CHINA-SWITZERLAND-JILIN-ZERMATT-SNOW AND ICE ECONOMY (CN)

CHINA-SWITZERLAND-JILIN-ZERMATT-SNOW AND ICE ECONOMY (CN)

(231225) -- ZERMATT, Dec. 25, 2023 (Xinhua) -- This photo taken on Dec. 10, 2023 shows chalets in Zermatt, Switzerland. As winter falls, the Swiss town of Zermatt and China's Jilin entered their peak season for tourists. Thanks to the landscape that overlooked by the Matterhorn Mountain, one of the natural symbols of Switzerland in the Alps, Zermatt attracts masses of worldwide winter-lovers. Based on winter activities, a full chain of tourism industry has been built in Zermatt, including catering, shopping, hiking, accommodations and so on. The "snow and ice" economy created huge profit for local people. Located at similar degrees in terms of the north latitude, northeast China's Jilin Province is also endowed with excellent natural conditions for developing the "snow and ice" economy. Heavy snowfall, good snow quality, long snow season, and beautiful scenery make the Changbai Mountains home to many popular ski resorts in Jilin. In recent years, more and more tourists flock here every winter to expe

CHINA-SWITZERLAND-JILIN-ZERMATT-SNOW AND ICE ECONOMY (CN)

CHINA-SWITZERLAND-JILIN-ZERMATT-SNOW AND ICE ECONOMY (CN)

(231225) -- ZERMATT, Dec. 25, 2023 (Xinhua) -- This photo taken on Dec. 10, 2023 shows chalets in Zermatt, Switzerland. As winter falls, the Swiss town of Zermatt and China's Jilin entered their peak season for tourists. Thanks to the landscape that overlooked by the Matterhorn Mountain, one of the natural symbols of Switzerland in the Alps, Zermatt attracts masses of worldwide winter-lovers. Based on winter activities, a full chain of tourism industry has been built in Zermatt, including catering, shopping, hiking, accommodations and so on. The "snow and ice" economy created huge profit for local people. Located at similar degrees in terms of the north latitude, northeast China's Jilin Province is also endowed with excellent natural conditions for developing the "snow and ice" economy. Heavy snowfall, good snow quality, long snow season, and beautiful scenery make the Changbai Mountains home to many popular ski resorts in Jilin. In recent years, more and more tourists flock here every winter to expe

Chinese dance festival amazes London audience

STORY: Chinese dance festival amazes London audience DATELINE: July 3, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:36 LOCATION: London CATEGORY: CULTURE SHOTLIST: 1. various of the Silk Road Dance Festival and audience 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): WILLIAM ADLINGTON, Audience 3. various of the Silk Road Dance Festival 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): ZHOU HANGYU, Founder of UK China Performing Arts (UKCPA) 5. various of the Silk Road Dance Festival STORYLINE: A Chinese dance show was held in east London on Saturday evening, offering the local audience a sensory cultural feast. The Silk Road Dance Festival, held for the second time, showcased a variety of Chinese dance styles, including Dunhuang dance, contemporary dance, classic dance, and ethnic dances, such as Tibetan dance and Inner Mongolian dance. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): WILLIAM ADLINGTON, Audience "We've seen so many different types of dance from different parts of China and the dances have been beautiful. They've been very elegant and absolutely wonderful. It's a really pleasant expe

BRI projects help deepen Cambodia-China cooperation, benefit world: Cambodian official, expert

STORY: BRI projects help deepen Cambodia-China cooperation, benefit world: Cambodian official, expert DATELINE: Oct. 30, 2022 LENGTH: 00:03:05 LOCATION: Phnom Phen CATEGORY: POLITICS/ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the aerial view of Phnom Penh 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): KAO KIM HOURN, Cambodian minister attached to the Prime Minister 3. various of the construction of Siem Reap International Airport 4. various of the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone 5. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): JOSEPH MATTHEWS, Senior professor, BELTEI International University, Phnom Penh 6. various of a hydropower station in Cambodia 7. various of a river bridge in Cambodia 8. various of the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port 9. various of the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway 10. various of Phnom Penh International Airport 11. various of the National Stadium in Phnom Penh STORYLINE: Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects have played an important role in deepening pragmatic cooperation between Cambodia and China, Cambodian officials and expe

