Global Business on CGTN at 2023/12/25

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00:00 ♪ ("CGTN News Package," main theme, by Gari Media Group plays) ♪
00:07 >> This is CGTN, China Global Television Network.
00:19 ♪ ("CGTN News Package," main theme, by Gari Media Group plays) ♪
00:28 >> Live from London, this is "Global Business."
00:33 >> Hello, and welcome to the program. I'm Juliette Mann. Our top stories.
00:37 Palestinian officials say 250 people have been killed after one of the deadliest nights of bombardment in Gaza, as Israel fails to maintain military pressure.
00:47 A somber mood in Bethlehem. Streets are empty, shops are closed.
00:53 And festive celebrations are scaled back, as the conflict casts a shadow over the holy city.
00:58 Global shipping giant, Maersk, says it's resuming operations in the Red Sea, as the U.S. sends warships to safeguard the region.
01:07 China removes tariffs for some of Africa's most resource-rich countries, as Beijing looks to boost agricultural imports.
01:15 And the first Chinese-built cruise ship, the "Ship of Hope," is on the way to the Mediterranean.
01:22 The first Chinese-built cruise ship embarks on a trial voyage, showcasing the country's ambitions to take on maritime tourism.
01:29 Authorities in Gaza say at least 250 people have been killed in one of the deadliest nights of Israeli bombardment since the conflict with Hamas began.
01:51 At least 70 Palestinians were killed in an attack on the Benghazi refugee camp in central Gaza, while others died in an airstrike in the south of the strip.
01:59 The Israeli army says a fighter jet was involved in a mission to kill a Hamas commander in the city of Khan Yunis.
02:06 Our correspondent, Noor Harazin, is in central Gaza.
02:09 Well, yes, it was one of the deadliest days, the deadliest overnight.
02:16 Actually, we did not sleep during this night due to the continuous Israeli shelling and bombing, especially here in middle Gaza.
02:24 In a joint statement between the Palestinian health ministry here in Gaza and the Palestinian governmental media office,
02:31 they said that the death toll in Gaza over the past 24 hours is up to 250.
02:37 And let's talk about the highlights of this number.
02:42 In Khan Yunis, there were several Israeli strikes that hit central Khan Yunis, Dwar Sinia, other streets, Salah family home,
02:51 where 22 members of the family, mostly women and children, were killed.
02:57 Ten people are still under the rubble until now, after almost six hours after the Israeli strike,
03:04 as the paramedics and the civil forces are not able to rescue them under the rubble.
03:11 Al-Maghazi refugee camp was a massacre.
03:14 Actually, we were here inside the hospital when the ambulances started arriving with the dead bodies and the big number of people injured.
03:22 According to the Palestinian medical sources, 70 people were killed in the Israeli attack series of attacks on Al-Maghazi refugee camp overnight,
03:32 while hundreds were reported injured.
03:36 Let's talk about aid, food aid in particular, because there are reports that that aid isn't getting to those in the most need.
03:43 Well, yes, first of all, Egypt is allowing a very little number of humanitarian aid trucks to enter the Gaza Strip,
03:56 which is not enough to meet the needs of Gaza.
03:59 Here is what is happening. These trucks enter Gaza.
04:03 They mostly go to the UN storages in Rafah city and in West Khan Yunis.
04:09 And most of this aid is being distributed on the people in these areas, on the displaced people.
04:15 However, there is large areas around the Gaza Strip that are not getting any aid.
04:20 For example, here in middle Gaza, we're talking about the big city of Deir el-Balah and all the camps surrounding Deir el-Balah,
04:26 like Al-Maghazi refugee camp, Al-Puraj refugee camp, Al-Nusayrat refugee camp.
04:31 And actually, people who are residing in these camps are now evacuating their homes
04:35 and they are in dire need for any aid, any help.
04:40 However, the UN is not operating in this area, does not distribute much aid in these areas.
04:46 If people find anything in the market, it would be tenth the price.
04:51 Now, talking about northern Gaza, northern Gaza is like an isolated area from the Gaza Strip.
04:59 Since the last humanitarian troops expired, and since then, zero humanitarian aid entered northern Gaza.
05:08 And we're talking about around half a million people who are still inside northern Gaza.
05:13 They did not evacuate their homes, they are in dire need of water, food and the other supplies.
05:19 Israel's Prime Minister says military pressure in Gaza must be maintained
05:24 in order to free the remaining hostages held there.
05:28 Netanyahu is set to chair a meeting of Israel's war cabinet after Egypt drafted a new truce proposal.
05:33 Let's talk to Associated Press reporter Isabel de Bray, who is in Bethlehem for us.
05:37 Isabel, Prime Minister Netanyahu meeting with his war cabinet today.
05:42 Update us on what's been going on behind the scenes and where we are.
05:46 The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a very rare trip to Gaza City
05:57 and then he returned, as you mentioned, to address parliament in his speech.
06:00 He vowed to expand the ground offensive and he said that Israel would not stop until Hamas was defeated.
06:07 Now, we also heard from a senior Hamas official, Avzal Rishak.
06:11 He said that Hamas remained committed to fighting as long as Israel continued its ground offensive
06:17 and said it would not release hostages until Israel stopped its fire.
06:23 Now, some media outlets are interpreting these statements from Hamas as a rejection of this proposal by Egypt,
06:30 this three-phase proposal to end the war.
06:32 But I wouldn't be so quick to say that this is a statement that has been reiterated by Hamas over the past days,
06:38 even as there has been these negotiations behind the scenes.
06:42 For instance, we are seeing actually right now the head of Palestinian Islamic Jihad,
06:47 one of the militant groups in Gaza who was involved in the October 7th attack.
