- 2 years ago
News and analysis of the biggest business stories from China and across the world. Brought to you from CGTN's European headquarters in London. Watch live each day at 16:00GMT.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00 [MUSIC]
00:10 [MUSIC]
00:20 Live from London, this is Global Business.
00:39 >> Hello and welcome to the program.
00:40 I'm Robin Dwyer.
00:41 >> And I'm Li Jianhua.
00:42 Our top stories.
00:43 NVIDIA says artificial intelligence is at a tipping point.
00:47 Stock surge and the world's most valuable chip maker ripples record revenue.
00:52 >> Mercedes-Benz posts solid fourth quarter earnings, but
00:57 its CEO is wary of growing competition from Chinese rivals.
01:01 Plus.
01:03 >> China encourages both parties to accommodate each other's legitimate concerns.
01:10 >> China urges the United Nations top court to speak out on what it says is
01:16 unlawful Israeli occupation.
01:18 >> And as the conflict in Ukraine nears its third year, we travel on the train
01:24 line that's connecting loved ones with those battling on the front line.
01:28 [MUSIC]
01:33 >> The head of the world's most valuable chip maker, NVIDIA,
01:36 says artificial intelligence is at a tipping point as it announced record sales.
01:41 NVIDIA posted revenue of over $22 billion in the three months to the end of January.
01:46 That's a rise of 265% year on year.
01:50 Net income surged nearly 770%.
01:54 >> NVIDIA chips are used to train large AI models,
01:58 such as those developed by Microsoft and Meta.
02:02 Our correspondent John Tarrant is asked the New York Stock Exchange, John.
02:06 So NVIDIA didn't disappoint investors for sure.
02:09 >> John, Robin, absolutely not.
02:14 You know, it's really funny because the results came out when we were on the air
02:17 doing the Washington DC version of this very program at about four o'clock in
02:22 the afternoon local time yesterday.
02:23 And they were delayed and delayed and delayed and
02:25 we couldn't get the live number on the air, which we were very upset about.
02:29 You know me, I wanted to get the information out there and
02:31 it wasn't being published.
02:33 So it's great to be able to do this program and tell you all the hot details.
02:37 Look, people are wandering around this floor today going,
02:39 we've never seen anything like it.
02:41 We can't remember the last time this happened.
02:43 This is the conversation.
02:44 I was just talking to my guru Mikey, who sits here, and
02:47 another guru called Jay, who's gone away now.
02:50 And they reckon the last time we saw anything like this was when Apple came out
02:53 with its iPhone, and the first quarter or the second quarter, maybe after that,
02:57 there was this kind of excitement.
02:59 And in the UK, where you are, I was in the UK then,
03:02 I remember a company called lastminute.com.
03:05 Do you remember that?
03:06 Run by a woman called Martha Lane Fox, and
03:08 everybody got overexcited about this.
03:10 It was basically a travel agency.
03:12 It's kind of fizzled out now, but back in 2001, 2002,
03:15 that was the hottest stock around.
03:17 And that's where we're at with Nvidia right now.
03:20 Eye-popping results, and they are now, those results,
03:24 driving the New York markets, as I will show you in just a second.
03:27 Nvidia's market cap is going up all the time.
03:30 Last week, it overtook Alphabet and Amazon.
03:33 It is now number three and catching up with Microsoft and Apple.
03:37 Really quite extraordinary.
03:38 In a way, of course, no real surprise,
03:41 because we know that Nvidia is the company of the moment.
03:44 It has the product of the moment,
03:45 which is high-end microchips to drive artificial intelligence.
03:49 Now, Jensen Huang is the boss.
03:53 We've gotta be a little bit careful with what he says.
03:56 I know he's saying that we're at a tipping point,
03:58 but those of us who know Jensen know that he says that all the time.
04:02 You know, when they brought their first chip out,
04:04 "Oh, it's a tipping point," you know.
04:05 And now they've got all this success going on.
04:07 "Oh, we're at a tipping point."
04:08 It's kind of his mantra, if you will.
04:10 It's like his catchphrase.
04:11 You do have to bear that in mind.
04:13 But what they did say in the call, which is really driving things,
04:16 is that they recognize that the revenue growth in 2024
04:21 is going to beat Wall Street expectations.
04:24 And that's the key behind the share price hike right now.
04:27 They show that demand is very strong going all the way through 2024,
04:33 not only from their big customers like Microsoft and meta platforms
04:36 and Amazon, but also from smaller companies
04:39 that they think they're going to be able to draw in.
04:40 And the next thing that they're going to look at is AI
04:43 as it relates to government and international trade relations
04:47 and things like that.
04:48 So there's clearly an area that they're looking to expand into right there.
04:52 Slight downside, well, China's slowdown,
04:55 I think probably dented the figures a little bit, can you believe it?
04:58 And also their competitors are likely to go ahead
05:00 and try and design their own chips in the future.
05:02 But that's a long way in the future.
05:04 For now, Nvidia is the company.
05:06 And the shares are up 15% right now, $777 apiece, back above $700.
05:12 They were down below that yesterday.
05:14 Lifting all boats, a rising tide, lifts all boats.
05:16 Microsoft up 2%, Amazon 2%, meta 3.6%.
05:21 And if we turn to the main markets now,
05:23 the Dow is in record territory, up 220 points.
05:26 So is the S&P 500, up 75 points.
05:29 The Nasdaq's up 2%.
05:31 So and I noticed also the Nikkei in Japan in the last 12 hours or so,
05:36 there was applause in the way they have the Nikkei in Tokyo
05:40 because it has surpassed its highest level.
05:44 And the last time because of this, and the last time it was there
05:47 was in 1989 before Japan slumped into its economic difficulties,
05:52 that it's only now coming out of.
05:54 So we have Nvidia to thank for all of this.
05:57 Thanks, John, for the updates.
05:59 That is our correspondent, John Terrence in New York.
06:02 Well, plenty more to talk about when it comes to Nvidia.
06:05 Let's bring in Santosh Rao,
06:06 who's head of research at Manhattan Venture Partners.
06:08 Good to see you again, Santosh.
06:10 So as we were hearing there, Nvidia again has beaten expectations.
06:14 Why is it doing so well both in itself and compared to its competitors?
06:20 Yeah, thank you for having me.
06:22 Great to be here.
06:24 Let me throw in my share of superlatives.
06:26 I mean, knock the cover off the ball.
06:28 Fantastic superlative, everything.
06:30 So this was a great quarter by any respects.
06:34 I think that the thing going for them is they are at the right place at the right time.
06:39 They have a lead on the other companies.
06:42 They dominate the GPU space, the chip space.
06:45 So I think their execution was expected.
06:49 Their outperformance was expected.
