UK parliament dissolves ahead of July general election

STORY: UK parliament dissolves ahead of July general election SHOOTING TIME: May 30, 2024/FILE DATELINE: May 31, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:47 LOCATION: London CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. STANDUP (English): ZHANG BONING, Xinhua correspondent 2. various of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (courtesy of 10 Downing Street) 3. various of British parliament House of Commons (file of May 2024) 4. various of British parliament building STORYLINE: STANDUP (English): ZHANG BONING, Xinhua correspondent "The British parliament dissolved on Thursday in anticipation of the general election scheduled for July 4. The dissolution marks the conclusion of all parliamentary activities in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords." Campaigning has officially kicked off as 650 parliamentary seats in the Commons became vacant at one minute past midnight (2301 GMT) according to the electoral schedule. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced last week that the country will hold a general election on July 4. The Conserv

Assange faces further wait for appeal against extradition to U.S.

STORY: Assange faces further wait for appeal against extradition to U.S. SHOOTING TIME: March 26, 2024 DATELINE: March 27, 2024 LENGTH: 00:02:47 LOCATION: London CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. STANDUP (English): ZHANG BONING, Xinhua correspondent 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): Protesters 3. various of protesters 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): STELLA ASSANGE, Julian Assange's wife 5. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): DAVE PUTSON, Protester STORYLINE: STANDUP (English): ZHANG BONING, Xinhua correspondent "On Tuesday morning, the British High Court in London handed down its judgement on WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. According to the ruling, Assange faces a further wait to find out whether he can bring an appeal against his extradition to the United States. It is 11.30 in the morning, and as we can see, people have gathered behind me to protest against the extradition and support Assange." SOUNDBITE 1 (English): Protesters "Free, free Julian Assange. Free, free Julian Assange. There's only one decision. No extradition." Acc

Chinese performers bring cultural diversity to London's Lord Mayor's Show

STORY: Chinese performers bring cultural diversity to London's Lord Mayor's Show SHOOTING TIME: Nov. 11, 2023 DATELINE: Nov. 12, 2023 LENGTH: 00:03:36 LOCATION: London CATEGORY: CULTURE/SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. STANDUP (English): ZHANG BONING, Xinhua correspondent 2. various of the event 3. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): QIAN LINGLONG, Member of Zhejiang UK Association 4. various of the event STORYLINE: STANDUP (English): ZHANG BONING, Xinhua correspondent "I'm now at the Bank area in London. As you can see, people from all walks of life have gathered here on Saturday morning for the Lord Mayor's Show, which is one of the oldest civic processions in the world." Every year, around 7,000 people and 200 horses participate in the event which has a history of over 800 years. Led by two red LEVC taxis, a team with more than 50 performers from Zhejiang UK Association (ZJUKA), showcased Chinese traditional performances, including the ribbon dance and waist drum dance, during this year's event. Qian Linglong, a ZJUKA member w

China's comeback meets high expectations at World Travel Market

STORY: China's comeback meets high expectations at World Travel Market SHOOTING TIME: Nov. 6, 2023 DATELINE: Nov. 8, 2023 LENGTH: 00:08:11 LOCATION: London CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the World Travel Market (WTM) London 2023 2. STANDUP (English): ZHANG BONING, Xinhua Correspondent 3. various of the World Travel Market (WTM) London 2023 4. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ALASTAIR BLACKBURN, Executive Chairman, The Silk Road Foundation 5. various of the World Travel Market (WTM) London 2023 6. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): STEPHAN ROEMER, CEO, Diethelm Travel Group 7. various of the World Travel Market (WTM) London 2023 8. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): BOON SIAN CHAI, Managing Director and Vice President of International Markets, Trip.com Group 9. various of the World Travel Market (WTM) London 2023 10. SOUNDBITE 4 (English): BOON SIAN CHAI, Managing Director and Vice President of International Markets, Trip.com Group STORYLINE: STANDUP (English): ZHANG BONING, Xinhua Correspondent "Despite falling temperatures in B

