China to lead 2026 APEC with focus on openness, innovation, cooperation

China has forecast over 2 million daily cross-border trips during Spring Festival, a 14% rise from last year, as more foreign visitors are joining the celebrations (01:02). Iran's foreign minister says a nuclear deal with the U.S. is achievable, while President Trump insists Washington will continue talks to reach an agreement (11:12). China's agricultural machinery is gaining ground in Brazil, boosting productivity from coffee plantations to family farms (24:07).

China rolls out a nationwide "Happy Spring Festival Shopping" campaign, aiming to boost consumer spending over the New Year holiday (06:27). China has successfully completed a launch test of its new-generation heavy-lift rocket and crewed spacecraft, marking a significant step forward in its lunar program (13:54). The Epstein files continue to spark global fallout, with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick facing calls to resign, while in Europe the scandal has toppled senior officials and implicated royals (20:56).

China's latest white paper highlights Hong Kong's national security efforts and achievements under "One Country, Two Systems (01:07)."The Munich Security Conference has issued a report, warning that the world has entered a period of "wrecking-ball" politics (13:36). The Kitchen God Festival, or Little New Year, is celebrated across China with parades, folk performances, markets, and community feasts that bring warmth and joy (25:23).

The high court in Hong Kong has sentenced Jimmy Lai to a 20-year prison term for his role in anti-China riots in the city (01:07). A senior diplomat says China will help boost Asia-Pacific cooperation and advance regional economic integration, as the APEC China Year kicks off in Guangzhou (07:17). China records about 1.4 billion passenger trips in the first week of the Spring Festival travel rush (36:51).

Nuclear talks between Iran and the U.S. are underway in the capital of Oman, the first meeting since Washington joined Israel's 12-day bombing of Iran last June (01:01). The Chinese mainland has spoken highly of the resumption of a think tank forum between the Communist Party of China and the Chinese Kuomintang (13:36). The last nuclear arms control treaty between Russia and the U.S. has expired (25:02).

The Chinese president has held separate calls with the U.S. and Russian leaders, urging stable ties with Washington, while calling for deeper China-Russia cooperation to uphold the UN-centered world order (01:03). The UN chief warns that the expiry of the U.S.-Russia New START treaty poses a serious risk to global security (18:43). China's new "Export to China" program aims to boost imports and widen access to its consumer market (40:23).

Chinese authorities say this year's No.1 central document outlines several key tasks and supporting measures to advance agricultural and rural modernization (01:42). A report says China remains a top destination for global investors, with foreign enterprises fueling its innovation ecosystem (37:37). Reports say that the Iran-U.S. nuclear talks, originally planned for Turkiye, will take place in Oman on Friday, a venue preferred by Tehran, amid tensions after a U.S. warplane downed an Iranian drone (24:06).

The Chinese and Uruguayan presidents have met in Beijing to deepen their strategic partnership and expand trade and investment cooperation (01:07). Beijing has hosted a key interparty exchange for the first time in nine years to discuss cross-Strait cooperation (11:45). The U.S. and Iran will hold nuclear talks in Istanbul, with both sides signaling readiness for diplomacy while warning of serious consequences amid heightened military tensions (22:41).

The Uruguayan president is in Beijing for a week-long state visit, becoming the first Latin American leader to visit China in 2026 (01:05). Iran's supreme leader has warned that a U.S. attack would trigger a regional war, as President Donald Trump said he hopes for a deal despite rising military pressure (10:43). China's 2026 Spring Festival travel rush is underway, driving a surge in travel demand as people return home for the holiday (36:47).

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer addresses the U.K.-China Business Forum in Beijing, saying it's important to maintain dialogue and cooperation with China (01:05). Iran says it will hold live-fire exercises on Sunday and Monday in the Strait of Hormuz (14:56). U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order threatening new tariffs on countries supplying oil to Cuba (24:08).