06:51 And for them, the market expected at this level,
06:55 they needed to not only beat the estimates and raise the guidance as well.
07:00 And that's what they're doing.
07:02 So 24 is expected to be good.
07:04 25 is expected to be good.
07:06 So for analysts like me, the big question is,
07:09 how far and how long can they go on?
07:12 And I believe they can continue to go on.
07:14 They still have a good lead.
07:16 Tipping point, I agree with him.
07:18 There's a lot more to go.
07:19 It's opening up new avenues.
07:20 So a lot more to go.
07:21 So this is just the beginning.
07:23 Great execution, great performance, great report.
07:26 So as you said there, the forecast for 2024, 2025, still positive.
07:30 But can this continue?
07:32 Are we looking here at a bubble that will perhaps end up bursting?
07:37 Yeah, so let me kind of moderate what I just said.
07:41 It's not a bubble.
07:43 It's definitely a nice secular tailwind behind it.
07:46 The whole space is growing.
07:48 The AI is expected to really change a lot of things.
07:51 I think they're doing very well.
07:52 They'll continue to do well.
07:55 It's a long-- so it's not a bubble.
07:57 It's at least five-year run.
08:00 They have a lead on other companies.
08:02 Yes, there's some cautionary notes.
08:04 The percentage of beats is getting lesser and lesser.
08:08 Competition is coming.
08:10 A lot of other-- the demand is spreading out.
08:13 It's getting more wider.
08:14 So that's helpful.
08:15 But overall, things will slow down at one point.
08:18 But at this point, there's tremendous demand.
08:21 There's pent-up demand.
08:22 New people still coming in.
08:23 But they will continue to execute.
08:25 There's still some more runway ahead of them.
08:27 So we heard that the CEO was talking
08:29 about artificial intelligence being at a tipping point,
08:32 bearing in mind that perhaps that's not
08:33 the first time he's said it.
08:35 What do you think the near future holds for AI?
08:37 Where will it go next?
08:40 Well, it's still a long way to go, right?
08:42 So at some point, everyone will have the chips that they need.
08:45 Everyone will have what it takes, the infrastructure.
08:48 Right now, we are at the infrastructure stage.
08:51 And they are dominating that space, the chip space.
08:53 Then we go into the software, the applications.
08:56 And that's the next phase of the development.
08:59 And NVIDIA is well-positioned for that as well.
09:01 And that's the beauty of NVIDIA.
09:02 They have a full stack.
09:04 Not only do they have the hardware,
09:05 they're also well-positioned in the software.
09:08 And that's where the next growth is, the enterprise software
09:10 business.
09:11 It's going to be a huge, multi-trillion dollar
09:13 opportunity.
09:14 And they're well-positioned for that.
09:16 So it's not just a hardware play.
09:18 It's a software play as well.
09:20 And they have a competitive lead on that.
09:22 They have a moat around that.
09:23 So I think they will maintain that.
09:24 So they will continue.
09:25 Yes, the competition will come on, like it always does.
09:29 But it'll take some time.
09:30 And China will come on at some point.
09:32 There are a lot of restrictions.
09:33 They're introducing new chips.
09:35 So that'll come back.
09:36 It goes like mid-single digit this time.
09:38 It used to be 20%.
09:39 So they need to get back there.
09:41 But it's going to take a lot of time.
09:42 But that's incremental to what they need.
09:44 They don't need it right now.
09:46 The other stuff, there's so much demand out there.
09:48 So they can continue to execute at this pace.
09:52 No surprise, perhaps, that shares were up
09:55 on the back of these numbers.
09:56 Worldwide indices responded to them as well,
09:59 particularly the Nikkei, as we're hearing from John there.
10:01 How much was that record level down to tech stocks?
10:06 Absolutely, a lot of it.
10:08 It's one of those cases of rising tide lifting,
10:10 a lot of boats, not only in Japan,
10:12 but in Asia and in Europe.
10:14 So it's a huge fundamental shift and a driver of every space.
10:20 So technology is definitely a big factor in Nikkei's rise.
10:23 But also, Nikkei, there's a lot of other things going on.
10:26 The whole setup, the environment, the investment
10:28 climate is improving.
10:30 The government is incentivizing people
10:34 to come to the stock market.
10:35 They've introduced-- made some legislative changes,
10:39 put in some stimulus packages.
10:41 So they're kind of pulling people,
10:42 the trillions of trillion sitting in savings accounts.
10:45 They want-- they're encouraging people
10:46 to come into the stock market.
10:48 So all those things are also supporting
10:50 underlying fundamentals, the demand for the market.
10:53 So tech is definitely leading the charge.
10:56 But there's all underlying-- the whole sentiment
10:59 about investments and getting into the stock market
11:01 is really helping.
11:02 And that's what's driving Nikkei up.
11:04 Santosh, great to talk to you, as always.
11:06 Thank you for joining us.
11:07 That's Santosh Rao from Manhattan Venture Partners.
11:09 Thank you.
11:10 Chinese tech giants Lenovo posted stronger than expected
11:13 earnings with revenue returning to growth for the first time
11:16 in five quarters.
11:18 The world's largest manufacturer of computer products
11:21 has seen business stall after the end of COVID lockdown,
11:25 which has boosted sales to customers and stock at home.
11:28 Profit did drop 23% in the first quarter to $337 million.
11:34 But that was better than expected.
11:36 And Lenovo shares were higher in Hong Kong trade.
11:41 Eurozone business activity fell in February
11:43 for the ninth month in a row.
11:45 The preliminary composite purchasing managers index,
11:48 or PMI, came in at 48.9 in February, from 47.9 in January.
11:53 A figure below 50 indicates contraction,
11:56 although February's was the smallest rate of decline
11:58 since June.
12:01 Rolls-Royce shares have surged after the British Aerospace
12:04 Group more than doubled its annual profits in 2023.
12:08 The company, which manufactures jet engines
12:10 for commercial aircraft and a power system for ships
12:13 and submarines, posted an underlying operation
12:16 profit of $2 billion.
12:19 The firm expects profit growth of at least 6% this year.
12:24 Nestle has reported lower than expected sales,
12:27 blaming the cost of living crisis
12:29 for hitting household budgets.
12:31 The world's biggest packaged food company
12:33 said full-year net profit rose 20.9% to $12.8 billion.
12:38 But margins were just below forecast.
12:41 The company says the pace of price rises will slow this year.
12:46 The shares in Mercedes-Benz have jumped 5%
12:49 after a better-than-expected earnings report.
12:52 Pre-tax profits for the German carmaker
12:54 came in at $4.7 billion in the fourth quarter.
12:59 Revenue for the whole of 2023 is up 2%.
13:02 But a bumpy road may still lie ahead.
13:05 Our correspondent Peter Oliver has
13:06 been talking to the company's CEO.
