Hi everyone. I’m Stephanie LI. Coming up on today’s program Guangdong and Hong Kong forge closer ties in an investment conference; The second China International Supply Chain Expo kicks off today. Here’s what you need to know about China in the past 24 hours  Guangdong and Hong Kong secured collaboration on projects valued at 100 billion yuan after a high-profile meeting on Monday between senior officials and business heavyweights. The 126 projects, with 101 involving investment by Hong Kong...

Hi everyone. I’m Stephanie LI. Coming up on today’s program Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said China can beat AI rivals with Greater Bay Area edge; China extends unilateral visa-free policy to Japan and eight European countries. Here’s what you need to know about China in the past 24 hours  Jensen Huang, the founder and chief executive of chip manufacturer Nvidia, voiced his strong confidence in Hong Kong's role in advancing artificial intelligence (AI) as well as open science development and...

This week marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Brazil.   The commemoration comes with a groundbreaking announcement: The two countries have elevated their ties to a China-Brazil community with a shared future for a more just world and a more sustainable planet, and agreed to align the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with Brazil's development strategies. China and Brazil have also signed 37 bilateral agreements that range from protocols on agricultural exports...

Hi everyone. I’m Stephanie LI. Coming up on today’s program China's stock buyback loan program reaches 35.2 billion yuan in one month; Hong Kong outlined plans for the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone. Here’s what you need to know about China in the past 24 hours  Chinese listed companies have secured 35.2 billion yuan in loans through the country's stock buyback borrowing scheme launched a month ago. So far, 152 listed firms have announced their...

Hi everyone. I’m Stephanie LI. Coming up on today’s program Hong Kong kicks off its annual flagship financial summit with the largest mainland delegation; Guangzhou becomes the first tier-1 city to grant permanent residency to homebuyers. Here’s what you need to know about China in the past 24 hours Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng has urged Hong Kong to go big on reforms to foster development while raising its status as an international finance hub, with the state leader speaking at the city’s...

Hi everyone. I’m Stephanie LI. Coming up on today’s program Asia-Pacific summit closes in Peru with members calling for effective multilateral cooperation; Some 285.6 billion yuan worth of deals were signed at Airshow China 2024. Here’s what you need to know about China in the past 24 hours  APEC members on Saturday jointly called for effective multilateral cooperation as areas including trade and investment, environment, food security and energy security are facing challenges. They made the...

Lima, the capital of Peru, enters “APEC time” this week as the South American country hosts the 31st Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting. Under the theme of “Empower, Include, Grow,” senior officials, ministers and leaders from APEC's 21 member economies, which together account for almost two-thirds of world GDP and half of global trade, will tackle core challenges facing the Asia-Pacific region, including climate change, sustainable energy solutions, the...

Hi everyone. I’m Stephanie LI. Coming up on today’s program China unveils new tax breaks to boost property sales; Tencent logs 47% jump in Q3 profit on strong gaming growth. Here’s what you need to know about China in the past 24 hours  China is amending its tax structure on residential property transactions, effectively lowering the cost of ownership and extending fresh incentives to a wider pool of buyers, in a round of measures to arrest a four-year slump. First-time buyers will enjoy a 1...

Hi everyone. I’m Stephanie LI. Coming up on today’s program More than 200 Chinese A-Share companies announce Q3 cash dividends, boosted by capital market support policy; China adds two public holidays starting next year. Here’s what you need to know about China in the past 24 hours  In a significant development for China's stock market, more than 200 A-share companies had announced cash dividend plans for the third quarter as of Monday, as policies to support the healthy development of the...

Hi everyone. I’m Stephanie LI. Coming up on today’s program PLA Air Force celebrates 75th anniversary at Airshow China 2024 with J-35A stealth fighter; China's e-commerce giants report robust sales during the “Double 11” shopping festival. Here’s what you need to know about China in the past 24 hours  Aviation enthusiasts are gearing up for China’s biggest air show which begins on Tuesday in the southern city of Zhuhai, in Guangdong province.  The 15th China International Aviation and...

Hi everyone. I’m Stephanie LI. Coming up on today’s program Double 11 rides in a climax today as the shopping gala shows resilience in China’s retail sales; CIIE concludes with record of over USD80 billion in tentative deals. Here’s what you need to know about China in the past 24 hours This year's Double 11 Singles' Day shopping festival, spanning from October 8th to November 11th, marks the longest edition yet, a testament to the intensified e-commerce competition and robust purchasing...

On Tuesday, Shanghai officially entered "CIIE moment," which has become an annual feast of global trade cooperation, and the colorful billboards on the streets of Shanghai and bustling scenes at the exhibition halls put on vivid display of the strong vibrancy and attractiveness of the Chinese market.   A record high of 297 Fortune Global 500 and industrial leaders are present. Additionally, 186 companies and institutions are participating for the seventh consecutive year, earning the title of...

