World Today China Plus

The center-right European People's Party scored a clear victory in the recent European Parliament election, tightening its grip on the chamber. But far-right forces made major gains across the bloc.
In France for example, the far-right National Rally raked in nearly a third of the votes, which prompted French President Emmanuel Macron to dissolve the National Assembly and call new legislative elections.
What factors could explain the rise of the right wing in European politics? What does the 2024 election mean for the EU moving forward? Host Liu Kun is joined by Chen Weihua, China Daily EU Bureau Chief based in Brussels; Dr. George Tzogopoulos, Director of EU-China Programs and Senior Research Fellow at European Institute of Nice; Mike Bastin, China observer and senior lecturer at the University of Southampton.

①Chinese Premier Li Qiang is in New Zealand for official visit. What does the future hold for bilateral relations? (00:41)
②The European Union will impose tariffs of up to 38% on Chinese-made electric vehicles. How will it impact China's EV industry? (12:39)
③Beijing says Washington's tightened suppression of China's semiconductor industry will not stop the country's technological advance. (24:33)
④The World Bank has upgraded its outlook for the global economy. What are the factors driving the slightly more optimistic outlook? (33:31)
⑤The 10th China International Technology Fair is in full swing. (43:37)

① Chinese Premier Li Qiang will visit New Zealand, Australia and Malaysia. What to expect? (00:42)
② The Group of Seven Leaders gather in Italy for an annual summit this week. What will be on top of the agenda? (12:52)
③ Hamas has responded to a US ceasefire proposal to end the war in Gaza, but Israel says the response is tantamount to a rejection. We discuss more on the fate of the ceasefire plan. (24:35)
④ China's consumer price index edged up 0.3 percent year on year in May. (33:13)
⑤ Latest survey shows trust in British politics hits record low. (43:00)

①The BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting takes place in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. How does the platform reflect the growing voice of the Global South? (00:40)
②The United Nations has endorsed a US-backed cease-fire plan to end the war in Gaza. How can it be enforced and implemented? (12:27)
③Iran has approved six candidates to run for president. What happens next? (24:36)
④China has selected ten candidates for the country's fourth batch of astronauts. (32:49)
⑤Apple unveils "Apple Intelligence" at the WWDC. (41:39)

①Far-right parties have made significant gains in the European Parliament elections. What does it mean for the future of the continent? (00:30)
②China's foreign trade up 6.3% in the first five months of 2024 (25:00)
③Israeli minister Benny Gantz has resigned from war cabinet. What's behind the decision? (35:46)
④How significant is the first International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations? (44:46)

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is extending his decade in power into a third term following his coalition’s victory in the country’s general election. However, for the first time, Modi will have to govern through a coalition, as his own party failed to secure a majority independently.
What will Modi’s new term mean for India’s domestic and foreign agenda?
Host Ding Heng is joined by Mike Liu, Vice President and Senior Fellow with the Center for China and Globalization; Gao Xirui, PhD candidate in political science at the University of Hong Kong; Mohammed Saqib, CEO of the Bureau of Research on Industry and Economic Fundamentals, a New Delhi-based consultancy.