13:08 Peter, can we call it a challenging time
13:11 for European carmakers?
13:15 Well, it is a challenging time for European carmakers
13:18 because cars are essentially expensive things
13:20 and money's tight right across the board.
13:23 When we spoke to Ola Kalinius, one of the things
13:25 he was saying is that there is geopolitical uncertainty
13:28 out there that will have an impact on the future
13:32 upon what comes.
13:33 He did have a warning, essentially,
13:35 for the European Union if it had any plans for placing
13:39 protectionism on its own manufactured electric vehicles
13:44 against Chinese vehicles coming into the market,
13:47 saying to do that would potentially
13:49 cause destruction for European carmakers.
13:52 It could basically backfire.
13:54 We also spoke about the future for the Mercedes model
13:59 when it comes to the electric motor.
14:02 However, what we did hear from Mr Kalinius
14:05 was that they will be producing combustion engines for at least
14:08 into the next decade.
14:10 The reason for that being is that market forces
14:12 want those combustion cars.
14:15 The plan is still to make Mercedes
14:17 an all-electric brand.
14:18 However, people still want petrol cars.
14:21 And while there's still a demand for them,
14:22 they're still going to make them.
14:24 What we did hear from the CEO of Mercedes,
14:26 though, is it was a bumper year for purchases
14:29 of their electric vehicles in 2023.
14:32 If we look at Mercedes-Benz cars,
14:35 it was actually a 73% growth of battery electric vehicles
14:38 for us last year, so very, very significant.
14:42 But we can't expect this transformation
14:44 to be a straight line.
14:46 There will be peaks and troughs, and many things
14:49 like building up charging infrastructure
14:51 or incentivization will also drive what the market does.
14:55 So in this case, we're happy that we're
14:57 flexible in our plans.
14:58 We can choose to produce either battery electric vehicles
15:03 or high-tech combustion vehicles.
15:04 So we will go with the market.
15:07 But in terms of investments, full speed ahead
15:11 with new vehicles in the pipeline.
15:13 Chinese EV manufacturers are coming into Europe right now.
15:18 Mercedes is one of the biggest brands in the world
15:21 when it comes to automotive industry.
15:23 Are you looking over your shoulder a little bit
15:25 at some of these Chinese brands coming in when
15:27 it comes to the EV market?
15:28 And do you have plans to combat them?
15:31 If we look back at our own history,
15:33 it didn't take Gottlieb Daimler more than 15 years
15:37 after he invented the car back in 1886
15:40 to say the German market is big, but the world is bigger,
15:43 and went to the United States.
15:45 So this phenomenon that car makers go around the world
15:49 and want to test the markets and see what they can do,
15:52 I think that's just natural progression.
15:54 So whereas we take all competitors seriously,
15:59 the ones that we know and new competitors coming,
16:02 you have to focus on your own strategy.
16:04 You have to focus on delivering your brand promise.
16:06 We are present in more than 150 countries in the world.
16:10 And as we said, we went to China in a big way 15, 20 years ago.
16:16 So we will focus on exploiting growth for Mercedes
16:20 in every market in the world.
16:21 What's the future for Mercedes as a group?
16:24 Who is the Mercedes buyer of the future in your eyes?
16:28 And what's the Mercedes car of the future going to look like?
16:31 Three questions there for you.
16:32 If you're looking for the perfect combination,
16:35 the perfect blend between innovation and technology,
16:39 which Mercedes has always stood for as the ultimate
16:42 and first pioneer of the auto industry,
16:46 but you want to combine that with desirability,
16:49 timeless elegance, iconic luxury,
16:52 it is that perfect blend that Mercedes delivers.
16:55 That's what we will focus on and try to guide customers
16:58 around the world.
17:01 Commendable patience on display from all the Caliners
17:04 as well as I asked them repeatedly for some free samples.
17:06 No such luck though, there's me and the camera
17:08 I'm going to take the bus back now.
17:10 Thank you very much.
17:11 That is our correspondent, Peter Oliver.
17:13 The leader of Boeing's troubled 737 MAX programme
17:17 is set to leave the company.
17:19 The airline manufacturer has been under intense scrutiny
17:22 after a piece of one of its jets blew out
17:24 during a passenger flight in January.
17:27 The departure of Ed Clark after nearly 18 years at Boeing
17:30 is part of a wider shakeup.
17:32 Boeing says the changes are aimed at improving quality
17:34 and safety.
17:35 China's first domestically produced passenger plane
17:39 hopes to compete with the likes of Boeing and Airbus
17:43 in the future.
17:43 The Comac C919 debuted this week at the Singapore Airshow.
17:48 Our correspondent, Mira Liu, reports.
17:51 China is coming out in force
17:53 at this year's Singapore Airshow,
17:55 bringing its largest ever contingent
17:57 and showing off its new C919,
18:00 the country's first domestically developed passenger jet.
18:04 It's a proud moment for China and Comac,
18:07 and the interest from the aviation executives
18:10 and the media is palpable.
18:12 This is the first overseas exhibition
18:16 for the world's first C919.
18:18 A lot of people come to see the aircraft.
18:20 They're impressed by the layout, the colour palette
18:22 and cabin, and the comfort level of the seats.
18:28 Comac kicked off the airshow with a ban,
18:30 announcing new orders for its C919 and ARJ21.
18:35 The orders come as Comac attempts to position itself
18:38 as a viable option for single-aisle jets,
18:42 as Boeing and Airbus grapple with safety issues
18:45 and delivery delays.
18:47 But industry insiders say Comac must battle
18:50 a strong headwind in breaking the duopoly.
18:53 It can be quite sensitive
18:57 for a number of more westward-leaning countries
19:00 to procure from non-traditional suppliers.
19:05 Where we've seen some international success already
19:07 is within Indonesia and Transnusa,
19:10 having purchased some ARJ21s.
19:13 And I think we can expect to see more regional airlines
19:16 who are either more neutral politically
19:19 or less inclined to buy from Western suppliers
19:22 to procure more equipment from Comac.
19:26 Riding on the hype of made-in-China aircraft,
19:29 first-time exhibitor UAV manufacturer,
19:32 Aerospace Times' Fei Peng had a great show in Singapore.
19:37 Our products here attract a lot of attention,
19:39 so people are coming around and see,
19:41 and they are curious about our technology,
19:43 UAV transportation, and we see the demand,
19:46 we see the attention from the public
19:48 and also from the industry.
19:49 Attention aside, the burgeoning Chinese aviation industry
19:53 has a lot to prove competing on a global stage.
19:57 I think it's the same with any new technology
20:00 and any new entrant into a market.