Hi everyone. I’m Stephanie LI. Coming up on today’s program China’s foreign trade edges up 5.2 percent in first 10 months; US companies embrace opportunities at China's import expo in Shanghai. Here’s what you need to know about China in the past 24 hours  China’s total goods imports and exports grew by 5.2 percent year-on-year in the first 10 months this year to reach 36.02 trillion yuan (USD5 trillion), extending stable growth and displaying consistent structural improvement, official data...

Hi everyone. I’m Stephanie LI. Coming up on today’s program Chinese Premier gave keynote speech at the 7th CIIE opening ceremony, pledging further opening up; Shenzhen drafted an action plan to push for high-quality development of the low-altitude economy. Here’s what you need to know about China in the past 24 hours  Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Tuesday pledged to further expand opening up and turn China's vast market into great opportunities for the world. Li made the remarks during his...

Imagine this: During the congested morning rush hour, you casually hop in a "flying taxi" to work, then enjoy a freshly brewed, drone-delivered coffee at the office, isn’t it like a scene in sci-fi movies?  It may soon become a reality in China, with different types of seemingly futuristic drones delivering packages and takeaway food, work commutes using winged taxis and sightseeing helicopters as a hobby, bolstered by a suite of supportive policies. Little known before, the low altitude sky...

China saw a boom during last week’s Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day, recording 119 million domestic passenger trips during the three-day holiday, up 11.5 percent from the same period in 2019, marked by bustling tourist attractions and surging consumption. Official data also showed domestic revenue during the period totaled 53.95 billion yuan (US$7.6 billion), up 12.7 percent from the same period in 2019.  But the hustle and bustle actually started a few days earlier,...

China is taking the absolute centre stage this week. Executives of multinationals, representatives from international organizations and foreign institutions, as well as world-renowned scholars have flocked to the country, attending the ongoing Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2024 and the China Development Forum (CDF) 2024 that concluded on Monday, offering insights into China's development and its global impact.  This year's CDF drew more than 110 international guests, including the...

There’s a gold rush in China.  But unlike the past where middle-aged Chinese were purchasing the gold metal, it’s the young who are now showing a growing appetite for this precious, yellow metal — albeit in bean form. Smaller than a fingertip and often shaped like lucky symbols like ingots or koi fish, gold beans are quickly gaining popularity among China’s Gen Z. Weighing roughly one gram and priced between 400 and 600 yuan, they offer an affordable entry point for buyers. Many purchase one...

Chinese EV makers are starting 2024 with yet another round of bitter price war.  The competition among automakers in China that started in early 2023 has shown no signs of abating. Particularly in the new-energy vehicle sector, both traditional and emerging players keep cutting prices or launching limited-time promotions, tactics that analysts anticipate will persist throughout the year. Auto giant BYD fired the first shot in this round of the price war after the Spring Festival holidays,...

China seeks to achieve a GDP growth rate of around 5 percent for 2024, the latest signal that the world's second-largest economy is committed to high-quality development despite uncertainties at home and abroad. The projected goal, which remains unchanged from the previous year's growth target, is one of the key development objectives unveiled in the government work report delivered by Premier Li Qiang to the national legislature, which began its annual session Tuesday. But the premier...

Starbucks has long got a trouble. Now it’s official. Luckin Coffee became China’s dominant coffee chain last year, outpacing the nation’s previous leader Starbucks Corp in annual sales for the first time. The Xiamen-based company posted quarterly net revenue of 7.06 billion yuan (US$980 million), representing an increase of 91% from a year ago in a growing and increasingly competitive China market. The latest revenue number in the three months through December brings Luckin’s total sales in...

For the Chinese people, the eternal theme of the Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year, remains family reunion, yet an increasing number of Chinese are choosing to integrate travel and movie-watching into their holiday traditions. The eight-day holiday saw a record number of people go on trips, more holiday goods purchases, and more quality family time spent in doing leisure activities. The growing spending power of Chinese consumers, combined with government policies to support shopping,...

Red lanterns, Chinese knots and dragon-themed decorations being seen everywhere, festive songs looping in almost every indoor area, billions of Chinese joining the world's largest human migration known as “chun yun”… As these familiar, once in a year kind of scenes unfold, we can clearly see the Spring Festival approaches. The beginning of the Year of the Dragon falls on Feb. 10, 2024, which Chinese people believe would bring good luck and fortune as the Chinese dragon, or loong, is often...

Aryna Sabalenka, the 25-year-old Belarusian was serving for the match in the women’s singles final of the Australian Open, up 5-2 in the second set of a contest that seemingly passed in an instant. As in most of the match, the final game was going Sabalenka’s way. Leading 40-0, the defending champion had three match points. She was ready to win. “Jiayou,” one fan shouted, the ubiquitous cry of support from Chinese sports fans. “Jiayou,” another echoed. They were there for Zheng Qinwen, who...