirming support for the alliance while staying neutral on Iran (11:40). Chinese EVs are in the spotlight at the Bangkok International Motor Show, as rising fuel costs reshape consumer choices (41:30).

China and Pakistan put forward five proposals on restoring Middle East peace and stability, as their foreign ministers met in Beijing and urged ensuring the safety of non-military targets and navigation, and supporting the primacy of the United Nations Charter (01:04). Xiongan is reporting new progress including a national climate observatory, marking nine years since China announced the plan to establish Xiongan New Area (13:35). And Japan has drawn domestic opposition over the deployment of missiles with counterstrike capabilities, which signals a major shift away from the post-war defense-only policy (22:41).

Iran's parliament has passed legislation to impose tolls on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz as Tehran aims to tighten sovereign authority over the crucial waterway (01:30). A Russian tanker is delivering this year's first oil shipment to Cuba, although Washington says its embargo on the island remains changed (23:20). And China's factory activity returns to expansion in March with the manufacturing PMI climbing to 50.4, marking the fastest growth in a year (36:54).

The Communist Party of China Central Committee and General Secretary Xi Jinping have invited Chinese Kuomintang party chairperson Cheng Li-wun to visit the Chinese mainland in April (01:04). Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps has confirmed the death of Navy commander Alireza Tangsiri (13:32). The 6th China International Consumer Products Expo will take place from April 13th to 18th in south China's Hainan Province (36:51).

China's Hainan Free Trade Port marks 100 days of special customs operations alongside the close of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2026, with gains in trade, tariffs, and efficiency (01:16). Tehran has sent its response to a U.S. proposal to end the conflict, as Washington extends a strike pause but weighs more troop deployments (11:09). The Chinese vice president has met South Africa's president, highlighting China's upcoming zero-tariff measures for African countries as both sides pledged deeper cooperation (36:37).

China's top legislator has called for resolving conflicts through dialogue and respecting diversity while addressing the plenary of the Boao Forum for Asia's annual conference in Hainan (01:07). Iran has denied holding any direct talks with the U.S., while Washington insists Tehran is seeking a deal amid rising tensions (13:28). The UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution declaring the transatlantic slave trade a crime against humanity and calling for reparatory justice (21:38).

Trade tensions have once again emerged as a key topic at this year's Boao Forum for Asia annual conference (01:07). Beijing says it will double down on playing a constructive role in promoting peace and an end to hostilities in the Middle East (11:42). China marks a decade since the approval of a key document which maps out the blueprint for developing the areas along the Yangtze River, the country's largest waterway (18:44).

The Chinese president has called on Xiongan New Area to create a market-oriented and law-based business environment that is up to international standards (01:04). The Boao Forum for Asia has opened its annual conference in southern China, highlighting Asia's resilient economy and its continued role as the world's leading growth engine (11:16). Beijing has expressed strong protest after an intruder broke into its embassy in Tokyo (33:07).

The two-day China Development Forum has wrapped up in the capital, with Beijing reaffirming its commitment to providing certainty and advancing high-standard opening-up (01:05). China has warned of an unmanageable situation in the Middle East if the war continues to escalate (16:02). Global markets are on edge as the raging Middle East conflict fuels sharp swings across assets (21:54).

The WTO warns that prolonged high oil and gas prices will further slow trade growth (01:13). The Japanese PM has met the U.S. president at the White House, as Tokyo pledges to invest heavily in the American energy sector (12:41). China's second large cruise ship has undocked in Shanghai, nearing trial voyages and delivery as the country expands its cruise tourism sector (19:30).

China calls for strengthening cooperation with Turkmenistan in natural gas, trade and other areas during the Turkmen national leader's goodwill tour (01:03). Iran says Israel has struck the South Pars gas field and Tehran has retaliated on a number of regional targets (11:39). Beijing says killing Iranian leaders and attacking civilian facilities are unacceptable, while urging an immediate halt to the military operation (31:42).

The Chinese president has met with the Turkmen national leader and chairman of the People's Council in Beijing (01:04). Iran has struck Israel with missiles carrying cluster warheads in retaliation for the assassinations of two top officials, including security chief Ali Larijani (10:21). The Chinese mainland says businesses from the Taiwan region will see more fresh opportunities in the years ahead (20:59).