20:02 It's just proving the quality,
20:04 proving that the relationship between cost,
20:08 delivery, aftermarket care,
20:11 the entire ecosystem of the technology of the aircraft
20:15 is robust, it's trustworthy,
20:18 and suppliers and the supply chain is durable.
20:22 The good news is more people are set to fly.
20:25 The IATA is expecting 4.7 billion people to travel this year,
20:29 a historic high that is 4% above 2019.
20:34 Competition will be fierce,
20:36 but in the space of commercial aviation,
20:39 the sky's the limit.
20:40 Miralou, CGTN, Singapore.
20:43 You're watching CGTN, still ahead.
20:46 Israeli attacks destroy dozens of homes
20:48 in Gaza's city of Rafa.
20:50 Diplomatic efforts intensify to prevent a ground assault.
20:54 Ever wondered what's the difference
21:03 between a bear and a bull market?
21:07 Where are the cash cows?
21:09 And who are the lame ducks?
21:12 And what exactly are black swans,
21:16 grey rhinos,
21:19 and unicorn companies?
21:21 Make sense of it all with Global Business,
21:27 only on CGTN.
21:29 I think it should be more global cooperation.
21:34 I would like to hear more
21:37 the voice of the developing countries.
21:41 Globalization has lifted more than a billion people
21:44 out of poverty.
21:46 The green transition has to happen.
21:48 It's a necessity.
21:50 For China and the United States,
21:53 our important powers in the world.
21:57 What unites us is much more than what divides us.
22:03 And I believe China is committed to this agenda.
22:06 Join me, Juliette Maran, to set the agenda
22:08 at these times every weekend on CGTN.
22:17 Events have consequences.
22:19 Words create impact.
22:21 One more offensive in a long line of battles
22:23 that's been ongoing for...
22:25 Just got to be careful here with some gunshots.
22:27 Excuse us, excuse us.
22:29 The world today matters, but your world tomorrow.
22:33 The number of casualties is growing quickly.
22:35 Why, this is one of the hardest hit towns in the region.
22:40 The world today, every day, on CGTN.
22:45 # CGTN THEME MUSIC
22:48 Hello, welcome back.
23:02 China says it fully supports a two-state solution
23:05 for the settlement of the Israel-Palestine conflict.
23:08 On the first day of hearings at the International Court of Justice
23:11 about Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories,
23:15 China's representative has said establishing peace
23:18 between Israel and Palestine
23:20 is the core responsibility of the United Nations.
23:23 Let's talk to our correspondent, Julia Chapman, at The Hague.
23:26 So, Julia, what has China said at this hearing?
23:29 China's representative called this moment a test,
23:36 a litmus test for the collective conscience of humanity,
23:40 and he outlined the legal arguments that have led China to believe
23:44 that the Palestinians have a right to self-determination
23:47 and that Israel is infringing on that right.
23:50 Mr Ma said that that right extends to armed struggle against occupation,
23:56 which he said was distinct under international law, from terror attacks.
24:00 He also acknowledged that Israel has a right to defend itself,
24:04 but said that self-defence had to be proportionate.
24:08 And he urged the court, the International Court of Justice,
24:11 to come to an advisory opinion on this situation,
24:15 which he said would help pave the way for a negotiated settlement
24:18 between Israelis and Palestinians.
24:20 Here's what he said earlier.
24:23 China encourages both parties to accommodate each other's legitimate concerns,
24:31 embrace the vision of common, comprehensive,
24:35 cooperative and sustainable security,
24:39 continue negotiating for a peaceful settlement
24:44 and work toward two states coexisting in peace
24:49 and two peoples living side by side in harmony.
24:54 So, Julia, what have the other representatives been saying?
24:57 We've been hearing over the course of the week
25:03 from more than 50 countries putting forward their legal arguments,
25:06 starting off with the Palestinians on Monday,
25:09 talking about the decades of what they call oppression
25:12 at the hands of the Israelis.
25:14 We've heard South Africa pushing forward its case
25:17 that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza,
25:20 which the same court urged it not to do.
25:23 We've heard from Russia saying that Israel needs to end
25:26 what it called collective punishment in Gaza,
25:29 and France calling on Israel to comply with international law.
25:34 But then, of course, we heard from the United States yesterday
25:36 taking Israel's side and urging the court
25:39 to consider Israel's security situation
25:43 when it comes to making its advisory opinion.
25:45 That sentiment was echoed by Hungary.
25:47 We have not heard from any Israeli representative in person,
25:51 but Israel has submitted a written statement
25:54 dismissing the very premise on which the questions
25:57 being put to this court are based,
25:59 and saying that Israel has a right to its own self-defence,
26:04 it isn't an occupying power,
26:06 and any advisory opinion from this court
26:08 could harm the peace process between the two.
26:12 Julia, thank you very much.
26:13 Our correspondent, Julia Chapman at The Hague.
26:16 In Gaza, Rafa has come under intense bombardment
26:20 with Israeli strikes, killing more than 90 people overnight.
26:24 Dozens of homes have been destroyed.
26:26 Locals say it was one of their worst nights yet.
26:29 More than a million people are sheltering in southern Gaza
26:32 after fleeing fighting in the north.
26:34 Israel has signalled some progress
26:36 in ceasefire negotiations,
26:37 adding to hopes that a full-scale ground assault
26:41 can be prevented.
26:42 Our correspondent Akram El-Satry has more from Rafa.
26:46 That was a very long and violent night
26:48 for the Gazans who were taking shelter in Rafa,
26:51 who were hoping they would stay safe.
26:53 However, they have been extremely worried
26:55 about the looming ground operation
26:57 and have been interpreting any kind of a bombardment
26:59 in any area of Rafa as an indication
27:03 of a ground operation.
27:04 Rafa lost today 19 people,
27:07 while the over Gaza Strip lost around 132.
27:11 So it's a continuous of the policy of targeting
27:14 and destruction and killing.
27:16 And they see that as an imminent indication
27:19 of the looming ground operation.
27:21 People in Rafa, in particular,
27:23 more than one million people,
27:25 every single time they are hearing the bombardment,
27:28 they are extremely terrified.
27:30 They leave their tents, they run in the streets,
27:33 they expect something major to happen to them.
27:35 And this is how they have been living
27:37 about the looming ground operation.
27:41 Now, the bombardment that took place,
27:42 like you rightly said, was targeting dozens of homes,
27:45 but also targeted several mosques in the area
27:48 and central area, which is also an indicative of a plan
27:52 that is being executed with an objective of the Israeli army
27:56 to destroy as many infrastructures as possible.
28:00 So the Palestinians in Rafa see in that
28:03 as a continuation of the policy
28:04 of preparing for the ground operation,
28:07 while people in Gaza at large are still seeing more death
28:10 and destruction because of the ongoing bombardment
28:13 all over the Gaza Strip.
