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00:00 [Music]
00:19 [Music]
00:31 Live from London, this is The World Today.
00:35 Hello, I'm Paul Barber. Our top stories this hour,
00:38 China and France celebrate 60 years of diplomatic ties,
00:42 with pledges to welcome a new era in their relationship.
00:46 Our other headlines, several countries cut funding for the UN's Palestinian agency,
00:51 as it investigates claims staff took part in the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel.
00:57 Meanwhile, there are claims that Gaza's biggest hospital is close to collapse,
01:02 amid heavy fighting around the city of Khan Yunis.
01:05 [Music]
01:13 Xi Jinping says he wants China's relations with France to forge ahead into the future,
01:19 as the presidents of both nations exchanged congratulatory messages
01:23 on this, the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties.
01:26 Both leaders emphasize the importance of global peace and security,
01:30 with France's President Macron calling for positive vitality in taking further steps in cooperation,
01:37 and President Xi highlighted the value of dialogue and international diplomacy over the last 60 years.
01:43 Back in 1964, France became the first major Western power
01:47 to establish diplomatic ties with the People's Republic of China.
01:51 Events are being held in France to mark the anniversary,
01:54 and our correspondent Li Jianhua is in the town of Columbey-les-Deux-Eglises,
01:59 which is the hometown of the late French President Charles de Gaulle.
02:03 Exactly 60 years ago, China and France established diplomatic ties,
02:09 and today, for the commemoration, the Charles de Gaulle memorial has become the focal point.
02:14 And why Charles de Gaulle?
02:16 He first recognized China in 1964 to the surprise of his Western allies,
02:22 and he justified this at the time by, quote, "by the weight of evidence and weight."
02:28 And today, dignitaries from both nations, France and China, have gathered here to mark the occasion,
02:34 including the Chinese ambassador to France, Lu Xiaoyue,
02:37 the great-granddaughter of Charles de Gaulle and some other French senators.
02:41 And they laid flowers at the grave of Charles de Gaulle
02:44 and also paid tribute to the cross of Lorraine just behind me,
02:48 which is the symbol of a free France during the Second World War.
02:52 And Chinese ambassador to France, Lu Xiaoyue, said that both countries
02:57 should work together to promote multipolarization.
03:01 Over recent decades, China and France have combined efforts to tackle global challenges.
03:07 Not only has this contributed to the development of both nations and the well-being of both peoples,
03:12 it has also promoted global multipolarity and democratization of international relations.
03:19 Paul-Nicolas Lacroix, the president of the memorial, said that Charles de Gaulle was a visionary
03:24 whose ideas are still quite relevant today.
03:27 And, Zhenhua, the two countries have outlined key areas for cooperation this year. What are those?
03:33 2024 marks the year of culture and tourism between China and France.
03:41 And we know that China implemented the 15-day visa-free policy
03:46 for a couple of European countries, including France.
03:50 So, definitely this year we're going to see a series of commemorative events
03:54 featuring cultural exchanges between the two countries.
03:57 And today, in the morning, the presidents of both countries sent each other congratulatory letters.
04:04 President Xi Jinping said that both parties should shoulder more responsibilities
04:08 in safeguarding peace, stability and prosperity of the world.
04:12 Mao Kongh said he's willing to work with President Xi Jinping
04:15 to open a new era of China-France relations by promoting bilateral economic and trade ties
04:22 and cultural and youth exchanges and finding solutions to the global challenges at this point.
04:27 And we know that two countries have enjoyed extensive cooperation over the six decades
04:33 in a slew of sectors, including the auto industry, the aviation sector, the civil nuclear energy
04:39 and tackling climate change.
04:41 And Mao Kongh has been urging Europe to follow the policy of strategic autonomy,
04:47 which means to maintain ties with China rather than align too closely with the US amid China-US tensions.
04:55 Lee Jan Hua, France's announcement in 1964 that it was establishing diplomatic ties with China surprised the world.
05:03 It's seen as having jump-started China's rise on the global stage.
05:07 Tony Waterman looks back now at the decades.
05:11 It took just 45 Chinese characters to change the course of history.
05:17 This is the original 1964 communique announcing China and France were establishing formal diplomatic relations.
05:27 It came as a surprise even to French ministers. The decision was described as bold.