06:52 We are also in Cairo meeting with Egyptian mediators and that just comes a couple of days
06:56 after a very similar meeting happened between the political leader, Ismail Haniya,
07:01 the political leader of Hamas, and us, with Egyptian mediators.
07:04 And we've seen similar things on the Israeli side as well.
07:07 Now, what we're dealing with is that this proposal by Egypt is being floated and it's been widely reported.
07:14 We have not seen official responses by Israel, especially as it is very ambitious.
07:21 The first stage of the proposal outlines a two-week ceasefire,
07:24 as well as a limited exchange of Israeli captors for Palestinian prisoners.
07:28 But the next two stages are a bit more complicated.
07:31 It allows for the creation of a transitional government.
07:34 It allows for the complete withdrawal of Israel from the Gaza Strip.
07:39 And these are two things that Netanyahu's professed goals just simply do not allow for.
07:43 But that might change as public pressure mounts on his government.
07:48 And today we did see during that speech in Parliament, there were dozens of members of the families of hostages
07:54 that remained trapped in the Gaza Strip and they were heckling him, they were interrupting his speech,
07:58 and they were shouting, "Now, now!" to try to get their voices heard.
08:02 Elizabeth, I think we had some unfortunate timing there with the call to prayer.
08:06 If there's any way you can stand closer to the microphone or move it higher,
08:10 that would be helpful in case those prayers continue.
08:13 But we did capture most of what you had to say.
08:17 We're going to move on now from those diplomatic efforts to talk about the military side of things
08:21 and the IDF strikes on both Gaza and Lebanon because of all those incoming rockets. Tell us more.
08:28 Yes, so this has continued. Great timing as always.
08:39 This has continued in Gaza, the Israeli military strikes across the Gaza Strip,
08:45 as well as, you said, the Lebanon border has been heating up.
08:48 What has been happening is that there has been an exchange of fire that has actually escalated in recent days.
08:54 Yesterday and today we saw repeated strikes by Hezbollah and also Palestinian militant groups
09:00 that are based in southern Lebanon firing rockets at northern Israel.
09:05 No casualties because these communities have been evacuated already,
09:09 but actually a lot of damage on houses we saw today.
09:13 In response, the Israeli military said that it has launched very large-scale attacks on southern Lebanon,
09:18 targeting Hezbollah installations in particular.
09:21 We also saw a strike happen in Syria that was reported by Iranian state media,
09:28 and this was targeting an Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander who was near Damascus.
09:34 His name is Razi Mousavi, and he is a very important general
09:40 that was in charge reportedly of coordinating between Syria and Iran.
09:44 And even though Israel did not comment on this, as it never comments on its own strikes in Syria,
09:49 this does indicate that it continues to strike Iranian-linked targets on its border.
09:54 Isabel Debray, thank you very much.
09:58 That's Associated Press reporter Isabel Debray reporting from Bethlehem.
10:03 I'm going to stay in Bethlehem, where Christmas events have been scaled back
10:09 and the Holy City in the West Bank resembling a ghost town.
10:12 Tourists, marching bands and festive lights have been replaced with security forces.
10:16 This fighting continues in Gaza. Our correspondent Fungi Lai has more.
10:21 No festive lights, no colorful parade or soaring Christmas tree
10:27 at the birthplace of Jesus in Bethlehem.
10:30 Instead, the mood is somber.
10:34 The Bishop's Council decided not to make a big celebration as a sign of solidarity
10:39 with the victims of the war. We cannot do it in the streets.
10:43 So we need in this difficult time to strengthen our people by the prayer.
10:47 And we continue celebrating spiritually the Christmas, not outside, but inside our hearts.
10:54 About a mile from the Church of the Nativity, Shepherds Field is another significant holy site in Bethlehem,
11:01 where the angel first announced on Jesus' birth.
11:04 Usually around Christmas, it is packed with hundreds of groups of international pilgrims.
11:08 But this year, as you can see, they have been replaced by an abnormal tranquility,
11:13 reminding people of the impact of the conflict.
11:16 The repercussions are also being felt beyond the church steps.
11:20 Local vendors face a devastating loss of income.
11:23 Their large inventory in anticipation of a bustling holiday season, now at risk.
11:29 They open just for getting fresh air, because these wood carvings, you know,
11:33 they can't stay in the dark all the time, and the main source of income is tourists.
11:38 So people are suffering from this situation, and no jobs, no work, because of the lack of tourism.
11:44 Hotels in Bethlehem, boasting over 5,000 rooms, are usually fully booked during this peak season.
11:51 Safety concerns and travel restrictions are driving widespread cancellations.
11:57 Today, there are maybe six or seven rooms in each hotel.
12:01 More than half are closed. It's cheaper for them than they open,
12:05 because if they are open, they need four or five employees, and they don't get their money.
12:11 While a few tourists are still arriving, they remain wary.
12:15 Everywhere in Israel, also here, it's not stable.
12:21 We don't know what is happening.
12:25 Authorities say more than 70% of the local economy is tied to tourism.
12:30 They estimate a loss of about $200 million by year's end in some sectors.
12:35 It's about the aggression against our people in Gaza Strip.
12:39 Since that time, the tourism sector was stopped.
12:42 Even if we continue with having these celebrations, I believe that we will receive zero visitors,
12:49 because West Bank is under military closure, and Bethlehem is isolated now than other Palestinian cities.
12:58 Bethlehem's Christmas festivities have traditionally mirrored the state of Israeli-Palestinian relations.
13:05 It's widely believed economic recovery can only come with the arrival of real peace.
13:10 Fong-Yi Lei, CGTN, The West Bank.