Malaysia's parliament reconvenes with 2023 budget in sight

STORY: Malaysia's parliament reconvenes with 2023 budget in sight DATELINE: Oct. 4, 2022 LENGTH: 0:01:40 LOCATION: Kuala Lumpur CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of Malaysia Parliament House in Kuala Lumpur 2. various of interior of the parliament house 3. various of debates in the lower house of parliament on TV screen 4. various of media workers at the press conference STORYLINE: Malaysia's lower house of parliament reconvened on Monday with the national budget for 2023 expected to be tabled by the end of the week. Among other pressing matters will be the economic challenges and preparations for an expected flood season, according to state news agency Bernama. The government is expected to face questions from lawmakers on the welfare and well-being of the people as rising food prices and a depreciating ringgit have created societal pressures, with the government having taken steps to curb inflation. Also high on the agenda are the government's efforts to prepare for severe flooding expe

Suicide blast kills 19, wounds 27 in Afghan capital

STORY: Suicide blast kills 19, wounds 27 in Afghan capital DATELINE: Oct. 1, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:48 LOCATION: Kabul CATEGORY: OTHERS SHOTLIST: 1. various of the blast site in Kabul, Afghanistan 2. SOUNDBITE (Dari): AHMED JAVED, Eyewitness 3. various of the blast site in Kabul STORYLINE: At least 19 people were killed and 27 others wounded on Friday in a suicide explosion that rocked an education center in a neighborhood of western Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. "Students were preparing for an exam when a suicide bomber struck at this educational center. Unfortunately, 19 people have been martyred and 27 others wounded," Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran said. In a following statement, for prevention of future tragedies, Zadran urged all educational centers in western Kabul to inform the local police department about their future plans on hosting events with large gatherings. SOUNDBITE (Dari): AHMED JAVED, Eyewitness "We wish safety will come soon and people will find their jobs. We have expe

S.Korean currency tumbles after Fed's rate hike

STORY: S.Korean currency tumbles after Fed's rate hike DATELINE: Sept. 22, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:32 LOCATION: Seoul CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. Various of screens showing exchange rate between U.S. dollar and the Korean won, The Korea Exchange (Yonhap TV) 2. Various of screens showing exchange rate between U.S. dollar and the Korean won, Kookmin Bank of Dealing Room (Yonhap TV) 3. Staff working in front of screens showing exchange rate (Yonhap TV) 4. Various file of U.S. dollars (Yonhap TV) STORYLINE: South Korea's currency tumbled on Thursday after U.S. Federal Reserve's rate hike led to a strong U.S. dollar. The won/dollar exchange rate finished at 1,409.7 won per dollar, up 15.5 won from the previous close. It marked the highest close in more than 13 years since March 2009 when the global financial crisis roiled financial markets across the world. The Fed took a giant step again overnight, raising its benchmark interest rate by 0.75 percentage points to a range of 3.00-3.25 percent. Expe

IMF staff approves second review of Argentina debt relief deal

STORY: IMF staff approves second review of Argentina debt relief deal DATELINE: Sept. 21, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:12 LOCATION: Buenos Aires CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of street views in Argentina 2. various of Argentine capital Buenos Aires 3. various of the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange STORYLINE: Technical staff of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Monday approved the second review of the organization's debt relief agreement with Argentina, paving the way for the South American country to access some 3.9 billion U.S. dollars in the coming weeks, the IMF said. "IMF staff and the Argentine authorities have reached staff-level agreement on the second review under Argentina's 30-month EFF (Extended Fund Facility) arrangement," the agency said in a press release. The approval corresponds to the government's fulfillment of quantitative program targets in the second quarter, the IMF said, adding "most... were met." The agreement is subject to the approval of the IMF Executive Board, which is expe

