Closer To China Episodes

As the host of BRICS Summit in 2017, China works with other four emerging national economies – Brazil, Russia, India, South Africa to assess the decade-long BRICS project and to plan future development China’s economy is more than double the other four economies combined, so why is BRICS important to China? Does China dominate decision-making? What is BRICS’ continuing or changing roles?

China is hosting this year’s annual BRICS Summit in Xiamen in southern Fujian Province The five BRICS countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – make up half of the world’s population and nearly a quarter of global GDP But does the world really need another international organization? What does the BRICS bloc actually do? And what institutions or processes have they established? Your questions are answered here!

Why is now the “best time” in China-Russia relations? What’s the meaning of the China-Russia “comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination” and that the two nations are “most trustworthy strategic partners”? What are the economic, diplomatic, military implications? Is there a China-Russia Alliance in formation? Are there consequences for China-US relations? Don’t forget that Russia and China have different strategic interests

Are the US and China destined for war? Controversial concern from political scientist Graham Allison, who draws on historical parallels to describe what happens when an ascending power meets an established power Can lessons of the past apply to China-US relations today? What are potential flashpoints? How to handle “core interests”? How to de-escalate crises? How to build trust?

As the People’s Liberation Army celebrates its 90th anniversary on August 1, it is establishing its first overseas base in Djibouti, situated at the Horn of Africa What signal is China sending? What’s the PLA’s grand plan for operating overseas? How many aircraft carriers does China need? More significantly, what’s the meaning of the PLA modernization and restructuring? What, really, is going on? CGTN’s Closer to China answers these questions

The theme of this year’s G20 summit revolves around an interconnected world, and on this episode of “Closer to China”, we focus on the country’s growing role in global governance How did China transform from a country suspicious of globalization to a champion of globalization? How can China contribute and what responsibilities will it bear?

20 years ago, when Hong Kong returned to China, there were doomsayers Yet Hong Kong flourished, with its way of life preserved and its economic growth dynamic, facilitating China’s great development But times change With China’s continuing opening-up, there is growing unease in Hong Kong for its role in China’s economic development What economic, social, and political challenges Hong Kong’s to take? Is “One Country, Two Systems” under threat?

How to evaluate China’s science and technology sector, especially its innovation capacity? How does China compare to other countries? China’s deep commitment to science and technology — and to “indigenous innovation” — requires global collaboration For example, how does China’s “Comprehensive Innovative Partnership” with Israel work? Israel’s prime minister explains And what challenges and obstacles does China face in its collaboration strategy?

The Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation recently made history in Beijing Chinese President Xi Jinping has labeled the Belt and Road Initiative as the “project of the century”, with a goal to transform the developing world’s economy Yet there are concerns, as the strategic plan’s implementation is expected to be challenging CGTN program “Closer to China” takes a look at China’s commitment, whether these commitments can be sustained and how the world will benefit

The Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, with delegates from over a hundred nations and 29 heads of state and government in attendance, marks a symbolic transition in President Xi Jinping’s grand vision for a new era of win-win globalization Challenges and unforeseen events, such as political instability, financial problems, cultural misunderstandings, could be all too real Moreover, some have raised suspicions about China’s motives Does Beijing have a “hidden agenda”? We hear from experts from Pakistan, Nigeria, Egypt as well as China

Get used to “Supply-Side Structural Reform” (SSSR)! It is a significant change, or “correction”, that China is making to its economy and we’ll be hearing about it for years So what is SSSR? Why now? Who’s promoting it? Who’s resisting it? What are its obstacles? Moreover, how can China implement SSSR while, simultaneously, maintaining an acceptable GDP growth-rate? It might sound like dry economics but it could change all our lives for years to come

China’s continued economic development will be partly driven by its scientific community Can scientific research further boost economic development in China? The country has been one of the hotbeds for innovation and Chinese people are determined to make the country more competitive Here is what it will take

Xi wants “The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation” For Trump, it’s “Make America Great Again” These trains can run parallel or into each other Plenty of friction remains between the two nations, most pronounced these days being trade and the DPRK’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles Trump is determined to effect change Xi seeks stability and mutual development The challenge is to find common ground in pursuit of a mutually beneficial relationship No one expects miracles

President Trump has warned that the DPRK will not be allowed intercontinental missiles, while China has been equally forthright in warning the US and South Korea not to deploy the THAAD anti-missile system Chinese and US experts present their contrasting perspectives honestly and starkly What is the way forward in this armament crisis when the choices seem to be between bad and worse?

China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) is the country’s supreme legislative body At the annual convention this year, national lawmakers deliberated draft provisions of civil law, which will lead toward a comprehensive civil code that has long been absent in China

It is the high season of China’s annual politics — the National People’s Congress, China’s top legislative body, and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, China’s top advisory body China watchers scrutinize them Any surprises? New policies? Incremental change is usually the order Sometimes we find sharper breaks with past practices Can we spot signals? What’s “in the air”?

Today the media makes the news, not just reports it How does this worldwide trend relate to China? How does China view the international media affecting world opinion about China? Can the Chinese media affect the Chinese government, including its foreign policy? How much media diversity is optimum for China? We explore the fascinating case of the Global Times

This year at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the star was China’s President Xi Jinping, with his ringing call for invigorated globalization Is China the new champion of an open world? But how open is China? And how vulnerable is China to anti-globalization? We discuss these issues in this episode

Trump’s pronouncements about China have been literally startling, from accusations of economic cheating and militaristic adventurism to questioning the sacrosanct “one-China” policy Campaign rhetoric bashing China is nothing new, but then after the inauguration it has always been back to “business as usual” This time, many fear, will be different We explore the issue and get the problems on the table

In this episode of Closer to China, three questions about state-owned enterprises (SOEs) are up for discussion First, what’s the optimal role of SOEs in China’s “Socialist Market Economy”? Second, what’s the optimal relationship between SOEs and private companies in different industries? Third, what’s the optimal structure of SOE management and governance, including state controls? Everyone agrees there is a need for SOE reform, but what kind of reform, and how fast?

It has been over three years since President Xi Jinping announced the Belt and Road initiative – China’s grand strategy of mutual economic development involving more than 60 countries In 2016, the entire Politburo attended a lecture on the ancient Silk Road, linking past and present No other country so roots a contemporary policy in its history

The Belt and Road initiative has progressed from theory to practice It provides developing countries with what they need most — infrastructure: roads, railways, ports, airports, power plants, oil and gas pipelines and refineries, and Free Trade Zones, along with IT, telecom and financial services But how do Belt and Road projects actually work? What are the processes, challenges, criticisms, and risks?

China’s debt has been rapidly increasing What is its total size and what are the components? Why is there discrepancy between official statistics and expert estimates? Why are there divergent opinions among economists about how serious, or even how dangerous, China’s debt has become? What about local government debt? And the big worry: Corporate debt? We tackle these questions with top economists to find out whether China’s debt risk is manageable

In late 2012, soon after taking office as China’s leader, President Xi Jinping put forth his grand vision for China He called it “The Chinese Dream” – the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation What has happened over the past four years? How has fulfilling the dream progressed? What are the challenges or obstacles? To reflect, we go to Pudong, Shanghai

Sharing requires society to take responsibility for its poorest and most vulnerable members This is why healthcare in northwestern China’s Qinghai Province, where social disparities have been reduced by providing comprehensive medical services, is a microcosm for “Shared Development” in China The notion is the fifth and final of the Five Major Development Concepts, not because it is the least important, but rather because the four other concepts must come first The end goal is to build a “moderately prosperous society” and realize the Chinese Dream