05:34 Then President Charles de Gaulle said that it seemed abnormal to him not to maintain relations
05:39 with the most populous country in the world, one of the countries destined to carry a great deal of weight.
05:46 It would take another decade before France's Western peers like Germany, Spain and the United States followed suit.
05:56 During that time, ties between Beijing and Paris deepened and expanded.
06:02 Georges Pompidou became the first European leader to visit China in 1973, a visit returned by Deng Xiaoping just two years later.
06:13 It was the first official visit by a Chinese leader to a major Western country.
06:19 But Deng already had a deep connection to France, having lived and worked in the country as a young man.
06:26 France also had a kind of special place in a lot of the Chinese imagination.
06:31 Deng joins the Communist Party in France for the first time.
06:34 I mean, there's there's very direct, direct relationship between the growth of Chinese nationalism and Chinese communism and France.
06:43 In the decades since, China has become France's third largest trading partner, topping one hundred and eight billion dollars in 2022.
06:52 The nations are also key allies on nuclear energy, aeronautics and fighting global challenges like climate change.
07:00 These relations have had their ups and downs.
07:05 There have been a few bad moments depending on the period.
07:08 But in the end, I think the two partners have always tried to be as pragmatic and effective as possible in finding areas of convergence and collaboration.
07:19 During President Emmanuel Macron's state visit to China last year, President Xi Jinping hailed the relationship
07:26 as the world undergoes profound historical changes.
07:31 That relationship goes far beyond economics and policy.
07:35 Some 30,000 Chinese students study in France every year while French students are learning Mandarin in school.
07:43 France has also become a popular destination for Chinese tourists.
07:47 More than two million visited the country before Covid.
07:51 And while their return has been slower than expected, 2024 has been dedicated as the official year of French Chinese cultural tourism.
08:01 A number of artistic performances are planned in both countries throughout the year, including a concert at France's most famous palace, Versailles.
08:11 Another sign of an enduring partnership that started with a surprise communique 60 years ago.
08:18 Tony Waterman, CGTN, Paris, France.
08:23 To mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties, as Tony just told us, this year is also the China-France year of culture and tourism.
08:32 On this week's agenda, coming up shortly here on CGTN, Juliette Manouette, the Musée Guimet in Paris,
08:38 Europe's largest collection of Chinese art, to talk to the museum's director, Yannick Lentz.
08:44 Chinese art is very inspiring. What I learned with Chinese art is that you understand how Chinese art was more or less at the origin of many, many types of arts, of inspiration for all the Middle East, all the Western Asia.
09:10 Of course, we always speak about the Silk Road, but the roads in the world are very important to influence countries through art, of course.
09:25 And we see that the techniques, the material, the iconography are very, very inspiring.
09:40 They were very inspiring for many artists during the ancient time, but also during the Middle Age until now.
09:52 And you can see more of that interview on a special edition of the agenda right after the World Today at 16.30 GMT here on CGTN.
10:02 And coming up after a short break, Palestinian officials urge countries to maintain support for the UN's agency in Gaza, following claims that some staff were involved in the Hamas attacks.
10:20 Ever wondered what's the difference between a bear and the bull market?
10:25 Where are the cash cows? And who are the lame ducks?
10:31 And what exactly are black swans, grey rhinos, and unicorn companies?
10:43 Make sense of it all with Global Business, only on CGTN.
10:50 I think it should be more global cooperation.
10:54 I would like to hear more the voice of the developing countries.
11:00 Globalization has lifted more than a billion people out of poverty.
11:06 The green transition has to happen. It's a necessity.
11:10 For China and the United States, our important powers in the world.
11:16 What unites us is much more than what divides us.
11:21 And I believe China is committed to this agenda.
11:25 Join me, Juliette Maran, to set the agenda at these times every weekend on CGTN.
11:35 Events have consequences. Words create impact.
11:40 One more offensive in a long line of battles that's been ongoing for more than...
11:44 Just got to be careful here with some gunshots. Excuse us, excuse us.
11:48 The world today matters, but your world tomorrow.
11:52 The number of casualties is growing quickly.
11:54 This is one of the hardest hit towns in the region.
11:58 The world today, every day, on CGTN.
12:04 [Music]
12:09 Welcome back. A reminder of our headlines.
12:12 China and France celebrate 60 years of diplomatic ties with pledges to welcome a new era in their relationship.
