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TV Guide
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shows

Closer to China with R.L. Kuhn

Focuses on China’s politics and governance, the CPC’s rule, and other sensitive China issues. The weekly program targets China watchers, experts, and policymakers globally by telling China’s inside, complex story through intimate, informed discussions with China’s thought leaders and decision makers, many of whom do not appear in foreign media.
video collection
video collection
PROGRAMS
PROGRAMS
PRESENTERS
PRESENTERS
Beatrice Marshall
Beatrice Marshall is senior anchor for the twice daily “Africa Live” program. She is also host of “Talk Africa”, a weekly talk show that provides global viewers with an inside look at social, economic and political events shaping the African continent. Beatrice has interviewed 22 sitting African Heads of State and Governments, among other leading African politicians, decision-makers & thought-leaders. Before joining the launch team of CGTN Africa, Beatrice was chief anchor at KTN, Kenya’s leading network. She holds a Master’s degree from the University of Leicester in the UK.
Mike Walter
Mike Walter is Chief anchor at CGTN America. He helped create and was the first host of the talk show “The Heat” before shifting to host the weekly “Full Frame” program where he has interviewed a variety of known influencers including Taiwan born computer scientist Kai Fu Lee, Bill Gates, and cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Mike has left Washington to report events around the world including the G-20 Summit in Hangzhou China in 2016 and the “Two Sessions” congressional meeting in Beijing in 2019. Mike is a recipient of multiple television Emmy Awards. Before joining CGTN, he was an independent documentary producer and anchor at a variety of American TV channels.
Liu Xin
Liu Xin is the anchor of the daily CGTN news and opinion program – “The Point”. In that capacity she interviews opinion makers from around the world. With recent guest appearances on media outlets such as Fox Business, CNBC, and NPR, Liu Xin has become one of China’s most visible global journalists. She joined CCTV's English language service in 1997. After being posted as CCTV's Bureau Chief in Geneva from 2011-2016, she returned to Beijing in 2017.
Jamie Owen
Jamie Owen anchors CGTN Europe from the new London broadcast center. He is a television news journalist with thirty years’ experience in the industry. He joined CGTN from TRT World where he anchored global television news from Istanbul. Prior to that, he worked at the BBC for 28 years anchoring television and radio news and fronting nearly sixty documentaries. He has worked extensively overseas for the BBC World Service Trust and BBC Media Action advising television companies in Libya, Egypt, Jordan, India and Germany. He is the author of six books on the British landscape.
Robyn Dwyer
Robyn Dwyer anchors CGTN Europe. She fronts all of CGTN Europe’s major news bulletins including The World Today and Global Business. Robyn also presents on location and special programming, and produces news and feature packages. Previously a news presenter for BBC, ITN, Sky News and TRT World, Robyn has over 20 years experience in broadcast journalism. Her broadcast career has combined business news with a focus on international stories, and has taken her to Istanbul, Paris, Sydney and London.
Jonathan Betz
Jonathan Betz is a global news anchor for CGTN based in Beijing. Betz has covered a number of major issues facing China, ranging from the country’s poverty alleviation program to the China-US trade war. He led the network’s live coverage of US President Donald Trump’s first official visit to Beijing. Jonathan joined the network in 2017 after working at Al Jazeera America in New York.
Guan Xin
Guan Xin is a news anchor and reporter for “Global Business”, Beijing. She started her career as a field reporter, covering a wide range of political and economic events in China and abroad. She has also conducted one-on-one interviews with global business leaders, economists and political figures, including Jean-Claude Trichet, former president of the ECB, Carlos Gutierrez, former US Commerce Secretary, and Edmund Phelps, Nobel Prize-winning Economist. Guan Xin holds a BA in Journalism from Tsinghua Unversity and a MA in Finance from Peking University.
Tianran He
Tianran He is a host of CGTN’s weekly Travelogue program. For nearly decade, he has taken viewers on television journeys to China’s most exotic destinations and its farthest flung corners. At CGTN, Tianran has hosted some 100 episodes of features programming in genres ranging from documentary and magazine, to entertainment and travel. He also hosts live-streams and contributes articles to CGTN’s digital arm. Born in Beijing and raised in London, Tianran is bilingual in English and Mandarin. He is a two-time winner of Best Presenter at the industry wide China Travel Television awards.
