The Beijing Hour

Addressing the opening ceremony of the World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the country's major measures to support global development of artificial intelligence (01:15). Hostilities between the United States and Iran have continued, despite the memorandum of understanding they signed in mid-June (17:19). China's foreign exchange market held steady in the first half of the year, weathering increased turbulence in global financial markets (36:08).

The 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance will begin on Friday, showcasing the latest breakthroughs in artificial intelligence while shaping discussions on global governance on the sector (01:06). Hostilities between Iran and the US military have intensified a day after the US re-imposed its naval blockade on ships to and from Iranian ports (11:58). Beijing has expressed appreciation for Papua New Guinea's decision to close its "Taipei Economic and Cultural Office" (19:54).

Officials say the Chinese economy expanded 4.7 percent in the first half of the year, laying the groundwork for the country to achieve its annual growth target of 4.5 to five percent (01:04). The US has struck Iranian targets before re-imposing a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran has attacked US military targets in Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain (12:15). A fire in a building under renovation in Brussels has killed seven people (20:12).

Iran has warned the US against interfering in the management of the Strait of Hormuz after the US president said his country is reinstating a blockade on Iran in the strait (01:06). The Chinese foreign minister says China is willing to work with Kazakhstan to seek common development while meeting with his Kazakh counterpart in Beijing (23:07). China's foreign trade in goods in the first half of the year reached nearly 25.5 trillion yuan, marking the first time the figure surpassed 25 trillion yuan in that period (40:29).

China has released a critique of the so-called South China Sea Arbitration Award, unveiling its major flaws in legal application, factual findings, and evidence assessment (01:02). China's east coast continues to respond to the intense rainfall from Typhoon Bavi, as the storm moves inland and loses strength (15:17). The US and Iran continue to exchange fire in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Gulf region (24:48).