13:14 Global shipping giant Maersk says it's preparing to resume operations in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden
13:20 after the US announced it will send warships to the region.
13:23 The Danish firm has been rerouting vessels around the Cape of Good Hope
13:27 after a series of attacks on commercial ships by Yemen's Houthi rebels.
13:31 The US says the naval mission will ensure safe passage through one of the most important global trade routes.
13:38 China has approved 105 video games for sale this month, the most in more than a year.
13:44 It's a welcome move for the country's gaming market,
13:46 which was hit by last week's announcement of spending limits for online games.
13:50 That prompted a sell-off in gaming company shares on Friday, with Tencent losing as much as 12%.
13:56 Japan's top automakers are investing more than $4 billion in Thailand
14:01 to help the Southeast Asian countries transition to electric vehicles.
14:07 Toyota, Honda, Isuzu and Mitsubishi are making the joint investment over the next five years
14:12 as Bangkok looks to shift from combustion engine vehicles to chargeable alternatives.
14:17 China has announced an additional $56 million in disaster relief
14:22 a week after its major earthquake that hit northwestern parts of the country.
14:27 At least 149 people were killed in Gansu, a neighbouring Qinghai province, when the 6.2 quake struck.
14:35 The tremor reduced homes to rubble and triggered heavy mudslides.
14:38 Temporary housing units are being set up and some local schools have resumed classes.
14:43 Volunteers are helping to restore a village in Jishishan County that was badly damaged by the earthquake.
14:50 Residents there have been struggling to put their lives back together.
14:53 Our correspondent Lu Siru reports.
14:56 Chenjia village is one of the worst hit regions in Jishishan County.
15:02 The earthquake has caught people off guard when it struck before the midnight of December 18.
15:07 It has damaged and flattened houses, homes of more than 2,000 residents here.
15:13 Locals say they have never experienced anything like this before.
15:17 Adobe houses are common in the villages of northeastern China.
15:28 But the memory of the earthquake that struck here is still fresh in Maga Hu's mind.
15:33 The happy memories he shared with his family are now replaced with flashbacks from that horrible night.
15:42 I was so scared.
15:57 I carried my grandson and put him here and then I came back to get my wife who had already fallen because things had collapsed onto her.
16:04 Ma Hemai is hardly able to recognize his home.
16:09 The door to his bedroom can no longer be opened and the electricity to his home remains cut off.
16:17 On the night of the earthquake, Hemai and his family had to climb through a window to escape into the darkness.
16:25 Among them, a 40-day-old baby and an 80-year-old woman.
16:29 Locals say 95 percent of the residents in Chenjia village are Muslims.
16:43 Their mosque has been badly damaged, so daily prayers have moved to the parking lot in front of the building, despite a freezing minus 10 degrees Celsius.
16:54 The mosque was built in 2002 and renovated in 2007. It was supposed to last longer.
17:01 It's too cold to pray outside and it will be too hot in the summer.
17:06 The damage to the mosque has really disrupted our life. We hope the government helps us to rebuild it soon.
17:12 22 people died on the night of the earthquake.
17:18 All of them have been dug out from the rubble by the bare hands of their neighbors and given a proper burial.
17:24 The imam of the village cried throughout recent prayers.
17:32 From the perspective of his religion, he says tears and an aching heart will make Allah protect them and their homeland.
17:44 The effect of the disaster is too big for people here, so I pray for the peace of these people, the peace of my country and that of the world.
17:53 We're all human beings, even though we have different religions and faiths.
18:00 When others suffer, we feel pain. When we suffer, others come to help us too.
18:05 The government has especially helped a lot after the earthquake. They've done a lot of work.
18:13 The village is currently filled with rescue teams from across China.
18:17 Government and volunteer groups have flooded here to help relocate villagers and rebuild their lives.
18:23 There's still a long way to go before things return to normal, but at least the locals know they're not alone.
18:30 Lu Sirei, CGTN, Jishishan County, Gansu Province.
18:35 Coming up on CGTN, Iran signs a new free trade deal with Eurasian partners in a bid to lessen the impact of Western sanctions.
18:44 Ever wondered what's the difference between a bear and a bull market?
18:56 Where are the cash cows?
18:59 And who are the lame ducks?
19:02 And what exactly are black swans, grey rhinos and unicorn companies?
19:11 Make sense of it all with Global Business, only on CGTN.
19:19 I think it should be more global cooperation.
19:23 I would like to hear more the voice of the developing countries.
19:31 Globalization has lifted more than a billion people out of poverty.
19:35 The green transition has to happen.
19:38 For China and the United States, our important powers in the world.
19:46 What unites us is much more than what divides us.
19:51 And I believe China is committed to this agenda.
19:56 Join me, Juliette Maran, to set the agenda at these times every weekend on CGTN.
20:02 Events have consequences. Words create impact.
20:10 One more offensive in a long line of battles that's been ongoing for more than a year.
20:15 Just got to be careful here with some gunshots.
20:17 The world today matters, but your world tomorrow.
20:23 The number of casualties is growing quickly.
20:25 Why this is one of the hardest hit towns in the region.
20:29 The world today, every day, on CGTN.
20:34 Welcome back.
20:43 Iran has signed a free trade agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union,
20:47 the bloc that includes Russia and four other former Soviet states.
20:51 The deal extends a three-year interim agreement that was first signed in 2018.
20:55 Let's get more on this with Dasha Chernysheva, who joins us now from Moscow.
20:59 Dasha, I need to find out more about this.
21:01 What's the deal? Who signed it? Tell us what's been announced.
21:05 Well, what we have seen in St. Petersburg was the signing of the free trade agreements
21:15 between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union.