12:19 [Music]
12:30 Several countries have paused funding for the United Nations Agency for Palestinians...
12:34 over allegations that some of its staff took part in the Hamas attacks in Israel on October 7th.
12:41 The agency says it's fired several people and ordered an investigation after information supplied by Israel.
12:48 Hamas killed at least 1,300 people in the unprecedented attack...
12:52 which prompted Israel to launch its current offensive in Gaza.
12:55 Palestinian officials warn the funding cuts will create significant risks.
13:00 Associated Press correspondent John Gambrel has more from Jerusalem.
13:04 We don't really know the specifics of these allegations.
13:07 What we do know is the UN agency, it's known by the acronym UNRWA, which provides aid to the Palestinians...
13:15 fired these employees, didn't identify them, didn't give a number, didn't say where they worked...
13:20 but said that it came off these Israeli allegations that they took part in the October 7th Hamas attack on Israel...
13:27 that sparked this entire war that we see now in the Gaza Strip.
13:30 The Americans have come out and said that there were 12 individuals who were fired from the UN Palestinian Agency.
13:37 The U.S. has temporarily paused additional funding to the agency.
13:41 This is really important because the U.S. actually provides the majority of the funding for this agency...
13:47 which sees teachers, doctors, nurses, medical professionals and others work with the Palestinians...
13:53 in refugee camps and other areas where the Palestinians live, providing them aid.
13:58 And Israel has long had a very tense relationship with this agency.
14:03 There's been a lot of back and forth over the years, particularly in the last couple of days...
14:07 where this agency had accused Israeli tanks of firing and hitting a facility that was in Ham Yonis...
14:13 killing nine people, hiding in that facility along with hundreds of others...
14:17 trying to stay away from the fighting that's really gripped that southern Gaza Strip town.
14:23 So, altogether, we still don't know what's going on exactly...
14:27 but given the fact that Israel has felt so strongly about this and we've seen this reaction...
14:31 from both the UN as well as these countries around the world...
14:35 it just shows how seriously everyone is taking it.
14:38 But we're still waiting for more information that has yet to be released.
14:41 Meanwhile, John, more strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen and another attack on a ship.
14:46 What more can you tell us about that?
14:49 It was a busy 24 hours when it comes to the ongoing conflict with the Houthis.
14:54 The Houthis, as you'll remember, have been attacking ships since November...
14:57 over Israel's war on Hamas and the Gaza Strip.
15:00 The Houthis claim these attacks are trying to pressure the Israelis to stop the war...
15:04 to allow aid to get in, but the ships being attacked are becoming increasingly tenuously linked...
15:09 to the conflict, if at all.
15:11 So, this ship that was attacked, it was a tanker that was carrying basically an oil product...
15:17 from Russia onwards to Singapore.
15:20 Now, the ship was hit with a missile.
15:23 The oil product that was inside of the ship caught fire and burned for hours afterwards.
15:28 That saw the Indian crew and the Indians and Sri Lankans on the crew of this vessel...
15:32 having to fight that fire.
15:34 They were joined by warships from both India and France trying to contain this fire...
15:38 just in the last hour or so.
15:40 We've heard from the company that had contracted to have this shipment sent to Singapore.
15:44 They say the fire is out, none of the crew are hurt, but it just shows just how wide the conflict is.
15:50 If you think about it, this was a British-managed ship with a Russian product on it...
15:54 that was being attacked by the Houthis over the Israeli war.
15:57 So, it just shows just how global this conflict has become.
16:00 And yesterday we also saw the Houthis directly attack a U.S. warship.
16:04 The U.S. responded with airstrikes.
16:06 We don't know exactly what the damage from those airstrikes was...
16:09 but the Houthis say that it hit around Hodeida, which is a port city on the Red Sea...
16:14 that the Houthis have held in this war.
16:16 It just shows just how wide this conflict has become...
16:19 and just how dangerous it is for global shipping through that crucial route for international trade.
16:25 John Gambrel there.
16:26 What were the latest from Gaza? Here's our correspondent, Noor Harazeen.
16:30 Well, yes, here's the thing. Even though the UN humanitarian aid was very slow distribution here in Gaza...
16:41 and even though during this war Palestinians here on the ground felt that the UN was not taking its full responsibility with Gazans...
16:51 but still, the UN is the biggest humanitarian provider for the Palestinians here in Gaza.