28:15 - At least one person has been killed
28:17 and several others injured in a shooting in the West Bank.
28:20 Let's go to Israel now and talk to our correspondent
28:22 in Tel Aviv, Sarah Coates.
28:24 Sarah, what happened in this attack
28:25 and what's been the response from the government?
28:28 - Robin, it happened during peak hour this morning
28:33 on a road that connects West Bank settlements to Jerusalem.
28:37 Israeli forces say that three Palestinian gunmen
28:40 arrived in two separate cars.
28:42 They opened fire on vehicles
28:44 that were waiting around this checkpoint
28:46 in some sort of a traffic jam.
28:47 We do know that one person was killed,
28:49 five others wounded.
28:51 In the wake of this, Israeli forces
28:53 then raided the village near Bethlehem
28:56 where these three men allegedly come from.
28:59 A number of people have since been detained.
29:02 Now, after this shooting,
29:04 the far-right National Security Minister,
29:06 Itamar Ben-Gavir, he visited the scene.
29:08 He is vowing now to put more restrictions on Palestinians,
29:12 such as not allowing free prayer at the Al-Aqsa Mosque
29:17 during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan,
29:20 also potentially restricting the access
29:22 on roads of Palestinian people
29:25 and putting in more checkpoints.
29:27 He also had this to say.
29:29 - A very big disaster was prevented here
29:35 thanks to the fact that all police officers
29:37 in the Israeli police are carrying weapons
29:40 and thanks to the fact that citizens have weapons.
29:43 We are handing out more and more weapons.
29:45 I was criticized for this policy six months ago,
29:48 but I think that today everyone understands
29:51 that weapons save lives.
29:53 I remind you that six months ago,
29:55 I said clearly that the right to life
29:57 outweighs the right to freedom of movement
29:59 of residents of the Palestinian Authority.
30:02 - The far-right Finance Minister,
30:06 Betzelel Smotrich, she's also weighing in,
30:09 calling on Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister,
30:12 to immediately approve additional housing unit
30:15 plans for the West Bank settlements.
30:19 And there seems to possibly be some progress
30:21 on ceasefire negotiations.
30:24 What have we heard from Israeli leaders?
30:26 - Certainly seems that way.
30:31 The Defense Minister, Yoav Golan,
30:33 he's just held a meeting with the US
30:36 Mideast envoy, Brett McGurk.
30:38 He has told him that we will expand the authority
30:42 given to these hostage negotiators.
30:44 And it is being reported in Hebrew media
30:48 that Israeli officials are watching these talks
30:50 in Cairo extremely closely.
30:52 And if there is some sort of a softening
30:54 on Hamas's position, then an Israeli delegation
30:58 that includes the Mossad chief, David Baniya,
31:00 will be sent to Paris tomorrow to kick off these talks
31:05 once again with the Qatari Prime Minister,
31:07 Egypt's spy chief, and the CIA director, Bill Burns.
31:10 This is the same type of talks that we saw
31:13 a couple of months ago that saw these other hostages released.
31:17 Still no confirmation on that.
31:18 Israeli officials remaining extremely tight-lipped.
31:22 But we do know that this Mideast envoy, McGurk,
31:25 he's now meeting with the Prime Minister,
31:27 Benjamin Netanyahu, for talks on this exact topic
31:30 to get these hostages home.
31:32 He'll also be pressing Israel and the Prime Minister
31:34 on this potential operation inside Rafa.
31:38 And there will be a war cabinet meeting held
31:40 a little later this evening.
31:42 Sarah, thank you very much.
31:44 Our correspondent, Sarah Codes in Tel Aviv.
31:47 Diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire
31:49 and prevent a full-scale Israeli assault in Rafa
31:53 are intensifying.
31:54 Thomas Pickering is a former US ambassador to the United
31:57 Nations, Jordan, and Israel.
32:00 Current situation in Gaza, of course, is horrific.
32:03 The number of deaths on both sides,
32:06 but particularly the extraordinary number
32:08 of Palestinians killed in the fighting in Gaza
32:12 is something that, obviously, the world community should
32:15 be totally concerned about and working hard
32:18 to try to stop the slaughter and find ways on the path
32:23 toward a peaceful solution to the longstanding issue
32:28 between Israel and the Palestinians.
32:30 And the United States has vetoed calls for immediate ceasefire
32:33 in Gaza three times already.
32:35 In its latest veto on Tuesday, it
32:37 said the draft resolution would jeopardize
32:40 the sensitive negotiations on the captives taken
32:43 by Hamas and other armed groups.
32:45 So how is the US-led resolution fundamentally
32:48 different from the one put forward by Algeria?
32:52 The US explained that its concern
32:56 was that the question of dealing with the hostages
32:59 was not included in the Algerian resolution.
33:02 I believe that it has attempted to try
33:05 to include in its proposed draft that particular issue,
33:09 as well as serious and deep cautions to Prime Minister
33:15 Netanyahu about going into Rafaq without a very
33:21 significant and well-thought-out plan
33:24 to protect the civilians, something that appears to have
33:28 been lacking up until now.
33:30 And do you think behind this is because the US thinks
33:33 that issues lead the talks?
33:37 I think that the US believes that the problem has
33:43 humanitarian aspects of great significance
33:47 and very important requirements that should
33:51 be met as soon as possible.
33:54 Secondly, it is very important to move a process ahead,
33:58 which can then be evolved into something
34:02 that American administrations have been seeking off
34:05 and on for 30 or 40 years, which is a peaceful negotiated
34:11 solution leading to two states, a state of Israel
34:15 and a state of Palestine, living in peace
34:18 under the broadest kind of international support
34:21 and guarantees.
34:23 And do you think Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
34:26 will heed US calls to halt his plans for Rafaq offensive?
34:30 It's an excellent question.
34:31 And so far, he's been very negative on this subject.
34:34 It doesn't mean that we have seen the end of the process.
34:39 Hopefully that President Biden, whose policy, as I've watched
34:43 closely, evolved over the last three months,
34:46 is now seeking, I believe, a much more robust position
34:51 with respect to how and in what way
34:54 the resolution of this tragic and catastrophic situation
34:59 can be achieved.
35:00 And hopefully, he will be able further
35:03 to strengthen the US commitment in that direction.
35:07 I don't know whether they will submit their resolution
35:09 to the council or not.
35:11 But it has within it, if I could call it,
35:13 the beginnings of a capacity to make real progress.
35:17 The UK Parliament has descended into chaos over a vote
35:20 on a ceasefire in Gaza.
35:21 Angry MPs staged a walkout in the House of Commons
35:30 on Wednesday night and vented their fury
35:32 at Speaker Lindsay Hoyle.
35:34 They accused of tipping the scales in favor
35:36 of the opposition Labour Party.