Chinese clothing brand adapts to global market via retail stores

STORY: Chinese clothing brand adapts to global market via retail stores DATELINE: Oct. 1, 2023 LENGTH: 0:01:23 LOCATION: London CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. STANDUP (English): ZHANG BONING, Xinhua correspondent 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): AARON HOLD, Manager, Bosideng London flagship store 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): PIETRO FERRAGINA, Italian designer working with Bosideng 4. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): ALI GORDON, Fashion blogger 5. SOUNDBITE 4 (English): AMINAH ALI, Social media lifestyle influencer STORYLINE: STANDUP (English): ZHANG BONING, Xinhua correspondent "This is one of the busiest upscale and luxury shopping destinations in London and behind me is a flagship store of a renowned Chinese down jacket brand. What are the key competitive advantages of China's clothing industry in the global market, especially the high-end segment? Fashionistas share their thoughts." SOUNDBITE 1 (English): AARON HOLD, Manager, Bosideng London flagship store "When people come in and they see the quality, they feel the fabri

Chinese performance shines at Edinburgh Festival Carnival

STORY: Chinese performance shines at Edinburgh Festival Carnival DATELINE: July 17, 2023 LENGTH: 00:04:24 LOCATION: EDINBURGH, UK CATEGORY: CULTURE SHOTLIST: 1. various of the Edinburgh Festival Carnival 2. STANDUP (English): ZHANG BONING, Xinhua correspondent 3. various of the performance at the Edinburgh Festival Carnival 4. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): CINTHIA MEDRADO, Local resident 5. various of the performance at the Edinburgh Festival Carnival 6. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): JACK HOCKING, Dragon dance performer 7. various of the performance at the Edinburgh Festival Carnival STORYLINE: More than 800 performers from around the world, including about 280 from China, enlivened the city of Edinburgh in the UK with color, sound and movement as the annual Edinburgh Festival Carnival kicked off on Sunday. STANDUP (English): ZHANG BONING, Xinhua correspondent "The Edinburgh Festival Carnival is once again creating festive vibes and unforgettable memories here in the center of Scotland's capital on Sunday, as hundreds

UK celebrates annual Dragon Boat Festival

STORY: UK celebrates annual Dragon Boat Festival DATELINE: June 18, 2023 LENGTH: 00:05:32 LOCATION: MANCHESTER, U.K. CATEGORY: CULTURE SHOTLIST: 1. STANDUP (English): ZHANG BONING, Xinhua correspondent 2. various of the dragon boat race 3. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): CAMERON MAXWELL, Paddler, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer team 4. various of the dragon boat race 5. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): TRACEY, Spectator 6. various of the dragon boat race 7. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): PAUL DENNETT, Salford's mayor 8. various of performances to celebrate the festival 9. SOUNDBITE 4 (English): YANG HANXIN, Chairman, Xinhua Chinese Association STORYLINE: STANDUP (English): ZHANG BONING, Xinhua correspondent "Listen to the drumbeats and cheers! This is a dragon boat race heating up on Saturday in Salford, in Britain's Greater Manchester. With 40 amateur teams competing, this race is just one part of this year's UK Chinese Dragon Boat Festival." Launched in 2012, this event has gained popularity in the country and across Europe. As t

Chinese airline launches new direct route linking London, Beijing

STORY: Chinese airline launches new direct route linking London, Beijing DATELINE: June 8, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:25 LOCATION: London CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. STANDUP (English): ZHANG BONING, Xinhua correspondent 2. various of the ceremony 3. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): NIU, Passenger 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): CHEN KE, General Manager, China Southern Airlines London Office 5. various of the Heathrow airport STORYLINE: STANDUP (English): ZHANG BONING, Xinhua correspondent "A Chinese airline launched a new direct air route linking the capitals of the UK and China on Wednesday, providing convenience for tourism, trade, and cultural exchanges between the two countries." Inaugurated by China Southern Airlines, the new route operates one flight daily, departing from Heathrow Airport at 10:30 p.m. local time and landing at the Beijing Daxing International Airport after approximately 10 hours of flying. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): NIU, Passenger "We have never landed at the Beijing Daxing International Airport because i