Ji Xiaojun
Ji Xiaojun is currently the host of ICON a weekly cultural and celebrity profile program from CGTN Beijing. Ji has hosted different types programs in his nineteen-year TV career. He served an announcer for the World Expo, the Asian Games, Youth Olympics, the Paralympics, the World Universiade, and China National Games. His voice opened and closed the Beijing Olympic Games. Ji was awarded "CCTV Anchor/Presenter of the Year" three times. He also won the "Golden Microphone Award" in 2012, a national award for broadcasting in China.
Jiao Yang
Jiao Yang is a CGTN Beijing based anchor who presents the “World Today”. She first came to CGTN as a copy editor and was promoted to news anchor in 2015. Yang has worked on a number of major stories including the Trump-Kim meeting at Korea’s DMZ and terrorist attacks in the UK. Yang is British-Chinese and studied law in the United Kingdom.
Peninah Karibe
Peninah Karibe is a news anchor and reporter at CGTN Africa. She is a seasoned journalist with 17 years’ experience. In her present role she has covered key events on the continent including the 2013 coup in the Central African Republic, the fall of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, the M23 rebellion in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and the COP 22, UN climate talks in Marrakech, Morocco.
Robert Lawrence Kuhn
Robert Lawrence Kuhn is the host and co-producer of Closer to China with R.L. Kuhn. He has provided commentary to CNN, BBC, CNBC, Bloomberg, and Fox Business. He has been a columnist for the South China Morning Post and China Daily. Robert was awarded the “China Reform Friendship Medal”, China’s highest award honoring foreign nationals for their contribution to understanding China. Robert is the author of How China’s Leaders Think (featuring President Xi Jinping) and The Man Who Changed China: The Life and Legacy of Jiang Zemin. He has a Ph.D. in anatomy/brain research from UCLA and an MBA from MIT.
Greg Laffradi
Greg Laffradi is senior host of CGTN’s daily Sports Scene program. He has been hosting Sports Scene since 2014 and has covered such major events as the Olympics, Asian Games, FIFA World Cup, and FIBA World Cup. He has interviewed top athletes including as Li Na, Wu Dajing, Stephon Marbury, and Manny Pacquiao. Greg is from Canada and has spent most of his life playing, discussing, and analyzing sports.
Louisa Lee
Louisa Lee joined CGTN Beijing’s daily “Culture Express” team in September 2019, having previously hosted the channel’s Crossover program. Before joining CGTN, Louisa hosted shows for UDN TV and CTS News in Taiwan. She was nominated for an “Excellence in Journalism Award 2011 in Taipei. Louisa began her on-air career hosting Weekend Buzz, a radio show for ICRT in Taiwan. Louisa interviewed prominent musicians and presented entertainment news. Louisa has also worked as a segment producer for Animal Planet and in the morning news department at KTLA in Los Angeles.
Li Dongning
Li Dongning hosts the daily, in depth, 60 minute news program, “Global Watch”. She joined the CCTV English service in 1995, which later became CGTN. Dongning has covered major news events such as the death of Osama Bin Laden and the Malaysian airline crash. She holds a master degree of Journalism Studies of Cardiff University in the UK. She is member of the charity fund “I Hear You”, created to help impoverished hearing-impaired children have artificial cochlea implants.
Li Qiuyuan
Li Qiuyuan presents the daily news program “China24”. She has worked both in the field and behind the anchor desk on breaking news since joining the network in 2011. Li Qiuyuan has interviewed a number of world leaders and newsmakers including former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. She holds a Master of Laws degree from Peking University and a Bachelor of Science degree with a double major of Psychology and Neuroscience from University of Toronto.
Lily Lyu
Lily Lyu is an anchor for “Global Business” from CGTN Beijing. She covers global stock markets on a daily basis. She provides interviews with reporters and analysts based in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo and London live on the daily program. Lily received an MA in International Public Relations from the School of Journalism, Cardiff University, UK, and holds a BA in International Journalism from China University of Communications.
Gasthoori Manickam
Gasthoori Manickam is a news anchor for CGTN, based in Beijing. She has more than 19 years of experience in journalism. She joined CGTN from Singapore’s public broadcaster, MediaCorp TV where she presented international news for Channel News Asia (CNA). Her past work also includes line producing for MediaCorp TV’s primetime “News 5” bulletin. Earlier as a news writer, Gasthoori has covered major events for several publications in Singapore.