China's International Trade Representative Li Chenggang says the country and the U.S. have reached preliminary consensus on certain issues after talks in Paris (01:03). Beijing and Hanoi have held their first 3+3 strategic dialogue on diplomacy, defense, and public security (10:08). China will offer emergency aid to Iran, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq in the hope of easing the humanitarian plight faced by local people (24:56).

High-level economic and trade talks between China and the U.S. continue, with Beijing pledging to support the stability of the global trading system (01:01). China's economy has gotten off to a robust start in 2026, with major indicators posting a notable recovery (11:05). Protests have erupted across many Western countries opposing U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran (19:52).

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng will lead a delegation to France for economic and trade talks with the United States (01:16). Beijing says the newly approved 15th Five-Year Plan is a blueprint for modernization and an invitation for shared global progress (05:46). The Red Cross Society of China will provide 200,000 U.S. dollars to aid the families of students who died in a strike on a school in southern Iran (23:15).

China's National People's Congress has concluded its annual session after approving several key laws and documents including the 15th Five-Year Plan (01:06). The China-Europe Railway Express handled over 3,500 freight trips in the first two months of the year, up over 30 percent (37:17). More merchant ships have come under attack in the Strait of Hormuz as Iran issues conditions for ending the war (21:03).

China's top political advisory body has concluded its annual session adopting key reports and resolutions, after more than 2,100 members met for a week to deliberate on state affairs (01:02). The Chinese foreign minister says U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran violate the UN Charter, urging all sides to halt military operations and return to dialogue (24:06). Global oil prices have swung sharply, following the latest Middle East conflict and a possible historic IEA oil release (36:47).

China's foreign trade jumped 18.3% in the first two months of 2026, with strong gains in exports and trade with ASEAN and the EU (37:20). China's draft Five-Year Plan calls for boosting grain output, consolidating poverty alleviation gains, and advancing reforms, including extending rural land contracts (01:07). The Chinese foreign minister has spoken with his counterparts from Kuwait and Bahrain over the Middle East crisis, underscoring China's commitment to peace while calling for a ceasefire and respect for national sovereignty (22:31).

China's National People's Congress highlights its role in supporting reform and development through high-quality legislation and pledges to advance new laws on financial stability, state-owned assets, and AI (01:03). Chinese lawmakers review a draft law on promoting ethnic unity and progress, aimed at strengthening legal support for development in ethnic minority regions (11:10). Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ali Khamenei, has been chosen as the new supreme leader of Iran (20:52).

The head of the National Development and Reform Commission, China's top economic regulator, says the country's GDP is expected to grow by over six trillion yuan, or nearly 870 billion U.S. dollars, this year (01:20). Foreign diplomats and overseas media have spoken highly of China's ongoing Two Sessions and achievements over the past years (11:58). Beijing calls for de-escalating tensions in the Middle East while stepping up efforts to assist stranded Chinese nationals in the region (19:41).

China is targeting growth of 4.5 to 5 percent in 2026 and a 3.8 percent cut in carbon emissions per unit of GDP, as the country outlines plans to foster new growth drivers and expand opening-up (01:07). China's top legislature is reviewing its first Ecological and Environmental Code, a 1,200-article draft covering pollution, ecology, climate governance, and a pioneering green development chapter (14:38). China will send a special envoy to the Middle East to help restore regional stability, as Iran bans U.S., Israeli and European vessels from passing through the Strait of Hormuz (25:49).

China's top political advisory body has opened its annual session as over 2,000 advisors consult on state affairs and provide democratic supervision (01:05). China has entered a new era of development, laying the groundwork for its next Five-Year Plan as long-term strategies—from cutting-edge science to rural revitalization—begin transforming daily life (13:02). Global markets continue to tumble, as analysts warn that U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran could hit several sectors hard (36:25).

China's national political advisors will discuss a work report and other key documents when they open their annual advisory session on Wednesday (01:06). Israel and Iran continue to trade attacks, leading to over 800 deaths (10:04). China has urged all parties involved in the Middle East conflict to stop military operations and find a negotiated solution (24:10).

The Iranian Red Crescent Society says the U.S.-Israeli strikes have killed over 550 people in Iran so far (01:04). China says more than 3,000 of its nationals have left Iran and one has been killed in the air strikes so far (11:20). A spokesperson for the upcoming annual session of China's national legislature will unveil the session's agenda on Wednesday (22:06).