Charles III crowned King at UK's first coronation in 70 years

STORY: Charles III crowned King at UK's first coronation in 70 years DATELINE: May 7, 2023 LENGTH: 00:03:58 LOCATION: London CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. STANDUP (English): ZHANG BONING, Xinhua correspondent 2. various of the event 3. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): KAREN DAKIN, Essex resident 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): MICHELLE MORLEY, South Yorkshire resident 5. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): GARY TONEGUZZO, Toronto resident 6. various of the spectators STORYLINE: STANDUP (English): ZHANG BONING, Xinhua correspondent "On Saturday, Charles III was crowned monarch of the United Kingdom (UK) and 14 other Commonwealth realms in the UK's first coronation since 1953 at Westminster Abbey in central London." The coronation service lasted about two hours and involved various stages, including recognition, oath, anointing, investiture and crowning, followed by enthronement and homage. At 12:02 p.m. (1102 GMT), Charles III was formally crowned as the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby placed St Edward's Crown onto the hea

Offerings from Chinese publishers warmly received at London Book Fair

STORY: Offerings from Chinese publishers warmly received at London Book Fair DATELINE: April 22, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:23 LOCATION: London CATEGORY: CULTURE SHOTLIST: 1. various of the book fair 2. STANDUP (English): ZHANG BONING, Xinhua correspondent 3. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): PETER FIELL, Author 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): MYRIAM POORT, VP Humanities Publishing of Springer Nature 5. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): WANG FANG, Head of Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press 6. SOUNDBITE 4 (English): PETER FIELL, Author STORYLINE: The three-day London Book Fair (LBF) concluded on Thursday, with offerings from Chinese publishers receiving warm response from international publishers and industry professionals. STANDUP (English): ZHANG BONING, Xinhua correspondent "At the London Book Fair, the famous traditional Chinese painting here has attracted lots of visitors. But this is not the only thing from China that has amazed people at the event." "A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains" - a masterpiece from the Song Dynas

London Book Fair kicks off with strong Chinese publisher presence

STORY: London Book Fair kicks off with strong Chinese publisher presence DATELINE: April 19, 2023 LENGTH: 00:03:13 LOCATION: LONDON CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. STANDUP (English): ZHANG BONING, Xinhua correspondent 2. various of London Book Fair 2023 3. various of Chinese publishers and their events in LBF 2023 4. SOUNDBITE (English): JANET NOBLE, Chair of Judges for Yoto Carnegie Awards 2023 STORYLINE: STANDUP (English): ZHANG BONING, Xinhua correspondent "One of the world's biggest publishing trade fairs is on! This year's London Book Fair kicked off on Tuesday in the British capital, attracting professionals from the industry worldwide." The book fair, launched in 1971, is scheduled to run until Thursday and boasts the participation of over 1,700 companies from 60 countries and regions. SOUNDBITE (English): JANET NOBLE, Chair of Judges for Yoto Carnegie Awards 2023 "Well, I mean, it's a showcase, first of all, I mean, we've got publishers from all over the world here. And so it's a place to meet peo

N. Ireland peace deal anniversary overshadowed by political deadlock

STORY: N. Ireland peace deal anniversary overshadowed by political deadlock DATELINE: April 13, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:30 LOCATION: London CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of the views in the UK 2. STANDUP (English): ZHANG BONING, Xinhua correspondent 3. various of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden in Belfast, Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom 4. various of the views in the UK 5. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): IAN SCOTT, Professor of American history at the University of Manchester 6. various of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden 7. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): IAN SCOTT, Professor of American history at the University of Manchester 8. various of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden 9. various of media coverage of Biden's visit STORYLINE: It has been 25 years since the Good Friday Agreement was reached. Signed on April 10, 1998, the peace deal brought an end to 30 years of conflict in Northern Ireland.

Hainan Airlines resumes direct flight linking London, Changsha

STORY: Hainan Airlines resumes direct flight linking London, Changsha DATELINE: April 8, 2023 LENGTH: 00:03:37 LOCATION: London CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. STANDUP (English): ZHANG BONING, Xinhua Correspondent 2. various of direct flight linking London, Changsha 3. SOUNDBITE (English): WU LILI, Chairperson of the UK Hunan Association STORYLINE: STANDUP (English): ZHANG BONING, Xinhua Correspondent "Here at London's Heathrow Airport, passengers are looking forward to boarding a flight to China, as Hainan Airlines resumed its direct flight service between the British capital and the city of Changsha in central China on Friday." China's Hainan Airlines on Friday resumed its direct flight services between London and Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province, after a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Six hours before departure time, people were already lining up at Heathrow Airport to check in for the flight. The first flight was scheduled to take off from Heathrow Airport at 10:00