35:38 More than 60 MPs now say they have no confidence in the speaker
35:42 who has since apologised.
35:43 The Palestinian envoy to the UK has
35:45 described the scenes in Parliament as disgraceful,
35:49 saying it was British politics at its lowest.
35:52 Our correspondent Yola Abdawid is following the story.
35:54 So Yola, help us understand, how come arguments
35:57 over a debate about Gaza and the ceasefire
36:00 have developed into a political row in UK Parliament?
36:03 And that's why it's being criticised.
36:05 And I think that's why the politicians have been
36:07 criticised, including the role of Speaker in Parliament, who's
36:10 supposed to be neutral.
36:12 Even though he happens to be a member of Parliament for Labour
36:16 in a constituency in the north of England,
36:18 when a sitting MP is chosen, he or she
36:23 has to be neutral between all the different parties.
36:26 There are two main parties in Britain, Labour
36:28 and Conservative, the ruling party now.
36:30 But there are other parties too.
36:31 And the reason why Lindsay Hoyle has
36:33 been accused of favouring his own party
36:36 and possibly influenced by the leader of that party, Sakir
36:40 Stammer, who might well be the next prime minister of Britain,
36:43 is because the Scottish National Party had called
36:47 to table a motion, a request, to debate a ceasefire in Gaza.
36:52 And they've been trying to do that for a while.
36:54 They called that amendment.
36:57 It's been a divisive argument within the two major parties.
37:01 Labour has also had its problems,
37:04 because there were MPs who wanted to have a ceasefire
37:07 and to strengthen the language used by politicians.
37:11 Because, of course, they claim that what's happening now
37:14 in Gaza is awful in terms of ordinary people,
37:17 but at the same time recognising that Hamas attacked Israel.
37:21 How many people were killed on October the 7th?
37:23 1,200.
37:24 240 hostages.
37:26 Some of them are still there.
37:27 So it's the balance of language.
37:29 What has seen us disgraceful and why
37:31 Hussein Somlott, the Palestinian envoy for the UK,
37:34 used such strong language, he said,
37:36 we are seeing MPs at their very worst,
37:40 because they're using the crisis in Gaza
37:43 for political point scoring in Britain and in Parliament.
37:47 And that's why it's been accused.
37:49 That's why 63 MPs want to see Lindsay Hoyle step down.
37:52 They don't have any confidence in him.
37:54 And I think it also-- there's a stronger point here.
37:58 It switches people off when they see a process like that being
38:03 what they would accuse of being abused.
38:06 And then people are saying, well,
38:07 what are these politicians about?
38:09 Are they about their own ambitions
38:11 and their own careers?
38:12 So how does what's happened reflect on British Parliament,
38:15 as well as the current government and the party
38:17 hoped to be the next government, the Opposition Labour Party?
38:20 Well, it doesn't reflect well on probably any of the parties
38:23 if they are using politics in such a way.
38:27 Now, the leader of the Scottish National Party,
38:29 which is the third largest party in Parliament,
38:32 he's saying, we don't have any confidence in Lindsay Hoyle.
38:36 I don't think probably at the moment
38:38 that he will resign or have to go,
38:41 because the Liberal Democrats, most
38:43 of the ministers in the UK government,
38:45 and the Labour front bench still have support for Lindsay Hoyle.
38:50 But I think there's more reflection today
38:52 on why it descended into the chaos
38:56 that we saw with the Conservative members
38:58 of Parliament, the SNP members of Parliament walking out,
39:01 and then basically a Labour gerrymandered motion
39:05 was accepted without a vote.
39:07 And I think that point scoring has carried on today
39:10 from what I've heard in Parliament.
39:12 And just to give you an example how things have possibly
39:15 worsened over the last few years,
39:17 we've had four, five prime ministers, four prime ministers
39:22 in the last five years, which is unheard of in a long, long time
39:25 in British politics.
39:26 We've had Brexit.
39:27 We've had COVID.
39:28 We've had Partygate.
39:29 Here's a list.
39:30 There are 25 names on this list, scandals
39:34 involving members of Parliament in the last four years
39:37 since the last election.
39:38 Boris Johnson, former prime minister,
39:41 appears five times in that list for various misdemeanors
39:44 and scandals.
39:45 So people are saying, look, something's
39:47 gone wrong with politicians, with the parties,
39:51 and trust in the parties is probably ebbing.
39:54 Having said that, Hoyle, the speaker today,
39:57 said, I have to think about the welfare of MPs.
40:00 There are concerns about people being
40:03 hostile to people on social media, trolling them, and so on.
40:07 Two MPs have been killed, one in 2016 and one in 2021.
40:11 So there is that care and welfare for MPs as well.
40:14 But it's a very volatile, and it was
40:17 a very controversial decision.
40:19 Yolo, thank you very much.
40:20 And correspondent Yolo Adjayevi.
40:23 You're watching CGTN Still Ahead.
40:25 After recent gains in Ukraine, Russia's signals,
40:27 it could try to seize the capital, Kiev, again
40:31 as the conflict nears its third year.
40:33 [MUSIC PLAYING]
40:36 Each day, there are millions of stories.
41:01 Each one can open new perspectives, new possibilities.
41:06 Wherever you look, we are there to see, discover, explore.
41:14 We put the pieces together to find what really matters to you
41:19 all around the world, all around the clock.
41:23 Our reporters are at home across the globe.
41:28 From our headquarters in Beijing and production centers
41:31 in Washington, Nairobi, and London, China Global Television
41:36 Network, stories from across the globe,
41:40 reaching people across the globe.
41:42 CGTN, see the difference.
41:52 What do we mean when we talk about the difference
41:57 The difference is in the detail, the background,
42:04 the wider angle and perspective of every story.
42:09 Wherever the story may be, CGTN, see the difference.
42:20 [MUSIC PLAYING]
42:23 [MUSIC PLAYING]
42:27 We are all connected across borders,
42:46 across continents, connected by ideas, a shared humanity.
42:55 Stay connected.
42:57 [MUSIC PLAYING]
43:00 Welcome back to Global Business Europe
43:09 with Robin Twan and Li Jianhua.
43:11 The headlines again.
43:12 NVIDIA says artificial intelligence
43:14 is at a tipping point.
43:16 Stocks surge as the world's most valuable chip maker
43:19 reports record revenue.
43:22 Mercedes-Benz posts solid fourth quarter earnings,
43:25 but its CEO is wary of growing competition
43:28 from Chinese rivals.
43:29 And China urges the United Nations top court
43:34 to speak out on what it says is unlawful Israeli occupation.
43:39 [MUSIC PLAYING]
43:42 [MUSIC PLAYING]
43:46 Top advisor to Russian President Vladimir Putin
43:50 has signaled that Moscow could again try
43:52 to capture Ukraine's capital.
