Hong Kong, Shanghai sign 20 cooperation documents

STORY: Hong Kong, Shanghai sign 20 cooperation documents SHOOTING TIME: April 26, 2024 DATELINE: April 27, 2024 LENGTH: 0:01:30 LOCATION: HONG KONG, China CATEGORY: POLITICS/ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the conference STORYLINE: The sixth session of the Hong Kong/Shanghai Cooperation Conference was held in Hong Kong on Friday, where 20 cooperation documents were signed in legal services, trade, finance, science and technology, urban development, culture and other fields. John Lee, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), and Gong Zheng, Shanghai mayor and deputy Party chief, signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the conference. Lee said that the conference was another important milestone in the cooperation between Shanghai and Hong Kong. Looking ahead, Hong Kong will continue to leverage its distinctive advantages of enjoying strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world under "one country, two systems," and work with Shanghai to devel

China-ASEAN economic, trade links inseparable: UOB China executive

STORY: China-ASEAN economic, trade links inseparable: UOB China executive SHOOTING TIME: April 3, 2024 DATELINE: April 6, 2024 LENGTH: 00:00:54 LOCATION: Singapore CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of ASEAN countries 2. SOUNDBITE (English): CYNTHIA XIN, General manager of Beijing branch, UOB China STORYLINE: China-ASEAN economic and trade links are inseparable with the integration of the bilateral industrial chains to be deeper, a senior executive of United Overseas Bank (UOB) China told Xinhua. SOUNDBITE (English): CYNTHIA XIN, General manager of Beijing branch, UOB China "In fact, (the connections) between the markets of China and ASEAN are very conspicuous. China has been ASEAN's largest trading partner for 15 years. ASEAN has also become the largest trading partner of China's import and export trade volume for four consecutive years. In terms of the industrial chain, China still plays a very important leading role. But at the same time, China can also extend and drive the industrial chain devel

China-funded renovation of Mongolian land port completed

STORY: China-funded renovation of Mongolian land port completed SHOOTING TIME: January 2023 /Archive DATELINE: March 25, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:00 LOCATION: Ulan Bator CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the land port in southeastern Mongolia STORYLINE: An inauguration ceremony was held on Sunday for the China-funded renovation of a land port in southeastern Mongolia. Mongolian Prime Minister Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene and Chinese Ambassador to Mongolia Shen Minjuan attended the ceremony to mark the completion of the land port renovation in Zamiin-Uud, a border soum (administrative subdivision) in the southeastern Mongolian province of Dornogovi. Oyun-Erdene expressed his gratitude to China for overcoming the difficulties of the pandemic, assisting in building port facilities of international standard, increasing the passenger and cargo customs clearance capacity fivefold, and supporting Mongolia's port revival policy. "Port revival is one of the key goals of the government's medium-term devel

German firm increases capital with confidence in Chinese market

STORY: German firm increases capital with confidence in Chinese market SHOOTING TIME: March 1, 2024 DATELINE: March 8, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:46 LOCATION: HANGZHOU, China CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of employees working at the factory 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): SHEN YAFENG, Operation manager of Thermofin Heat Exchanger (Pinghu) Co., Ltd. 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): SHEN YAFENG, Operation manager of Thermofin Heat Exchanger (Pinghu) Co., Ltd. STORYLINE: Located in Pinghu economic and technological development zone of eastern Zhejiang Province, Thermofin is a German-funded enterprise specializing in high-end heat exchangers, and its products are mainly used in indoor ski resorts, high-end cold storage and other industries. By combining technology with China's efficiency and production capacity, foreign firms like Thermofin choose to continue to increase their capital in China. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): SHEN YAFENG, Operation manager of Thermofin Heat Exchanger (Pinghu) Co., Ltd. "Our business is now devel

(ChineseToday)CHINA-ZHEJIANG-RURAL REVITALIZATION-NPC DEPUTY (CN)

(ChineseToday)CHINA-ZHEJIANG-RURAL REVITALIZATION-NPC DEPUTY (CN)

(240222) -- HANGZHOU, Feb. 22, 2024 (Xinhua) -- Liu Jianming (back) attends a meeting on the construction of tourist service center in Tangdi Village of Keqiao District in Shaoxing, east China's Zhejiang Province, Feb. 19, 2024. Liu Jianming, a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), is the Party chief of Tangdi, a hilly village in east China's Zhejiang Province. He led locals to ride the wave of agritourism and made Tangdi a popular tourist destination for market-oriented gardening. In the past year, Liu, along with the villagers, continued to promote integration of agriculture, culture and tourism, having completed a batch of construction projects including cultural landscapes, country roads, and the main body of a tourist service center. In June 2003, Zhejiang launched the Green Rural Revival Program. With the concept of green and sustainable development at its core, the program has greatly improved local living conditions. It has also strengthened rural governance and explored a devel