16:58 So this is something important for them. This is something significant.
17:03 Cutting the funds will mean that more struggle will be added to the suffering of the Palestinian people, especially here in Gaza.
17:13 There was actually also a long statement published on the social media by the political officials here in Gaza...
17:22 a joint statement for several political factions in Gaza, calling upon the UN to investigate more about the firing of its employees...
17:35 calling the Israeli allegations as lies and that the UN should not be following the Israeli allegations...
17:42 and that no UN employees were actually taking any part in the 7th of October or even do support Hamas.
17:52 Meanwhile, Noor, there are claims that services at Gaza's biggest hospital are close to collapse.
18:03 Well, yes, here we are talking about the Al Nasser Hospital and it is one of Gaza's biggest hospitals after the Ashifa Hospital...
18:11 and we all know the story of the Ashifa Hospital. The situation there has already collapsed weeks ago.
18:18 Now we are talking about the Al Nasser Hospital, which is located in the heart of Khan Younis City.
18:24 And the reason behind the collapse there in the Al Nasser Hospital is because the Israeli land invasion is very close to the hospital.
18:33 Actually, the Israeli army has surrounded the area and the neighbourhood around the hospital.
18:39 Several shells and also bullets hit the buildings of the Al Nasser Hospital.
18:46 According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, we are talking about more than 6,000 people that are still inside the hospital...
18:53 displaced people, journalists, medical staff, patients...
18:58 and most of these people are now without food, without any access to food and water for the fourth day.
19:05 The situation there is deteriorating. The doctors are trying their best to save those who were injured.
19:12 However, most of the injuries that are happening in Khan Younis are now being transferred here to Rafahtou, Abu Yusuf Al Najjar Hospital...
19:20 because the ambulances and paramedics cannot even enter the area where Al Nasser Hospital is located.
19:27 The United States has approved the sale of new F-16 fighter jets to Turkey in a $23 billion deal.
19:36 It comes after the Turkish parliament ratified Sweden's bid for NATO membership.
19:41 Ankara will receive 40 new jets along with upgrade kits for 79 of its existing planes.
19:48 Turkey has delayed its approval of Sweden's membership bid amid accusations that the country harbors Kurdish separatists...
19:55 and other groups that it considers terrorists.
19:58 Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has called on China and the United States to show mutual respect...
20:04 in order to uphold the core interests of each country.
20:07 His comments came during a closed-door meeting with US security adviser Jake Sullivan in Thailand.
20:13 Wang said the issue of Taiwan independence was the greatest threat to bilateral relations...
20:18 and he called on the United States to abide by the "One China" principle.
20:22 Sullivan emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
20:27 Both sides agreed to launch an anti-narcotic working group in the near future...
20:31 and their first artificial intelligence meeting is also expected in the spring.
20:37 There are more and more Chinese cars on our roads. Brands like BYD, Geely and NIO...
20:43 have made huge leaps in recent years in terms of output, reliability and reputation.
20:49 That's certainly the case in Mexico from where Alastair Bavistock reports.
20:53 Mexico City, where Chinese carmaker Chery is launching its latest product.
20:59 This is the Arizo 8, a sedan model which will compete directly with the Volkswagen Jetta and the Nissan Sentra...
21:07 the two top-selling car models in Mexico over the past two decades.
21:13 For Chery's Mexico vice president, Li Kong Shui, it's a challenge the Chinese brand is happy to take on.
21:20 We have two years presence in the Mexican market and right now we have more than 50,000 customers...
21:29 that are already using the SUV products from Chery brand.
21:33 But right now the customers are also looking for sedan products.
21:37 So we do believe that with this product that will help us to complete the product portfolio that we have in Mexico.
21:43 Last year Chery sold more than 38,000 vehicles through its 70 showrooms located across Mexico.
21:52 Juan Carlos Lozano runs one of those dealerships in the southern Mexican state of Campeche.
21:58 I've worked with other car brands but only Chery has allowed me to expand on such a large scale.
22:05 The management is very easy to work with and the cars have the three essential characteristics for this market.
22:11 Good quality, good looking and inexpensive. That says it all.
22:16 Indeed, Chinese car brands overall sold more than 129,000 vehicles in Mexico last year...
22:24 with 2023 sales rising 63% over the previous year.
22:29 Chery's sales alone surged 350% compared to 2022.