21:18 Now, this is a very important step forward because it is replacing the temporary agreement with the permanent one.
21:25 Now, the Russian president says that in the context of integration of the Eurasian Economic Union and Iran,
21:33 it has a very important meaning because almost all categories of the goods produced in the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union
21:40 will have access now without any sort of duties to 90 million people who live in Iran.
21:48 The Russian president also said that the goods that will still have some tariffs, these tariffs will be reduced.
21:54 So, that has a significant potential for the increasing trade turnover between these countries.
22:00 But also, that means in the prospect that the logistics for these trade will also be beefed up
22:07 when it comes to creation of new trade routes.
22:10 We also understand that there will be a significant impact on the creation of the technology,
22:17 on the creation of signs behind these trades.
22:20 So, a lot has to be beefed up after this arrangement has been signed.
22:25 So, it's important in terms of reach and routes, important in terms of trade turnover and in technology.
22:31 What can it mean though for Moscow and other member states?
22:35 Well, obviously, we are expecting to see the increasing trade turnover from 6 billion US dollars in 2022 to around 19 billion US dollars.
22:50 That's the expectation forecast by the officials here that will be the trade turnover between the UAE, the Eurasian Economic Union and Iran.
22:59 We also understand that for business in the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union, that will mean that they will have almost zero import duties and export duties.
23:09 When it comes to the export of their goods from the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union to Iran,
23:14 they could have a significant increase in the income because of the lower tariffs.
23:19 And we understand that that will also be providing for the increase of the goods that are now being exported from these countries of the Eurasian Economic Union to Iran
23:33 and also from Iran to the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union.
23:37 So, the scope of those products will be growing.
23:40 And obviously, that is expected to benefit the peoples of the countries who reside in these countries.
23:46 Dessa Shonishova in Moscow, thank you.
23:49 Missions to Jupiter's icy moons and China's youngest ever crew blasting off to the space station.
24:02 Just a couple of the out of this world milestones this year.
24:05 I spoke to Professor James Head, who trained astronaut crews and took part in the Apollo Moon program about this year in space.
24:13 Well, you know, every year I tell my new students, this is the best possible time you could be going into planetary science.
24:19 And I'm thinking, wait, I say that every year, but it's absolutely true.
24:22 And 2023 was absolutely fabulous.
24:24 We launched Juice, the European Space Agency to the Jupiter system.
24:29 We have the Juno already there.
24:31 We have lunar reconnaissance orbit going on.
24:33 We have two Mars rovers, one Mars orbiter.
24:36 Great results from the Chinese rover on Mars, et cetera.
24:41 India broke the broke the curse, if you will, and was successful in landing China on three on the moon.
24:49 This is this is spectacular.
24:51 One of the best things is that China opened up its access to their China five lunar return samples to the international community.
25:00 And NASA approved U.S. funded investigators to actually apply for those samples.
25:06 So that's great news. But that's not all.
25:08 I mean, my gosh, the orbital things that were going on in Earth orbit.
25:11 We celebrated the 23rd anniversary, the 23rd anniversary of human presence in space with the International Space Station.
25:19 And Chen Cho, I mean, there were like fabulous missions.
25:22 That's the Chinese space station was was completed.
25:26 The youngest crew ever was set up.
25:29 Really great to see those 30 year olds.
25:31 I mean, why not? You know, that's the way that's the future.
25:33 So it was a fabulous time. I mean, I can't.
25:36 The only thing is that 2024 seems to be even better.
25:40 Well, let's talk about that. Let's talk about 20, 24, because the China in particular, it's set to be a big year for space.
25:47 You know, I'm really looking forward to the China six mission, which will be the first lunar sample return from the far side of the moon.
25:54 I work closely with my colleagues in China talking about the greatest landing sites and actually co-authored a paper with them on on the China six landing site.
26:04 So we're totally excited about that. The international community is just totally excited.
26:08 We don't have samples from the far side of the moon. That's half the moon.
26:13 And one of the things is, you know, when you go to the moon or space, you end up with a essentially a you basically carry your house with you.
26:22 It's really you need the protection. OK, so the spacecraft is the house.
26:26 And that's like a turtle. You know, turtles carry their house with them.
26:30 OK. And then you just curl up inside. But you can't do that if you're going to stay on the moon.
26:34 So we've been actually trying to understand how you can reduce the mass you have to take to the moon.
26:40 You don't want to take a lot of bricks and cinder blocks to the moon. So we've actually been doing research on bio bricks.
26:46 This is a bio brick. And basically, if you look at it, it's it's fairly low.
26:52 It's it would be grown inside to like on the moon. It's made up of mushrooms.
26:58 It's mycelium. So you take the spores, et cetera, the seeds, if you will, to the moon.
27:04 You mix them with water and other regolith and things like this. And you build these bio bricks.
27:09 So we're doing this research for the future of NASA to try to understand how we can reduce the upmass and build houses on the moon.
27:16 And this is really important because the other thing, the last thing is that when you do this,
27:22 we're actually looking at how you apply this to building houses on the earth so that we can reduce the catastrophe coming from international migration and things like that where people don't have a place to live.
27:32 So all of these applications really come back to the earth and help as well.
27:37 Well, 2023 was great for space, but it was a turbulent time in Tinseltown.
27:41 The Hollywood writers and actors strike brought the industry to a near standstill.
27:46 But on the bright side, it was the year of the movie theater with Barberheimer given a big box office boost.
27:53 Robin Dwyer spoke to entertainment journalist Karen Krzanich.
27:57 Well, what's happened with six months of almost every single crew person out of work is that there's a huge scramble now to try and get things back on because some productions went on hiatus.