LMC-funded ToT bakery, pastry course launched in Myanmar

STORY: LMC-funded ToT bakery, pastry course launched in Myanmar SHOOTING TIME: Jan. 29, 2024 DATELINE: Jan. 30, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:57 LOCATION: YANGON, Myanmar CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the opening ceremony 2. various of the bakery and pastry training courses STORYLINE: A Training of Trainers (ToT) bakery and pastry course, funded by the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Special Fund 2022, was launched at the Center for Tourism Development in Yangon on Monday. Under the LMC-funded establishment of the bakery and pastry training project, Myanmar's Ministry of Hotels and Tourism said it will open 10 basic bakery and pastry courses and five ToT courses in total. The launch of the first ToT course on Monday coincided with the presentation of course completion certificates for students from batch six of the basic bakery and pastry course. Speaking at the event, U Kyaw Swar, deputy director-general from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the bakery and pastry course would help devel

China's AG600M amphibious aircraft complete key test flights

STORY: China's AG600M amphibious aircraft complete key test flights SHOOTING TIME: file DATELINE: Jan. 14, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:04 LOCATION: Beijing CATEGORY: TECHNOLOGY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the AG600M aircraft in test flight STORYLINE: Four China-developed AG600M firefighting aircraft have completed a series of key tests for compliance during 2023, according to the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). The AG600M aircraft, a member of the homegrown AG600 large amphibious aircraft family, is aiming to obtain the required type certificate by the end of 2024, and to be delivered to operators for firefighting and other rescue operations in 2025, said the AVIC. Compared with the technology demonstrator AG600 aircraft, the firefighting-specialized AG600M has an upgraded maximum take-off weight of 60 tonnes, and a maximum water-dropping capacity of up to 12 tonnes. Multiple other improvements have also been made to this aircraft, giving it more comfort and better economic performance, said the devel

China's Ant Group expands Alipay+ coverage to all 7-Eleven stores in Malaysia

STORY: China's Ant Group expands Alipay+ coverage to all 7-Eleven stores in Malaysia DATELINE: June 28, 2023 LENGTH: 00:00:41 LOCATION: Kuala Lumpur CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of 7-Eleven stores 2. various of Alipay signs in 7-Eleven stores 3. various of signboard indicating Alipay payment method being accepted in local stores by Malaysian merchants STORYLINE: Ant Group, the operator of Alipay+, a suite of global cross-border digital payment and marketing solutions, Monday has announced the latest expansion of Alipay+ coverage to all 7-Eleven stores in Malaysia, enabled by Razer Merchant Services (RMS). Ant Group said in a statement that users of four leading Asian mobile wallets, including AlipayHK (China's Hong Kong SAR), GCash (Philippines), Kakao Pay (South Korea) and TrueMoney (Thailand), can now seamlessly pay in 7-Eleven in Malaysia using their home mobile wallets. Alipay, also an Alipay+ partner mobile wallet, has been accepted by Malaysian merchants since 2016. With the latest devel

HK entrepreneur promotes Chinese culture through traditional musical instrument

STORY: HK entrepreneur promotes Chinese culture through traditional musical instrument DATELINE: June 17, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:29 LOCATION: GUANGZHOU, China CATEGORY: CULTURE SHOTLIST: 1. various of Guzheng 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): METRIC MOK, Chairman of the board, Hong Kong Zheng Art Co., Ltd. STORYLINE: A Hong Kong entrepreneur aims to promote Chinese culture through research, design, manufacturing, and sales of Guzheng, a traditional Chinese musical instrument. Metric Mok established his own company after graduating with a Master's degree in Guzheng from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): METRIC MOK, Chairman of the board, Hong Kong Zheng Art Co., Ltd. "The Guzheng, with a history of over 2,000 years, holds a significant place in Chinese traditional music as a well-established national instrument. The long history, including many different dynasties, has given rise to a rich repertoire of musical compositions. Why could the Guzheng be thriving today? Its remarkable devel

Vietnam's party central committee meeting sheds light on economic growth

STORY: Vietnam's party central committee meeting sheds light on economic growth DATELINE: May 19, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:28 LOCATION: Hanoi CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the mid-term session of the 13th CPVCC in Hanoi 2. various of Nguyen Phu Trong delivering a speech STORYLINE: The mid-term session of the 13th Communist Party of the Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC) concluded on Wednesday with a consensus on the target to ensure macro-economic stability and build an independent economy amid global headwinds. General Secretary of the CPVCC Nguyen Phu Trong highlighted that the meeting is aimed to lay out blueprints to realize resolutions adopted at the 13th National Party Congress, according to Vietnam News Agency's report on Wednesday. The meeting has also analyzed the domestic and global conditions with the target to come up with measures to ensure macro-economic stability, keep inflation under control and enhance an independent and self-reliant economy. Given current complex and unusual devel

