World Today

On August 15, 1945, Japan announced its unconditional surrender. For the countries and peoples across Asia who suffered under Japanese militarist aggression, August 15th has never been an ordinary day. It represents the triumph of justice over aggression. It also marks the end of a war that brought immense suffering and profound devastation to Asia. 81 years after Japan's surrender, has Japan...

①U.S. leads in missile tests, yet criticizes China: double standards, strategic anxiety, or both? (00:44) ②A China-led international standard on smart city data utilization is released. How will it shape future human urban life? (12:49) ③Putin makes his first visit to an island disputed with Japan. What messages is he sending to Japan? (24:01) ④China's homegrown C919 jet makes international...

①China surpasses the U.S. in R&D spending. What does it mean for the global tech landscape? (00:41) ②Elon Musk encourages people to visit China. We explore what is attracting international tourists to the country. (14:19) ③Pakistan says the U.S. and Iran are close to some arrangement on peace. How close are they to reaching a real agreement? (25:32) ④Turkish parliament passes landmark legal...

①China rejects illegally established "Arunachal Pradesh" by India. What's behind India's unilateral attempt to redraw administrative boundaries and alter facts on the ground? (00:41) ②Japan's defense ministry will request a record-high budget for fiscal 2027. How serious are the regional implications? (14:00) ③China's central bank names Deutsche Bank as clearing bank for the renminbi. What does...

①China and Argentina renew currency swap agreement. Can RMB help Argentina hedge against the risks of USD dependence? (00:38) ②China's foreign trade expanded over 19% last month. We explore the drivers behind the growth. (12:50) ③Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan sign a joint defense agreement. What does it mean for regional security? (24:43) ④Why are countries tightening controls on critical...

As the world prepares to mark the 81st anniversary of the end of World War II, Japan, a defeated country in that war, is rolling out a series of security and military initiatives. Why is Japan accelerating its military buildup after decades of maintaining an exclusively defensive posture? What kind of military power is it seeking to become? And should Asia be worried? Host Dou Hongyu is joined by...

①China's Ministry of Finance has raised 15 billion yuan (over $2.2 billion) through a sovereign bond auction in Hong Kong. We explore the reasons for the sale's good performance. (00:54) ②The EU says it has collected 1.4 billion euros in revenue from frozen Russian assets and will channel the proceeds to Ukraine. Is the windfall profit mechanism actually helping Ukraine? (15:11) ③The Trump...

① China has slammed Japan’s annual defense white paper. What’s motivating Tokyo to hype up the so-called “China threat”? (00:56) ② What’s really going on behind the Philippines’ finger-pointing over China’s ethnic affairs? (15:31) ③ China has announced countermeasures in response to the latest US move to draft a ban on imports of new Chinese datacenter components. What’s driving Washington’s...

①Hong Kong Stock Exchange has launched five-year China government bond futures contracts, which serve as the only such contracts available in the offshore market. In what ways will they help bolster fixed income and currency markets in Hong Kong? (00:54) ②25 US states have sued the Trump administration over its latest tariffs. Is Trump administration playing a legal "cat-and-mouse" game regarding...

①Japan launches its centralized intelligence agency. Why is it raising concerns at home and abroad? (00:41) ②Chinese companies unveil a new wave of AI models. Is China's AI industry in a new phase of innovation? (12:33) ③What does the historic Ceuta migrant crisis reveal about the EU's migration policy weaknesses? (26:18) ④U.S. President Donald Trump says negotiations with Iran will begin on...