28:09 Some were waiting. Other ones have just gone.
28:14 So the knock on effect is, number one, we've got a huge industry that's desperate for work and really in bad trouble as far as that goes.
28:22 But also the studios and smaller independents really wondering about where their money is going to go best and where they're going to optimize this need for new new new productions.
28:33 So what does that mean for next year? Are there going to be films that we thought we would see already that will come next year?
28:38 Or does it mean that things we thought we would see, we won't now be seeing?
28:42 Well, all of that, actually, you're right.
28:44 We may be wondering where Dune, the second part of Dune is and some other big blockbusters.
28:49 Well, the studios are not going to release these unless they've got other things in the pipeline.
28:54 So this is why they're holding back. And also the the actor strike where the films couldn't be promoted properly.
29:00 I mean, if you think about it, films are promoted by their actors.
29:03 At film festivals, we've had the designers and the directors talking, which has been really strange.
29:08 So Gower in London usually releases, puts up the release dates.
29:14 And all of this has been shifting.
29:16 So that was one big talking point of 2023.
29:19 The big movie talking point, if you like, two movies, one word, a Barberheimer.
29:26 In fact, there were T-shirts to that effect.
29:28 Yes, that's it's almost five hours of filmed entertainment, which really they were saying, you know, brought back the cinema.
29:36 If the people didn't want to come because of covid and because of streaming.
29:39 And in a way, it's done very, very well. Gerta Gerwig's Barbie has earned over one point eighteen billion dollars so far.
29:48 And it's still a delighting audiences all over the place.
29:50 And Oppenheimer, which is three hours of science and spectacular visuals, has done almost one billion itself.
29:59 It's been a phenomenon of brains and fun.
30:02 And a lot of people I've seen both. I've seen them more than once.
30:05 So do you think they did reignite a love for cinema in some way?
30:10 I think their event cinema and cinema really relies on that.
30:14 I mean, if we can sit home and watch an Amazon release or a Netflix release, it's not an event.
30:19 These were big events, particularly Oppenheimer was showed at IMAX and set some set some really good box office standards.
30:26 Yes, I think people wanted to go with their friends.
30:28 People were for Barbie were dressing up in pink and going, going several times with their children, with their mothers, with their friends.
30:35 And I think it did bring people back, not to pre covid levels.
30:39 We're not there yet, but we're getting there.
30:41 Perhaps away from the cinema, but staying with film.
30:44 I'm talking about streaming, always a stiff competition in the streaming wars.
30:49 Who's winning and who do you think will keep the crown next year?
30:54 Well, right now, Netflix is winning with a big lead and who was second, strangely, but he has a lot fewer subscribers.
31:01 I think Netflix releasing viewers data of billions of hours watched has been an eye opener.
31:08 That was one of the things that was that was demanded within the writer's strikes and the actor's strike.
31:12 They needed to see this data. And I think people are are going to have two things in mind.
31:19 They're going to I'm going to watch it streaming or I'm going to go to the cinema and see it there.
31:23 And maybe if I like it, I'll see it. I'll switch around.
31:26 So I think streaming is here to stay. I think it's like good television, like HBO used to be.
31:31 It still is. But I think the world is expanding of what's available for people to watch and film entertainment.
31:39 You're watching CGTN still ahead.
31:41 China removes tariffs for some of Africa's most resource rich countries.
31:45 Beijing looks to boost agricultural imports.
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34:25 Welcome back to global business with me, Juliet Man.
34:28 The headlines again.
34:29 A somber mood in Bethlehem.
34:31 Streets are empty, shops are closed and festive celebrations are scaled back as the conflict casts a shadow over the holy city.
34:39 The global shipping giant says it is resuming operations in the Red Sea as the U.S. sends warships to safeguard the region.
34:48 Six African nations have been granted tariff-free access to the Chinese market.
34:53 The countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, are some of the most resource-rich on the continent.
34:59 It is part of an initiative to strengthen ties with Africa and import more agricultural products.
35:05 Our correspondent, Robert Naguila, has more.
35:08 From the 25th of December, 2023, China says it will exempt 98% of taxable products from paying tariffs when accessing markets across mainland China from six African countries.
35:23 Among them are Madagascar, Mali, the Gambia and Angola.
35:27 Now, what this means is that almost all the products for export from these countries heading towards China will be exempt from paying things like duty, for example.
35:37 Now, it is not the first time that China is doing this.
35:40 On December 1st, 2022, last year, China exempted a number of African countries, low-income African countries, from paying tariffs for the goods that they were exporting.
35:51 And here we're talking about over, or rather close to 9,000 products accessing various Chinese markets across mainland China.
36:00 So this is a win for these African countries and a good Christmas present for them.
36:05 But more importantly, it goes to show the cooperation between China and Africa and how deeply cemented the friendship between these two sides is, not just in the past, in the present, but also moving forward.
36:20 Croatia is looking to attract more Chinese investments as the country recovers from an economic downturn caused by the pandemic.
36:28 CGTN's Aljosha Milenkovic has more.
36:31 A truck brings more equipment that is to be installed at the FACC construction site in Jakovje.
36:38 The Chinese-owned and Austria-based company has begun work on a $23 million expansion of its current factory near the Croatian capital, Zagreb.
36:48 And workers are busy as they have to finish everything by next summer.
36:53 The construction work here is in full swing. When finished, an additional 350 workers will find jobs in this building alone.
37:04 And they will produce parts for the interiors of Airbus, Boeing and Chinese Comac airplanes.
37:11 This is an extension to the current factory where 250 workers already produce parts of the interior for many passenger jets.
37:20 Interior panels, overhead compartments, they produce here everything besides the seats.
