Chat Lounge

The 2025 SCO Summit will be held in Tianjin, China, on August 31 and September 1. The summit will mark the largest gathering in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization's history, with leaders from over 20 countries and heads of 10 international organizations coming together to discuss pressing regional and global issues. How will the "Shanghai Spirit" be brought to life at the SCO Tianjin Summit? What key role does media play in fostering SCO cooperation? Where is it heading in the future, and what is its significance for global cooperation? Host Xu Yawen joins Wang Mengjie, CGTN Reporter, Özgür Altınbaş, Chief of the Foreign News Service at Aydinlik, Muhammad Zamir Assadi, editor at the China Desk of Internews Pakistan, and Henry Kuvin, a contributor at The Times of Central Asia, to take a closer look.

Beijing is demanding answers from Nvidia just weeks after Washington lifted the export ban on its AI chips. China's cyberspace regulator has summoned the U.S. company, raising concerns that its H20 chips contain backdoors. What exactly is a hardware backdoor? Are China's worries about chip security justified? How difficult is it to prove a chip is truly secure? And if backdoor functions are validated, what could this mean for Nvidia's business in the world's second-largest market? Host Tu Yun joins Prof. Toby Walsh, the Chief Scientist of the AI Institute, University of New South Wales, Australia, Andy Mok, a senior research fellow at the Center for China and Globalization, and Professor Qu Qiang, a fellow of the Belt and Road Research Center, Minzu University of China to take a close look.

Despite "constructive" talks, no deal was reached between China and the U.S. on extending the 90-day tariff truce, and the August 12 deadline is fast approaching. What's holding both sides back? What are the hidden costs for consumers if tariffs snap back into place? How might the outcome of the China-U.S. trade talks influence Washington's negotiations with other economies? And could this diplomatic dance set the stage for a summit between the two state leaders later this year? Host Tu Yun joins Harvey Dzodin, Senior Fellow, Center for China and Globalization, Dr. Zhou Mi, Deputy Director, Institute of American and Oceania Study, Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, Prof. Qu Bo, Director, Institute of International Relations, China Foreign Affairs University, and Warwick Powell, Adjunct Professor, Queensland University of Technology, Australia for a close look.

China has broken ground on the world's largest hydropower station high on the Qinghai-Xizang/Tibet Plateau, a new engine for green energy. But beyond clean power, what will the massive project on the Yarlung Zangbo River mean for China's vast west and its South Asian neighbors? What challenges lie ahead, and could it reshape regional cooperation? Host Tu Yun joins Dr. Qu Qiang, a fellow of the Belt and Road Research Center at Minzu University, Zoon Ahmed Khan, a research fellow, Center for China & Globalization, and Gao Xirui, a Political Science PhD candidate, Department of Politics and Public Administration, University of Hong Kong for a close look at the facts, the controversy, and the high-stakes engineering behind this mega project.

Global sovereign wealth funds are warming to China again, just as the country posts another quarter of better-than-expected growth. What's fueling the optimism? Which sectors are showing resilience amid global uncertainty? While second-quarter growth outpaced annual targets, it slowed from the first quarter. Is this a sign of fading stimulus or just a natural rebalancing? And looking ahead, does China have what it takes to sustain momentum through the rest of the year? Host Tu Yun joins Dr. Yan Liang, a Professor of Economics, Willamette University in the United States, Dr. Li Lun, an Assistant Professor of Economics, Peking University in China, Professor Hans-Peter Burghof, Chair of the Banking and Finance Department, University of Hohenheim in Germany for a close look.

TikTok has denied reports that it's developing a separate app for the U.S. market. So how can the company resolve its prolonged standoff with Washington? Washington says a deal with Beijing is nearly done. But Beijing isn't exactly on the same page. Is this really just a business move or a high-stakes political gamble? What's the likely endgame? And what could it mean for the future of global tech? Host Tu Yun joins Dr. Zhou Mi, the Deputy Director of the Institute of American and Oceania Study, Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation; Edward Lehman, Founder and Managing Director of China-based law firm Lehman, Lee & Xu; and Warwick Powell, an Adjunct Professor at Queensland University of Technology in Australia for a close look.

From nickel-rich rainforests to battery plants on the rise, Indonesia is teaming up with China to chase the EV prize. A massive battery project in the Southeast Asian country promises new jobs, growth, and green power. But there are also doubts and questions. Is it a clean-energy leap, or a high voltage gamble? With big hopes, how could this shape Asia's green future? Host Tu Yun joins Andy Mok, a Senior Research Fellow at the Center for China and Globalization, Putra Adhiguna, the Managing Director of the Indonesia-based non-profit thinktank, Energy Shift Institute, and Kevin Nauen, a Senior Research Fellow at the Asian Vision Institute for a close look.

The newly launched Payment Connect scheme between China's mainland and Hong Kong is set to transform cross-border payments, making transfers faster, cheaper, and as simple as using a phone number. How may it reshape trade, tourism, and convenience across the Greater Bay Area? Will it pave the way for broader use of the digital Chinese currency and future breakthroughs in global finance? And how does the digital yuan fit into a bigger picture of monetary innovation and strategic competition? Host Tu Yun joins Dr. Kwan Ok Lee, Professor and Dean's Chair, Business School, National University of Singapore, Joseph Chan, Associate Professor of Practice and Associate Director, Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Hong Kong University, and Chen Jiahe, Chief Investment Officer, Novem Arcae Technologies for a close look.

China's biopharma boom is on, and foreign investors are flooding in. As we dive into the billion-dollar wave of foreign investment reshaping China's biotech landscape, check out Why pharma giants like Roche and AstraZeneca are expanding their footprint here. What strategic edge does China offer in global drug development? And can the country become a global biopharma innovation powerhouse by 2030? Host Tu Yun joins Dr. Zhou Mi, the Deputy Director of the Institute of American and Oceania Study, Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, Warwick Powell, an Adjunct Professor at Queensland University of Technology in Australia, and Chen Jiahe, the Chief Investment Officer of Beijing-based Novem Arcae Technologies for a close look.

As we look ahead to the upcoming second China-Central Asia Summit, we take this opportunity to explore the critical role of media in shaping and supporting regional cooperation. How can media in China and Central Asian countries serve as a bridge for understanding and trust? What can we do to promote a more balanced and objective global discourse about our region? How do we make sure the voices of China and Central Asia are effectively heard on the international stage? Host Xu Yawen is joined by Zhanna Shayakhmetova, Editor-in-Chief with The Astana Times, in Kazakhstan; Utkir Alimov, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the International Relations Department at the Uzbekistan National News Agency; Henry Kuvin, contributor for The Times of Central Asia; and Xu Xinchen, reporter with CGTN, to delve deeper into these questions.