43:54 Dmitry Medvedev says that for Russia
43:57 to achieve all its military goals,
43:58 its troops may one day push on to Kiev.
44:01 It comes after a failed attempt to seize the city early
44:05 in the conflict.
44:06 The former Russian prime minister and ex-president
44:08 also says Moscow wants to take the Black Sea port of Odessa.
44:14 In Ukraine, a train line connecting the capital
44:16 to the east of the country has been busy carrying soldiers
44:19 to the battlefield.
44:21 As the conflict between Russia and Ukraine
44:22 enters its third year, the journey
44:24 has become a familiar route for many.
44:27 Our correspondent Megumi Lim reports.
44:31 At 6 AM, this railway station in Kiev
44:34 is already bustling, especially on this platform
44:37 from where an intercity train takes passengers
44:39 to the east of the country.
44:42 Many are in military attire hours away from returning
44:45 to the front lines.
44:47 The final stop is Kramatorsk, a key hub for the Ukrainian army.
44:51 The Kiev-Kramatorsk train line has
44:54 become one of the busiest train routes in Ukraine.
44:57 Most of the passengers are soldiers or the loved ones
45:00 of soldiers.
45:01 It's a seven-hour journey, making it the fastest
45:04 connection from the capital to the war-torn east.
45:08 Rail services were disrupted during the early days
45:11 of the conflict.
45:12 But with air travel still suspended,
45:14 passenger numbers have returned to their usual levels.
45:18 Close to 25 million people used the railway last year.
45:22 On board this train, soldiers get their final peaceful snooze.
45:27 For many, with no end in sight to the conflict,
45:30 breaks don't come very often.
45:33 I want to see my family.
45:35 That is the most important thing.
45:37 When there is at least a day, it's enough time
45:40 to go home and see them.
45:42 Vast landscapes emerge as the train
45:44 crosses the heart of the country known for its grain and sunflower
45:48 fields, scenes that have become familiar for the loved ones
45:52 of soldiers.
45:54 Milana, who is going to see her husband,
45:56 spends this time thinking about their future.
46:00 My husband and I are planning to have a child.
46:03 And I hope that it will be born in a free Ukraine
46:05 without any war.
46:07 This small blanket is for our future child.
46:10 But for others like Mariana, this journey is a first.
46:14 She decided to volunteer as a translator for foreign medics
46:18 treating Ukrainian soldiers.
46:20 Of course, I donate.
46:22 I spread the information.
46:23 I try to do as much as I can as a civilian.
46:26 But it's different.
46:27 I feel guilty at some point not doing more.
46:32 The journey itself does not come without risks.
46:36 The Kramatorsk railway station was struck by a missile
46:39 in April of 2022.
46:42 This is why Olena has left her children behind
46:44 as she travels to meet their father, who
46:46 is serving as a medic's driver.
46:50 He doesn't really let me come either.
46:52 But this is all that I'm asking for.
46:55 I say, please, if you have a chance,
46:57 let me know so I can come.
46:59 But as for the children, he says that not even for a moment
47:02 should they be brought here.
47:04 As the conflict between Russia and Ukraine
47:06 enters its third year, a sense of fatigue
47:09 hangs over the country.
47:12 And with additional funding from the US stalled,
47:15 the fight has become more difficult.
47:17 But those on the front lines don't
47:19 have the luxury of slowing down.
47:21 Vladimir is rushing back to the battlefield
47:24 after spending Valentine's Day with his girlfriend.
47:28 It is mentally very difficult.
47:30 We went through good physical training,
47:32 but it's difficult mentally to be there all the time.
47:35 But we cannot give up.
47:36 There is no way back because our families, loved ones,
47:39 and children are counting on us.
47:42 Although the conflict has torn families apart,
47:45 this is the train that keeps them connected.
47:49 Megumi Lim, CGTN, on the train to Kramatorsk, Ukraine.
47:55 The mother of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny
47:58 says she has seen his body and claims
48:01 she's now being pressured over the terms of his funeral.
48:04 Lyudmila Navalny's filed a lawsuit
48:06 when her son's body was not immediately handed over
48:08 after his death at a jail in the Siberian Arctic last week.
48:12 Navalny's team have said on social media
48:14 that his death certificate just released claims
48:16 he died of natural causes.
48:18 His mother has accused Russian authorities
48:20 of attempting to force a private burial without mourners.
48:23 The Kremlin has rejected claims that Alexei Navalny was killed
48:26 in a state-sponsored attack.
48:30 Dozens of people are feared dead after an illegal gold
48:33 mine collapsed in Venezuela.
48:35 The open pit-style building locomine
48:37 is in a remote jungle area.
48:39 More than 100 injured survivors were
48:41 taken to the nearest hospital.
48:43 Relief teams and rescue workers have been sent to the mine.
48:49 Five people have been killed after a container ship collided
48:52 with a bridge in the Chinese city of Guangzhou.
48:55 Local authorities say crew error caused the ship
48:57 to ram into the bridge structure,
48:59 knocking four vehicles and one electric motorcycle
49:02 off the roadway.
49:03 Two injured people are being treated in hospital.
49:06 The ship owner has been detained.
49:09 Hospitals in South Korea are delaying or cancelling
49:12 surgeries as a mass strike by doctors enters a third day.
49:16 It's reported that five of the biggest hospitals in the capital
49:19 Seoul have cancelled up to a third of planned surgeries,
49:23 including caesarean sections and radiotherapy for cancer patients.
49:27 The government has threatened to arrest those responsible
49:30 for the walkout.
49:31 Doctors are protesting over plans to expand
49:34 the number of students admitted to medical schools.
49:39 US Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley
49:41 says she believes frozen embryos created through IVF are babies.
49:47 The former UN ambassador was reacting to the ruling
49:49 by the Alabama Supreme Court that embryos are children.
49:53 The court's decision will have far-reaching consequences
49:55 for people wanting a baby through freezing embryos
49:59 and undergoing in vitro fertilization, or IVF.
50:02 Our correspondent Poppy Mputing reports.
50:06 The Alabama Supreme Court ruling that frozen embryos are
50:10 children under state law is another step back
50:13 for reproductive rights in the US.
50:16 In the majority 7-2 decision made by the all-Republican court,
50:21 Justice Jay Mitchell wrote, "Unborn children are children,
50:26 without exception, based on developmental stage,
50:29 physical location, or any other ancillary characteristics."
50:35 With frozen embryos considered children,
50:37 this decision has far-reaching impacts for Alabama families
50:41 undergoing IVF to have a child.
50:45 IVF often requires the harvesting of many eggs
50:48 from a woman, then fertilizing them
50:50 to create multiple embryos.