37:27 And now increased demand has created a need to expand production.
37:33 There are two motives for this expansion. The first is the increase of the capacity of the existing production.
37:41 And second is the increase of the production scope.
37:44 We will be ready for the expected production increased by the airplane manufacturers and we will be able to produce more parts for them.
37:53 FACC is just one example of successful Chinese investments in Croatia.
37:58 The China Road and Bridge Corporation opened its doors in 2018, winning the tender for construction of the Pejasac Bridge, the largest in Croatia.
38:08 Norinco's direct investment in a wind farm in the town of Senj, worth over 220 million US dollars, followed it.
38:16 But then Covid struck and things slowed a lot.
38:21 Now the Croatians have invited the Chinese to continue where they left off during the pandemic.
38:27 Croatia's attitude towards the Chinese investors is positive.
38:33 I would say that it would be good for Chinese investors to check Croatian market potential,
38:38 particularly in the areas of energy generation, infrastructure, logistics and railways.
38:47 Professor Novotny admits that the atmosphere surrounding Croatia and China collaboration is not as favorable as before,
38:54 mostly due to the political shifts inside the EU.
38:58 And he hopes that the summit in Beijing will help Croatia attract more joint projects with China, like the FACC factory.
39:07 Aljoša Milenković, CGTN, Jakovje.
39:11 Now many of you might have a favorite tipple, I know I do.
39:14 But not all of us go so far as growing our own grapes.
39:18 The Xu family are reaping the rewards of a bold move from China some 10 years ago to their own vineyard in Spain,
39:25 which has now grown into an award-winning business.
39:28 Our correspondent Ken Brown reports.
39:32 Harvest time at this historic Spanish vineyard.
39:35 With vines over 150 years old, some of Spain's finest wines are produced here.
39:42 It's also the first vineyard in the country owned and run by a Chinese family.
39:46 Xu Shuping went from falling in love with Spanish wine to exporting it to China
39:52 and finally putting down roots here in the famous Ribeiro del Duero region.
40:00 This journey began around 20 years ago.
40:04 For us Chinese at the time, it's fair to say that we couldn't tell the difference between a good and a bad wine.
40:13 To get where we are now has been a very difficult journey.
40:17 But we are still working hard, studying hard and learning every day.
40:24 Respecting the land and local traditions, they have enlisted expert wine grower Javier Balbas,
40:30 the fourth generation of his family, to grow these highly valued grapes.
40:34 Passion, vision and dedication have made the Xu family wines a success.
40:39 Their award-winning Alilian brand is sold in Michelin-star restaurants across Europe,
40:45 while European wine culture has also recently become a Chinese fascination.
40:50 Some put the burgeoning Chinese middle class at over 300 million people
40:55 and their thirst for high-end European products like olive oil and wine is on the rise too.
41:01 It's a market that could double by 2030.
41:04 Julián belongs to the next generation of the budding Xu family wine dynasty.
41:10 Born in Spain, he says that Spanish wines are now challenging established French and Italian labels in China for prestige.
41:18 Spanish wine is better valued for money than other European wines.
41:25 So it's becoming better known and that means more Chinese investment in production wine shops and quality wines here.
41:32 China is really catching up.
41:34 There are many wine experts, sommeliers and tasters who understand and appreciate the quality of our wine.
41:41 So we're beginning to focus a lot more on the Chinese market.
41:46 Julián says Alilian will soon sell 50% of its production in China,
41:51 part of the success story of Spain's international wine exports.
41:55 Sales are increasing by around 10% a year, according to the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade, or ISEX,
42:02 with China among the fastest growing markets.
42:05 For trailblazers like the Xu family, this year's harvest points towards a fruitful future.
42:11 Ken Brown, CGTN, Rivera del Duero.
42:15 Orthodox Christians in Ukraine are celebrating Christmas on December 25th for the first time.
42:21 The country has traditionally used the Julian calendar, which was also used by Russia, where Christmas falls on January 7th.
42:28 But in a further shift from Moscow, it's now marking the holiday according to the Western calendar.
42:33 Ukraine's President, Vladimir Zelensky, says the change unites the country.
42:38 Students are blocking the streets of Serbia's capital, Belgrade,
42:42 in protest against the results of last week's election, which the opposition claims was rigged.
42:48 Dozens of anti-government demonstrators were arrested on Sunday after they tried to smash their way into City Hall.
42:54 Riot police responded with tear gas.
42:56 International observers say the ruling party of President Alexander Vucic gained an unfair advantage through media bias and vote buying.
43:04 Vucic has dismissed the allegations.
43:07 A summer hailstorm has brought a different kind of white Christmas to the Australian state of New South Wales.
43:15 Hailstones the size of golf balls have covered lawns in the central tablelands.
43:20 But some residents reported slashed windows, damaged solar panels and dented cars.
43:25 Severe thunderstorms are heading east, bringing more rain and rough conditions to Sydney.
43:30 China's capital has seen its coldest December in more than 70 years when records began.
43:36 Beijing experienced nine consecutive days of frigid temperatures below minus 10 degrees Celsius.
43:42 Persistent cold weather has put energy supplies under strain.
43:45 It's been a year of extremes in the capital.
43:47 Six months ago, Beijing recorded its hottest ever day in June.
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44:04 Since his first trip to China in the 1990s,
44:09 Michel Garaci has witnessed the re-emergence of a global economic superpower first hand.
44:14 The former Italian Undersecretary of State believes there's much in common between the two countries
44:19 and hopes the Belt and Road Initiative will continue to be mutually beneficial.
44:24 I'm Michel Garaci, Italian. I'm the former Undersecretary of State for Italy, responsible for trade.