22:36 In line with that success the company has plans to begin building a manufacturing plant in Mexico this year...
22:43 deepening its collaboration with Mexico's long-standing auto industry.
22:48 What we are trying to do here is to make our business more localized and more long-term.
22:54 To root it in Mexico we found an R&D center here in Mexico...
22:59 where this engineer, Chinese engineer, Mexican engineer, will work together to make our product more adapted to the local market.
23:08 Alastair Bavistock, CGTN, Mexico City.
23:12 The small Pacific island nation of Tuvalu is on the front line of climate change.
23:28 Rising sea levels present an increasing threat to the people who live there, as Greg Navarro reports.
23:35 This used to be our foundation.
23:39 For Ali Afoa, living right on the edge of the Pacific Ocean has long been crucial to his family's survival.
23:45 This is where we kept our food farm, so it's very important.
23:50 But lately, Ali says, the ocean has become an increasing threat. It's already destroyed one structure.
23:56 This is our old house over there, from there to here. So it's already broken down.
24:03 And it's encroaching on the newer one-room house he shares with 13 other family members.
24:08 When it's high tide, we kind of like move in from the front house.
24:16 And it's happening all across the country.
24:18 The waves, no one on high tide.
24:22 They just wash over the road?
24:23 Yeah, with big rocks and all that.
24:27 Home to just 12,000 people, Tuvalu is made up of low-lying atolls or ring-shaped islands with very little land,
24:34 a total of just 26 square kilometers.
24:37 The highest point is just two meters above sea level,
24:39 making the country extremely vulnerable to increasing weather extremes and rising sea levels.
24:45 The impact of climate change on the sea rising, it's really putting a burden on our land by eating away the land.
25:03 And there are some cases where little small islands actually disappear or become submerged.
25:11 The seawater is also infiltrating crops and destroying vegetation,
25:15 and warming sea temperatures are impacting the marine resources the country depends on.
25:19 It may seem odd to hear that drought is a very big concern here in the Pacific,
25:23 especially when you consider you're literally surrounded by water.
25:26 The lagoon here in Tuvalu on this side, just over my shoulder here, the Pacific Ocean.
25:31 But experts say it is a concern, and it's getting worse because of climate change.
25:35 The reason, the lack of available drinking water in many of these countries.
25:39 They rely on rainfall, and at the moment we're told it's been nearly two months since Tuvalu has had any significant rainfall.
25:46 It's serious enough, but the government is considering declaring an emergency.
25:50 We must take bold, alternative action today to secure tomorrow.
25:54 Tuvalu's government has long been calling on the rest of the world to limit carbon emissions,
25:58 sometimes using creative means to get the point across.
26:02 People who live here say they're running out of options.
26:05 Ali Afo admits his family will eventually be forced to move.
26:09 It's so sad, but that's how it's going to be.
26:13 Because, he says, the sea that has served this land for generations continues to take it all away.
26:19 Greg Navarro, CGTN, Tuvalu.
26:22 Sports now, and Irina Sabalenka has won the Australian Open tennis final to retain her title.
26:29 The Belarusian beat China's Zhang Xinwen 6-3, 6-2 at Melbourne Park.
26:34 Zhang now moves up to 7th in the rankings,
26:37 making her the first Chinese player to reach the women's top ten since Li Na in 2014.
26:43 And finally, France has special limited edition stamps marking the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year,
26:51 the start of the Year of the Dragon.
26:53 The two designs feature traditional Chinese painting techniques.
26:57 The artist behind the stamps says he wants to draw people into the mythological world of the Chinese dragon.
27:04 And a final look at the headlines.
27:07 China and France celebrate 60 years of diplomatic ties,
27:10 with pledges to welcome a new era in their relationship.
27:14 Several countries cut funding for the UN's Palestinian Agency
27:19 as it investigates claims that staff took part in the October 7th Hamas attack in Israel.
27:26 And there are claims that Gaza's biggest hospital is close to collapse
27:29 amidst heavy fighting around the city of Khan Yunus.
27:33 And that is the World Today. Thank you for watching.
27:36 There's more on CGTN Europe's channel on the Telegram app,
27:39 or you can scan the QR code on screen to get stories and updates sent direct to your phone.
27:44 And there will be more news at the top of the hour.
27:46 For now, though, from all the team in London, goodbye.
27:49 [MUSIC PLAYING]
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