50:53 Typically, one embryo is implanted at a time,
50:56 while the others are frozen for later use or discarded.
51:00 Under the Alabama ruling, experts
51:03 are worried about liability.
51:05 The state's largest health care provider,
51:07 the University of Alabama at Birmingham,
51:10 has already suspended its IVF program.
51:14 In a statement to CGTN, spokesperson Hannah Eccles
51:19 said, "We are saddened that this will impact our patients'
51:22 attempt to have a baby through IVF.
51:25 But we must evaluate the potential
51:28 that our patients and our physicians
51:30 could be prosecuted criminally."
51:33 The issue of reproductive rights is highly divisive in the US.
51:38 In terms of the political map, conservative Republican states
51:41 tend to swing anti-abortion, while majority Democrat states
51:46 mostly back women's rights to make decisions
51:49 on reproductive health.
51:52 However, some Republican states have seen backlash
51:55 at the ballot box, with voters choosing to support abortion
51:59 rights measures.
52:01 Activists on both sides of the argument
52:04 often go head to head in the streets.
52:08 And in the courts, especially since 2022,
52:11 when the US Supreme Court overturned the landmark 1973
52:17 Roe v. Wade decision that protected a woman's
52:20 right to an abortion.
52:22 Advocates and politicians who support reproductive rights
52:26 have been sounding the alarm ever
52:28 since about the potential domino effects now playing out
52:32 in individual states.
52:34 Poppy Imputing, CGTN, Washington.
52:39 You're watching CGTN Still Ahead.
52:41 China's plan for more giant pandas
52:43 to head worldwide, as Spain says adieu to one
52:46 of its favorite furry families.
52:48 Events have consequences.
52:58 Words create impact.
53:00 Unprecedented scenes that we saw.
53:02 The cleanup operation is now well and truly underway.
53:06 Parts of Southern Europe remain in a state of emergency.
53:09 Context gives meaning.
53:11 People make history.
53:14 Far more than 1,000 people have come here today.
53:17 But authorities are still on high alert.
53:19 So now we've actually become the border on this road.
53:22 A complex world demands a comprehensive view.
53:26 But with the cleanup efforts more or less under control--
53:29 The economic impact is bound to ripple across the country.
53:32 There's plastic pollution everywhere.
53:34 Because the world today matters for your world tomorrow.
53:39 This is the living area of the crew.
53:41 The focus is firmly on future technologies.
53:44 Well, this is something completely different.
53:47 The world today, every day on CGTN.
53:52 [MUSIC PLAYING]
53:55 [MUSIC PLAYING]
53:59 [MUSIC PLAYING]
54:02 [MUSIC PLAYING]
54:06 [MUSIC PLAYING]
54:34 Hello. Welcome back.
54:36 A privately owned spacecraft is on track to make history
54:39 as it attempts to land on the moon after a week-long voyage.
54:42 A six-legged robot lander named Odysseus
54:45 was built by a Texas-based company,
54:47 and it's currently in lunar orbit.
54:49 If successful, it would be the first US moon landing
54:52 since Apollo 17, more than 50 years ago.
54:57 A giant plan for giant pandas.
54:59 China is set to send two new pairs of the cuddly-looking
55:03 animals to zoos in the US and Spain.
55:06 The China Wildlife Conservation Association
55:08 has recently signed agreements with both countries
55:10 to help boost global conservation.
55:12 It comes as Madrid Zoo says adios to a panda couple
55:16 after nearly two decades.
55:18 Our correspondent Ken Brown reports.
55:19 A fond farewell to Madrid's most lovable family.
55:26 Chinese giant panda couple, Huazui Ba and Bing Xing,
55:29 arrived at Madrid Zoo in 2007 as a gift of friendship
55:33 from China to Spain.
55:36 After 17 years of service and six cubs born in the country,
55:39 mom and dad are ready for a new life in China.
55:43 The family will stay together, too, five members
55:45 traveling to Chengdu.
55:48 China's ambassador to Spain, Yao Jing,
55:49 talked of the family as a symbol of friendship
55:52 between the two nations.
55:54 So this giant research, so this giant protection,
55:58 so this giant efforts that we are increasing
56:03 our mutual understanding.
56:04 So I think that through this kind of cooperation,
56:08 this kind of bond, mutual understanding, friendship,
56:12 and also mutual care about the world
56:14 have been enhanced and promoted.
56:18 Hua and Bing are parents of the zoo's current star attractions,
56:22 twin giant panda cubs, Youyou and Jiujiu.
56:25 But now it's time to head to the Chengdu Panda Research Center.
56:30 Spain's panda lovers need not be too disappointed, though,
56:33 as China has promised to send a younger couple in their place.
56:37 The news was announced by Foreign Minister Wang Yi
56:40 earlier in the week to the delight of many across Spain.
56:44 Well, it's a sad day on one hand,
56:46 saying goodbye to Bing Xing and family here at the Madrid Zoo.
56:50 It's also a success story in collaboration
56:53 with the China Wildlife Conservation Association
56:57 and six new panda cubs being brought into the world.
57:01 Chinese giant panda numbers in the wild
57:03 have risen from 1,100 in the '80s to almost 2,000 in 2023,
57:10 with 728 more pandas in zoos and protection centers
57:14 around the world, like the one in Madrid.
57:17 It's a species that have gone from endangered
57:20 to vulnerable status.
57:22 Now Madrid Zoo awaits its new arrivals with anticipation.
57:27 The best would be that we are able to breed again
57:30 with the young couple, and maybe we try natural mating instead
57:33 artificial insemination that it was needed here.
57:36 But we hope that we breed successfully too.
57:40 No farewell party would be complete without a slice
57:43 of bamboo cake.
57:45 The perfect retirement present.
57:47 Ken Brown, CGTN, Madrid.
57:51 And finally, scientists have solved one of the great mysteries
57:54 of the ocean.
57:55 We've long known that whales can create a haunting,
57:58 song-like sound underwater.
58:00 Now we finally know how.
58:02 Studies found that a type of whales
58:03 have a special voice box, which allows
58:05 them to recycle air underwater and communicate
58:08 with each other.
58:11 And that is for Global Business Europe.
58:13 Thanks for watching.
58:14 There's more on all our stories at europe.cgtn.com.
58:17 And do follow CGTN Europe on Facebook, Instagram,
58:20 and TikTok.
58:20 And you can go to CGTN Europe's channel on the Telegram app
58:24 or scan the QR code on the screen to get stories and updates
58:27 sent direct to your phone.
58:29 Coming up next on CGTN, it's Africa Live.
58:32 We'll see you again tomorrow, same time, same place.
58:34 From all of the team here in London, it's goodbye.
58:36 Goodbye.
58:37 [MUSIC PLAYING]
58:40 ♪ ♪
Comments