World Today China Plus

The Indian population, the largest of the world today, has been going to the polls for the country's 2024 general election. The voting will span several weeks and results are expected in early June.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third term. His team has rolled out an ambitious scheme named "2047 Viksit Bharat," or Developed India, which aims to elevate India into a developed nation by 2047. A group of opposition parties, led by the Indian National Congress, are challenging Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies.
What are Modi's chances of winning? How will the Indian election influence regional and global geopolitics? Host Liu Kun is joined by Dr. Rong Ying, Senior Research Fellow at China Institute of International Studies; Swaran Singh, Professor of International Relations at Jawaharlal Nehru University; Dr. Lee Pei May, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the International Islamic University Malaysia.

①US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has urged Hamas to accept a ceasefire agreement. But are the truce talks at a standstill? (00:39)
②China expresses firm opposition to unilateral US sanctions against Chinese companies over the war in Ukraine. (13:42)
③Solomon Islands lawmakers have elected Jeremiah Manele as the new prime minister. What will be at the top of the new government’s agenda? (24:59)
④What's behind the Federal Reserve's decision to keep interest rates unchanged? (33:41)
⑤Personnel exchanges between China and France surge over 200% since the start of this year. (43:10)

①Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas have met in China for talks on potential reconciliation. What contributions could China bring to the table? (00:44)
②Why is Japan's yen falling?
③South Korea discusses joining part of the AUKUS pact with the US, Britain and Australia. How might that impact regional security and stability?
④Argentina's lower house approves Javier Milei's budget-slashing bill.
⑤G7 to phase out coal-fired power plants by 2035

①Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay state visits to France, Serbia and Hungary. What to expect? (00:39)
②Foreign Ministers of Argentina, Bolivia and Peru are visiting China this week. What issues are on the top of their agenda? (14:31)
③US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is on a trip to the Middle East. Will the trip help achieve a ceasefire in Gaza? (24:34)
④China's manufacturing activity edges down in April. (34:01)
⑤Tesla reported struck a deal with Baidu for its mapping and navigation functions. (43:37)

① Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets Tesla CEO Elon Musk in Beijing. What message does the meeting send out?
② China's tech-driven NEVs wow global attendees at Beijing auto show.
③ Israel says it may delay assault on Rafah in exchange for hostages. What are the main challenges there in reaching such an agreement?
④ Pro-Palestinian campus protests are spreading from the US to Europe.
⑤ US economy grew slower than expected at the start of 2024.

Meeting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Beijing, President Xi Jinping called for seeking common ground and reserving differences. Xi also warned against the US saying one thing to China but doing the opposite, noting that the two countries should be partners rather than rivals. In a separate meeting, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the US and China face a choice between stability and a downward spiral in their relations. What does Blinken’s visit tell us about the current trajectory in US-China ties? Can the two sides find a way to get along?
Host Ding Heng is joined by Clifford Kiracofe, Washington-based author and former Senior Professional Staff Member of the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations; Bo Kong, Co-Director of the OU Institute for US-China Issues, University of Oklahoma; Zhao Hai, Director of International Political Studies at the National Institute for Global Strategy.