Juliet Mann
Juliet Mann is part of the CGTN London on-air team. She specializes in business news, covering stories from entrepreneurship to sustainability, from digital innovation to global economic meltdown. Prior to coming to CGTN, Juliet presented and reported from London, Paris, New York and Frankfurt for such organizations as CNBC, CNN, Sky News and Reuters. On the road and in the studio, she has interviewed a variety of newsmakers including EU policy specialists, corporate CEO’s and most recently Zhou Xiaochuan, the former governor of People Bank of China. Juliet studied politics at Bristol University.
Evamaria Mayer
Evamaria Mayer joined the CGTN family as a Travelogue-presenter in 2019. Being of Chinese and Austrian heritage and the daughter of a diplomat, Eva finds herself at the junction between Asia and the West. In her first program for Travelogue explored the history, unique traditions and culinary delights of the Miao people. Before joining CGTN, Eva worked in the travel industry in Hong Kong.
Lindy Mtongana
Lindy Mtongana is a features reporter and news anchor for the Africa Bureau’s flagship program, “Africa Live”. She joined CGTN in 2015 and has since travelled through China and much of Africa engaging with regional leaders, newsmakers and local communities. Prior to joining CGTN, Lindy worked for independent news broadcasters in her home country of South Africa, including the award-winning Talk Radio702 and the country's first 24-hour news channel, eNews Channel Africa(eNCA).
Mahia Mutua
Mahia Mutua anchors “Sports Scene” Africa, a half-hour weekly sports program that focuses on sports from Africa and beyond. He has been at CGTN since 2013. Mahia has worked as a reporter, covering sporting events across the continent in Rwanda, Senegal, Uganda, and Tunisia. Prior to joining CGTN, Mahia served as a news, judicial and sports journalist for two Kenyan media houses.
Anand Naidoo
Anand Naidoo is host of CGTN America’s daily current affairs talk show, “The Heat”. Before joining CGTN, he worked for CNNI, Al Jazeera English and the South African Broadcasting Corporation. In a career spanning three decades, Anand has covered major stories including the release of Nelson Mandela, U.S. embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, and two election campaigns of Barack Obama. Anand is the recipient of a George Peabody Award and the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award. As anchor of “The Heat”, he also won two Bronze Medals for Best News Anchor at the New York Festivals International TV and Film Awards.
Asieh Namdar
Asieh Namdar is an anchor for CGTN America. Prior to arriving in Washington D.C., she spent 24 years as an anchor for CNNI. She was also a senior writer for HLN and a contributor to CNN.com. Asieh, an Iranian-American journalist, has covered a variety of stories from Afghanistan and Iraq, to political developments in Iran. She has interviewed a long list of global leaders including US President Jimmy Carter, Jordan’s Queen Rania, Pakistan’s Benazir Bhutto and Iran’s foreign minister, Javad Zarif. Asieh is a graduate of the University of California Berkeley with a degree in communications.
Richard Nta
Richard Nta is a presenter for “Africa Live”, “The Link” and the sports program. He has anchored many major breaking news stories on CGTN including coverage of recent elections in Nigeria. With more than 15 years of experience in television, Richard has also worked at Afro World View, ENCA News Network and Kwese Sport in South Africa.
Ramah Nyang
Ramah Nyang is an anchor for the daily “Global Business” Africa program. Since joining CGTN Africa in 2012, he’s explored stories in different parts of the continent, from interviewing the then Nigerian President after the kidnap of the Chibok Girls, to reporting on the formation of the world’s biggest free trade area, the CFTA. Prior to joining CGTN Africa, Ramah worked with the top urban radio outlets in Kenya under the Radio Africa Group, as well as KTN, the Standard Group’s broadcast television channel.
Uche Okoronkwo
Uche Okoronkwo anchors “Global Business” Africa. She joined CGTN Africa in 2015, after over a decade travelling across Africa working with major organizations such as Bloomberg TV Africa, CNBC Africa and BBC World News as an anchor/presenter and producer. Uche graduated with an MA in Business and Financial Journalism from Columbia University's School of Journalism in New York.