First grain-laden ship from Ukraine passes through Istanbul's Bosphorus Strait after inspection

STORY: First grain-laden ship from Ukraine passes through Istanbul's Bosphorus Strait after inspection DATELINE: Aug. 4, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:54 LOCATION: ISTANBUL, Türkiye CATEGORY: POLITICS/ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. STANDUP (English): ZEYNEP CERMEN, Xinhua reporter in Istanbul STORYLINE: STANDUP (English): ZEYNEP CERMEN, Xinhua reporter in Istanbul "The first grain-laden ship from Ukraine passed through Istanbul's Bosphorus Strait on Wednesday and continued to its destination after receiving a green light from the inspection team. Sierra Leone-flagged vessel Razoni, which sailed off from Ukraine's Odesa port, exited the Bosphorus Strait around 4:00 p.m. local time (1300 GMT). It took nearly two hours for the ship to pass through the 31 km long strait, which connects the Black Sea with the Marmara Sea. The vessel, which was inspected by a joint team of specialists in the morning before it could pass, was then escorted by boats belonging to the Turkish Coastal Guard through its entire passage. Razoni is expe

Syrian president makes 1st visit to Aleppo in 11 years

STORY: Syrian president makes 1st visit to Aleppo in 11 years DATELINE: July 9, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:26 LOCATION: Damascus CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad at the thermal station (courtesy: SYRIAN PRESIDENCY) 2. various of Syrian president talking to experts, technicians and workers (courtesy: SYRIAN PRESIDENCY) STORYLINE: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Friday paid his first visit to the country's economic and industrial hub Aleppo since the outbreak of the country's war 11 years ago, the state news agency SANA reported. Assad took part in the inauguration of a thermal plant and a water pumping plant in Aleppo, a major city in northern Syria that the government army took back from rebel fighters in late 2016. During his visit to the rehabilitated thermal plant, Assad blamed "Western forces led by the United States" for the devastation and destruction of the plant's facilities. Syrian experts, technicians, and workers repaired the plant with local expe

Bangladesh capital sees rush of Eid travelers

STORY: Bangladesh capital sees rush of Eid travelers DATELINE: May 2, 2022 LENGTH: 00:03:57 LOCATION: Dhaka CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of street view in Dhaka STORYLINE: The normally busy streets in the Bangladeshi capital saw less traffic on Friday morning, while millions of people were on the move at bus terminals, train stations and river ports. Dhaka residents are traveling to their hometowns this year to join the Eid festival celebration with their kith and kin in villages after the annual exodus had been stalled for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the Islamic holy fasting month of Ramadan, will be celebrated in Bangladesh on or around May 3 based on the sighting of the new moon. Some of the travelers have to sit on the rooftops of the trains when there are no more seats offered inside. The travel rush of millions of home-bound people could impact Bangladesh's entire transportation system during this Eid occasion, an expe

Breakthrough in 6-party talks not likely anytime soon, says expe

Breakthrough in 6-party talks not likely anytime soon, says expe

NEW YORK, United States - Dr. Gary Samore, vice president and director of studies on weapons programs at the Council on Foreign Relations, speaks in an interview with Kyodo News in New York on April 6. He said that a breakthrough in the six-party talks over North Korea's nuclear programs is not likely to come during the current U.S. administration. (Kyodo)

Power vacuum unlikely in N. Korea after Kim Jong Il's death: expe

Power vacuum unlikely in N. Korea after Kim Jong Il's death: expe

ATHENS, United States - Han S. Park, 72, a professor at the University of Georgia who has visited North Korea more than 50 times, talks about the country's prospects following the death of its leader Kim Jong Il during an interview with Kyodo News on Dec. 21, 2011 in Athens, Georgia. (Kyodo)