China calls for stronger innovation and technological self-reliance, as the country's top leadership reviews the draft of the 15th Five-Year Plan (01:09). China's space program is gearing up for a busy year of space station missions while steadily advancing toward its goal of landing astronauts on the moon by 2030 (01:51). Pakistan says "open war" with Afghanistan has begun, as both sides exchange airstrikes and retaliatory attacks on military targets following deadly border clashes (13:55).

The Chinese president outlines three priorities for future ties with Germany, as the two sides agree to promote cooperation, and uphold free trade (01:03). Iran and the U.S. hold a third round of indirect talks in Geneva amid a major American military build-up in the Middle East (15:48). The Chinese Consulate-General in Osaka urges citizens to avoid traveling to Japan amid deterioration in public security (25:39).

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is on a two-day visit to China, which comes amid rising transatlantic tensions and increasing calls across Europe for greater strategic autonomy (01:04). U.S. President Donald Trump has delivered the annual State of the Union address, lashing out at the Supreme Court over a recent tariff decision (14:04). China marks the fifth anniversary of the elimination of extreme poverty in the country (23:50).

Beijing has added 20 Japanese entities to an export control list to curb Tokyo's attempts at re-militarization and acquiring nuclear weapons (01:08). The U.S. is reportedly considering new tariffs, while warning trade partners against reneging on deals after the Supreme Court ruled most of the previous duties illegal (07:43). China saw strong growth in travel and consumer spending over the Spring Festival holiday period, with railway traffic and box office revenue surging (21:54).

China urges the U.S. to lift unilateral tariffs on trading partners (02:01). Oman says the next round of talks between the U.S. and Iran will take place in Geneva on Thursday (06:48). The 2026 Milano-Cortina Olympic Winter Games have concluded with the Chinese delegation achieving best result in overseas participation (18:34).

The Spring Festival shopping season has been strong, with strong spending on shopping, dining, and travel across China (01:05). The US president is reportedly considering a limited strike against military and government targets to pressure Iran into a new nuclear deal (13:39). Former President Yoon Suk-yeol has apologized to the South Korean public after his conviction and life sentence on insurrection charges (23:06).

The latest trilateral talks on the four-year Ukraine conflict have come to an end without any breakthrough reported (01:04). A court in South Korea has sentenced the country's former president to life in prison on insurrection charges (10:34). Travel numbers in China, including visits by foreign nationals, continue to surge over the Spring Festival holiday (19:01).

The Chinese president has exchanged New Year greetings with his old friends in Iowa as part of the ongoing holiday festivities (01:00). The second day of trilateral talks among Ukraine, the United States and Russia has concluded in Geneva (18:08). And China has earned a historic medal in a men's speed skating event at the Olympic Winter Games in Italy (23:54).

The Iranian delegation led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. negotiators including Special Envoy Steve Witkoff have held another round of talks, with tensions running high following an Iranian military drill and the deployment of U.S. aircraft carriers (13:06). Spring Festival celebrations are taking place across China and beyond with world capitals and major cities sharing the holiday spirit with cultural activities (01:04). And Gu Ailing has doubled her medal haul at Milano-Cortina 2026, adding another silver medal for China in women's big air (26:23).

Hundreds of millions of Chinese people are taking advantage of a long Spring Festival holiday, reuniting with family or traveling, as festivities across the country heat up on Chinese New Year’s Eve (01:13). Iran and the United States are preparing for a new round of talks in Geneva although stark differences remain (14:15). And Japan’s economic growth fell well short of expectation in Q4 2025 amid weak business spending and faltering exports (21:43).

China has stepped up measures for the holiday rush, upgrading rail services, expanding highway EV charging, and adding airport self-service and security facilities to ease congestion (01:06). World leaders are attending the Munich Security Conference, which warns of "wrecking-ball politics" and a Trans-Atlantic rift (11:22). Grief and calls for accountability fill Minneapolis memorials as Governor Walz urges vigilance during the federal ICE drawdown (23:52).