44:32 I'm also a professor of finance at both Nottingham University and New York University in China.
44:40 My first visit was in early 90s.
44:46 So about 25 years ago, just as China was going through the transformation of its economy,
44:54 and it was indeed an experience to see China and memories I have was in Shanghai,
45:03 cranes, highways being built, noise and dust.
45:07 You could feel that the city was going through a complete change.
45:14 The Beijing Olympics in 2008, I think was one of the most amazing times in China's history.
45:22 I talked to many people, journalists, even athletes. I saw them very surprised.
45:27 I think they had an idea that China was still a developing country in the sense that we used to think
45:32 when we look at the south of the world, and instead they saw highways, high-rise buildings,
45:39 a fantastic bird's nest, the Olympic infrastructure was first class in the world.
45:45 And so they suddenly woke up to the idea that China was coming out of Asia and becoming an economic power.
45:51 In the last 10 years I've been living almost permanently in China,
45:58 in a way lucky enough to see a transformation of many industries, for example, the transport sector.
46:06 Ten years ago there were only 100 kilometers of high-speed train.
46:10 Today there is about 40,000 kilometers.
46:13 I've seen not just the development of this hardware,
46:18 but also the change of the way people live, think and work in China,
46:23 thanks to the development of this infrastructure.
46:26 So I'm a big fan as an economist of seeing transport be the driver of the future.
46:34 Be the driver of economic growth and transformation.
46:37 And this is what we're trying to also do here in Italy.
46:41 So in 2018 I became Under Secretary of State.
46:51 And I was called by the Vice Premier of Italy at the time, Salvini,
46:57 because of my knowledge and experience in China.
47:01 I was the one that really pushed for Italy to join the Belt and Road,
47:05 because I did see the benefit for Italy to cooperate with Chinese companies.
47:09 And we signed a Memorandum of Understanding between China and Italy,
47:13 the so-called MOU on the Belt and Road,
47:16 which basically sets a framework for Italian and Chinese companies to work together,
47:22 cooperate together on development of infrastructure.
47:26 When the President Xi came to Italy, I actually met him several times, a couple of dinners.
47:31 He also came to my hometown Palermo.
47:34 We had the chance the day before to engage on a business, government-government side,
47:41 and the day after to be more relaxed in a different setting, almost as tourists.
47:47 Being able to speak Chinese with him, his wife and the whole family,
47:52 added an extra layer in the friendship.
47:55 The significance of the Belt and Road today, in my view,
48:04 is almost the same as the one when Marco Polo went to China.
48:08 You know, the geography hasn't changed.
48:10 Italy is still, as it was a hundred years ago, at the center of the Mediterranean.
48:16 Italy is still the country that has one of the longest coastlines, so it's open to trade, port.
48:23 So it's a natural terminal of the Belt and Road now, as it was during Marco Polo's time.
48:29 So I thought that signing the Belt and Road for Italy was a natural crowning, let's say,
48:37 of what people many years ago started doing, to stimulate trade.
48:43 Just as it was done before.
48:46 If Italy were to leave the Belt and Road, there would be disastrous economic consequences.
48:54 Italy sells to China about 50, 50 billion US dollars of goods.
49:00 That's about 2.5, 3% of our GDP.
49:07 None of us analysts believe that if Italy were to do this wrong move, to exit the Belt and Road,
49:14 the relation could continue as before.
49:17 That's not the case. It's like telling a girlfriend, "We split up, but we will be friends."
49:22 It's kind of not something you want to bet on.
49:25 I think that the relationship between Italy and China is very important.
49:33 I think that the relationship between Italy and China will continue to flourish in the long term,
49:39 because it's a natural partnership.
49:43 Italy's biggest competitor is France, and then Germany.
49:48 They are both customers and competitors, because we produce their goods, manufacturing, machinery,
49:53 all fashion, food and wine.
49:56 We compete on ports, between Italian ports and Hamburg.
50:00 China is far away, and the rest of Asia and Africa are far away from Italy geographically.
50:06 That allows us to have a prosperous relationship without being direct competitors.
50:12 I continue my job in between politics and academia,
50:20 which I think is a nice area to be in, because on one hand you have the time and the freedom
50:26 to analyze possibilities, opportunities, challenges.
50:30 At the same time, I can help them understand a little bit more about China.
50:36 I think with the increase of understanding, like we do in finance,
50:41 you lower the perception of risk.
50:44 When you lower the perception of risk, you increase the propensity to do things together.
50:48 And this is the goal.
50:50 The Chinese Maritime Tourism Organization
50:56 You're watching CGTN Still Ahead.
51:02 The first Chinese-built cruise ship embarked on a trial voyage,
51:05 showcasing the country's ambitions to take on maritime tourism.
51:16 Events have consequences. Words create impact.
51:20 Unprecedented scenes that we saw.
51:23 The clean-up operation is now well and truly underway.
51:26 Parts of southern Europe remain in a state of emergency.
51:29 Context gives meaning. People make history.
51:33 Far more than a thousand people have come here today.
51:37 But authorities are still on high alert.
51:39 So now we've actually become the border on this road.
51:42 A complex world demands a comprehensive view.
51:46 But with the clean-up efforts more or less under control,
51:49 the economic impact is bound to ripple across the country.
51:52 There's plastic pollution everywhere.
51:55 Because the world today matters for your world tomorrow.
51:59 This is the living area of the crew.
52:01 The focus is firmly on future technologies.
52:04 Well, this is something completely different.
52:07 The world today, every day, on CGTN.
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52:55 Welcome back.
52:56 China's first domestically built large cruise ship,
52:59 the Adora Magic City, set off on its trial voyage over the weekend.