"Ideal House" exhibition kicks off in Erbil, Iraq

STORY: "Ideal House" exhibition kicks off in Erbil, Iraq DATELINE: March 15, 2023 LENGTH: 00:03:10 LOCATION: ERBIL, Iraq CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT SHOTLIST: 1. various of the exhibition 2. SOUNDBITE (Kurdish): HASSAN SAMI, director of the International Exhibition Center in Erbil STORYLINE: The second international "Ideal House" exhibition for furniture and home accessories kicked off in Erbil in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region on Tuesday, which will continue until March 18, with the participation of 83 international companies and brands from 11 countries. SOUNDBITE (Kurdish): HASSAN SAMI, Director of the International Exhibition Center in Erbil "The aim of the exhibition is to provide an opportunity for merchants to display their goods and products and to show the bright side of our economy to the countries of the world. At the same time, it is to support local merchants who visit this exhibition. There is an important point that organizing exhibitions, it is not only a business, but rather the devel

Jordanian king, French president discuss ties, Mideast issues

STORY: Jordanian king, French president discuss ties, Mideast issues DATELINE: Dec. 22, 2022 LENGTH: 0:03:54 LOCATION: Amman CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of King Abdullah II of Jordan and French President Emmanuel Macron meeting STORYLINE: King Abdullah II of Jordan on Wednesday discussed with visiting French President Emmanuel Macron ways to strengthen bilateral ties in various fields and the latest developments in the Middle East. The Jordanian king thanked Macron for his support of the second Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership which was held in Jordan on Tuesday, according to a statement by Jordan's royal court. They also talked about the developments in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon as well as the Palestinian cause. Macron stressed the importance of cooperation with Jordan and expressed France's willingness to support Jordanian people and Jordan's projects. Hailing the Baghdad conference a success, the French president said it would support Iraq's sovereignty and devel

Spain's consumer organizations call for gov't price control

STORY: Spain's consumer organizations call for gov't price control DATELINE: Oct. 15, 2022 LENGTH: 0:01:35 LOCATION: BARCELONA, Spain CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of a supermarket in Barcelona 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Spanish): RUBEN SANCHEZ, Secretary-General of Facua-Consumers in Action 3. various of a supermarket and food products 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Spanish): ILEANA IZVERNICEANU, Director of Communication and Institutional Relations at OCU 5. various of a gas station with fuel prices and a boiler at a home STORYLINE: Spain's main consumer organizations have called for price control by the Spanish government, warning that recent price hikes have still not peaked. Consumers in Action (FACUA) is calling on the Spanish authorities to step in and control prices to ensure companies are not taking advantage of consumers. SOUNDBITE 1 (Spanish): RUBEN SANCHEZ, Secretary-General of Consumers in Action (FACUA) "It's fundamental that the Ministry of Consumer Affairs in coordination with the autonomous regions devel

Close ties with China provide enormous benefits to Cambodia's development: Cambodian students

STORY: Close ties with China provide enormous benefits to Cambodia's development: Cambodian students DATELINE: Sept. 29, 2022 LENGTH: 00:02:10 LOCATION: Phnom Penh CATEGORY: SOCIETY/POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. SOUNDBITE 1 (Khmer): VENG BUNHEANG, Student, Royal Academy of Cambodia (RAC) 2. SOUNDBITE 2 (Khmer): VENG SREYLEAK, Student, Royal Academy of Cambodia (RAC) 3. SOUNDBITE 3 (Khmer): LIM KIMHEAK, Student, Royal Academy of Cambodia (RAC) 4. various of economic activities 5. various of farmlands 6. various of infrastructure 7. various of ports and docks 8. file of Chinese vaccines arriving in Cambodia 9. various of hospital STORYLINE: Cambodian youths hailed Cambodia-China relations, saying Cambodia's ties with China are at the best period in history, and that has brought substantial benefits to the country's development in various fields. SOUNDBITE 1 (Khmer): VENG BUNHEANG, Student, Royal Academy of Cambodia (RAC) "The excellent Cambodia-China relations have brought enormous benefits to Cambodia in the devel

U.S. economic downturn, financial hegemony pose risks to other economies: Turkish scholar

STORY: U.S. economic downturn, financial hegemony pose risks to other economies: Turkish scholar DATELINE: Aug. 11, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:46 LOCATION: ISTANBUL, Türkiye CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of street views in U.S. 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Turkish): KAYA ARDIC, Piri Reis University, Türkiye 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Turkish): KAYA ARDIC, Piri Reis University, Türkiye STORYLINE: A Turkish scholar has said U.S. economic downturn and its financial hegemony have posed risks to other economies around the world. Kaya Ardic, a scholar specialized in international trade at Piri Reis University in Istanbul, Türkiye, told Xinhua that the U.S. is experiencing a recession that has affected other countries. SOUNDBITE 1 (Turkish): KAYA ARDIC, Piri Reis University, Türkiye "When a country's economy experiences two consecutive quarters of negative growth, it's called a recession technically." "Geopolitical risks come to the fore in this context. Rising energy and food prices complicate all economies, both developed and devel