China has forecast over 2 million daily cross-border trips during Spring Festival, a 14% rise from last year, as more foreign visitors are joining the celebrations (01:02). Iran's foreign minister says a nuclear deal with the U.S. is achievable, while President Trump insists Washington will continue talks to reach an agreement (11:12). China's agricultural machinery is gaining ground in Brazil, boosting productivity from coffee plantations to family farms (24:07).

China rolls out a nationwide "Happy Spring Festival Shopping" campaign, aiming to boost consumer spending over the New Year holiday (06:27). China has successfully completed a launch test of its new-generation heavy-lift rocket and crewed spacecraft, marking a significant step forward in its lunar program (13:54). The Epstein files continue to spark global fallout, with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick facing calls to resign, while in Europe the scandal has toppled senior officials and implicated royals (20:56).

China's latest white paper highlights Hong Kong's national security efforts and achievements under "One Country, Two Systems (01:07)."The Munich Security Conference has issued a report, warning that the world has entered a period of "wrecking-ball" politics (13:36). The Kitchen God Festival, or Little New Year, is celebrated across China with parades, folk performances, markets, and community feasts that bring warmth and joy (25:23).

The high court in Hong Kong has sentenced Jimmy Lai to a 20-year prison term for his role in anti-China riots in the city (01:07). A senior diplomat says China will help boost Asia-Pacific cooperation and advance regional economic integration, as the APEC China Year kicks off in Guangzhou (07:17). China records about 1.4 billion passenger trips in the first week of the Spring Festival travel rush (36:51).

Nuclear talks between Iran and the U.S. are underway in the capital of Oman, the first meeting since Washington joined Israel's 12-day bombing of Iran last June (01:01). The Chinese mainland has spoken highly of the resumption of a think tank forum between the Communist Party of China and the Chinese Kuomintang (13:36). The last nuclear arms control treaty between Russia and the U.S. has expired (25:02).

The Chinese president has held separate calls with the U.S. and Russian leaders, urging stable ties with Washington, while calling for deeper China-Russia cooperation to uphold the UN-centered world order (01:03). The UN chief warns that the expiry of the U.S.-Russia New START treaty poses a serious risk to global security (18:43). China's new "Export to China" program aims to boost imports and widen access to its consumer market (40:23).

Chinese authorities say this year's No.1 central document outlines several key tasks and supporting measures to advance agricultural and rural modernization (01:42). A report says China remains a top destination for global investors, with foreign enterprises fueling its innovation ecosystem (37:37). Reports say that the Iran-U.S. nuclear talks, originally planned for Turkiye, will take place in Oman on Friday, a venue preferred by Tehran, amid tensions after a U.S. warplane downed an Iranian drone (24:06).

The Chinese and Uruguayan presidents have met in Beijing to deepen their strategic partnership and expand trade and investment cooperation (01:07). Beijing has hosted a key interparty exchange for the first time in nine years to discuss cross-Strait cooperation (11:45). The U.S. and Iran will hold nuclear talks in Istanbul, with both sides signaling readiness for diplomacy while warning of serious consequences amid heightened military tensions (22:41).

The Uruguayan president is in Beijing for a week-long state visit, becoming the first Latin American leader to visit China in 2026 (01:05). Iran's supreme leader has warned that a U.S. attack would trigger a regional war, as President Donald Trump said he hopes for a deal despite rising military pressure (10:43). China's 2026 Spring Festival travel rush is underway, driving a surge in travel demand as people return home for the holiday (36:47).

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer addresses the U.K.-China Business Forum in Beijing, saying it's important to maintain dialogue and cooperation with China (01:05). Iran says it will hold live-fire exercises on Sunday and Monday in the Strait of Hormuz (14:56). U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order threatening new tariffs on countries supplying oil to Cuba (24:08).

Chinese President Xi Jinping and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer meet in Beijing and agree to develop long-term and stable ties (01:06). The Chinese envoy to the UN says China supports maintaining stability in Iran and opposes military adventurism (17:02). The French president reaffirms support for Denmark and Greenland, calling for European unity (24:04).

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrives in Beijing for a four-day official visit to China, the first trip to the country by a British head of government in eight years (04:28). The U.S. president says another armada is on its way to the Middle East following the arrival of the Abraham Lincoln carrier group (15:04). The Chinese mainland reiterates that relying on external forces to seek secessionism in Taiwan is a dead end (20:24).