53:03 It was carrying invited guests and nearly 1,300 crew members from all around the world.
53:08 The cruise ship will have one more trial operation
53:11 before setting sail on its first commercial journey at the start of January.
53:15 Our correspondent Lily Liu reports.
53:17 At this moment, Adora Magic City has officially sailed off
53:21 from its home port in Shanghai on its first trial voyage.
53:25 There will be a second trial voyage before January the 1st
53:28 when the cruise ship has its maiden trip.
53:32 And as we sail off, I could barely feel any movements
53:35 because the stabilizer technology is just among the many technological difficulties
53:40 that China's shipbuilder has tackled to build this magnificent vessel.
53:45 It's a very nice vessel, very nice.
53:47 It has all the latest technology, all very good quality.
53:51 The vessel is very stable. It's strong.
53:55 I was here for both sea trials when we tested all the systems,
53:59 so I'm very pleased with the ship.
54:01 The Adora Magic City is gaining widespread attention for its contemporary design,
54:06 extensive entertainment facilities, and attentive service,
54:10 promising passengers an unparalleled nautical experience.
54:14 I believe the allure of cruise ships lies in their all-in-one travel experience,
54:20 covering everything from breakfast to entertainment to shopping.
54:24 It saves time and fulfills all our travel needs.
54:28 The cruise has 2,125 luxury rooms and suites
54:33 and can accommodate 5,246 guests when fully loaded.
54:39 As the trial operation sets sail,
54:41 the Adora Magic City is poised to become a shining beacon for China's cruise industry,
54:46 attracting a multitude of travelers eager to embark on a splendid voyage
54:51 abroad this magnificent vessel,
54:53 optimizing the dreams and aspirations of domestically produced cruise ships.
54:58 Bilili, CGTN, Shanghai.
55:01 Guide dogs have been helping blind and disabled people for over a century,
55:06 but the knock-on effects from the pandemic mean long wait times for those in need
55:10 since the animals require months of specialist training.
55:13 Kitty Logan reports.
55:15 Fetch phone.
55:17 Meet Alex. He can pick a phone up off the floor
55:21 and hand over a walking stick.
55:23 Mind your brother. Thank you.
55:26 Fresh from nine months of specialist training,
55:29 Alex is now getting the hang of helping his new owner.
55:32 He presses buttons, like access buttons, lift buttons, so he can call the lift.
55:38 His favorite thing is loading and unloading the washing machine,
55:42 putting it into the dryer.
55:44 Amanda is a former police officer injured in the line of duty.
55:48 Alex is her second assistance dog, giving her more freedom.
55:52 One of the biggest things is I started to feel more like myself
55:56 because I became independent, I was going out,
55:59 I didn't need people to help me in the shops with as much things.
56:04 Alex will take things off the bottom shelf and hand it to me that I can't reach,
56:08 so I didn't need to be reliant on people as much.
56:12 The Support Dogs charity carries out the training and pairs dogs with owners.
56:17 It's a long process, starting with socializing young puppies.
56:21 And then they move to us at full-time training, about 14, 15 months old,
56:26 and then we do full-time training at school, and they usually go out about two,
56:30 so it takes up to two years.
56:32 The charity counts on volunteers for fostering during this time,
56:35 but there aren't enough to meet the increased demand.
56:38 We have around about 5,000 requests for us to work every year,
56:43 and when you consider we've probably got about 100 working support dogs at the moment in the UK,
56:49 there's a big gap there.
56:53 But there is also huge potential for dogs to change lives.
56:57 A dog like Millie can be trained to support people suffering from epilepsy,
57:01 children with autism, and the disabled.
57:04 And even if I ask nicely, she might pick up my phone.
57:08 Millie, pick up, pick up.
57:10 Thank you so much.
57:12 The general shortage of assistance dogs is having serious consequences,
57:17 with wait times of around 16 months for blind people.
57:21 The charity Guide Dogs says it is slowly recovering from pandemic-related breeding delays.
57:27 And elsewhere, work is being done to find out if dogs could support a wider range of health issues.
57:33 And weekly, we're getting a lot of interest from people that have got these medical conditions
57:39 that we specialise in and other medical conditions that they're contacting us about
57:43 to see whether we can train a dog to support them or to alert them.
57:48 And of course, dogs also offer unconditional comfort when their owner needs it most.
57:54 Kitty Logan, CDTN, Sheffield.
57:58 Now, what better way to burn off the Christmas calories than to head out for a run?
58:03 Well, thousands of people check out the unofficial Santa dress code.
58:07 It turned out in the Spanish capital Madrid for an annual charity race.
58:12 There was even a guest appearance by St. Nicholas himself,
58:16 setting the pace for the quickest runners in his sleigh.
58:19 This year's event raised money for the International Red Cross.
58:24 The headlines again. A sombre mood in Bethlehem.
58:27 The streets are empty, shops are closed, and festive celebrations have scaled back
58:31 as the conflict casts a shadow over the holy city.
58:35 Global shipping giant Maersk says it's resuming operations in the Red Sea
58:39 as the U.S. sends warships to safeguard the region.
58:43 And China removes tariffs for some of Africa's most resource-rich countries.
58:48 Beijing looks to boost agricultural imports.
58:52 That's it for Global Business Europe on Christmas Day. Thanks for watching.
58:56 More on all of our stories at europe.cgtn.com.
58:59 And do follow CGTN Europe on Facebook and Instagram and TikTok.
59:03 Coming up next on CGTN, it's Africa Live.
59:06 But we'll see you again tomorrow, same time, same place, from all the team here in London.
59:11 Season's greetings and goodbye.
59:14 ♪ ♪