Pan Deng
Pan Deng is a global news anchor for CGTN based in Beijing. He joined the organization in 2006. Before assuming news presenter duties, Pan Deng reported from the field on a wide range of news events and issues. He covered the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the Wenchuan earthquake as well as China's first spacewalk. He's received an award from the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union for his reporting on China's efforts in fighting HIV/AIDS among drug addicts.
Elaine Reyes
Elaine Reyes is an anchor for CGTN America and the host of “Americas Now” on weekends. She has interviewed leaders from across the Americas from Mexico to Chile as well US Presidents George W. Bush and Jimmy Carter. Elaine joined CGTN News from the NBC station in Washington, DC. Previously she appeared US networks including MSNBC, FOX News, CBS, and CNN. Her work has been recognized by the Southeast Chapter of National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and Georgia Associated Press. Elaine is a member of the Asian American Journalists Association and a graduate of AAJA’s Executive Leadership Program.
Karen Roberts
Karen Roberts is part of the CGTN anchor team in Nairobi presenting the Africa Live program. Karen has been a familiar face in global news for many years. Her experience ranges from news and current affairs to feature programs. She’s presented and worked for ITV News, BBC and Sky News in the UK; France 24 in Paris; and RT in Moscow. She began her career at RTHK (Radio Television Hong Kong) in 1993. Karen has presented both news and feature programming in Beijing. In 2011, she provided viewers continuous breaking news coverage of Japan’s earthquake, tsunami and Fukushima nuclear disaster.
Hannah Viviers
Hannah Viviers is part of the CGTN anchor team in Nairobi presenting the twice daily “Africa Live” program. She joined CGTN Africa in July 2019. Hannah’s career, which began in South Africa, spans 17 years and includes her work as an anchor for the South African Broadcasting Corporation as well as global business news for CNBC. Hannah holds a degree in Journalism and a Postgraduate qualification in Economics.
Tian Wei
Tian Wei is host of "World Insight with Tian Wei". She has interviewed a wide variety of news makers including UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterreas, Hillary Clinton, Bill & Melinda Gates, Jack Ma, Huawei CEO Ren Zhengfei, and IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde. Wei maintains a special interest in issues of poverty alleviation, health, environmental protection and gender equity. She is a Special Advisor to the United Nations Development Program and also serves as China's National Advocacy Ambassador for Mental Health, and Red Ribbon Ambassador for Prevention and Control of HIV/AIDS.
Julian Waghann
Julian Waghann reports for and hosts the daily CGTN Culture Express program. He came to the channel in 2011 and since his arrival has interviewed a variety of influential personalities in the world of art, culture and entertainment. Julian holds a Master of Arts degree in Film, Television and New Media from the University of Southern California film school. He’s a graduate UC Berkeley and studied language and film at the Sorbonne in Paris.
Wang Mangmang
Wang Mangmang is a presenter and reporter at CGTN, who got her start in 2006. She hosts the program “Asia Today”. As one of the network's chief reporters, her assignments have included a variety of breaking news stories. Mangmang’s reporting on the Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan won her a 2008 national award for Outstanding Journalist. In 2009, she was named a National Best Journalist by the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television. Wang has interviewed many political figures including former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.
Michael Wang
Michael Wang is an anchor of CGTN’s Global Business program in Beijing. He has interviewed numerous business executives and policymakers since he joined the network in 2011. Through his work, Michael is passionate about fostering greater understanding between China and the world. He started his career in finance before transitioning to financial media. Michael holds an MBA from the University of Cambridge and a BA in Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Michelle Xing Van den Bergh
Michelle Xing Van den Bergh is co-anchor of “Global Business” based in Beijing. Since joining CGTN in 2011, she has interviewed many of the most influential people in business and politics, among them IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde, Intel’s CEO Brian Krzanich, and former Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Megan Zhang
Megan Zhang is one of the presenters “Travelogue”. On her treks around China, Megan has explored the country's cultures, cuisines, and lifestyles, discovering unique and captivating qualities. In her travels for the program so far, she has explored ancient carvings near Chongqing and brought attention to the plight of endangered monkeys in Yunnan. Megan came to CGTN in 2018. She graduated cum laude from New York University with a double degree in broadcast journalism and psychology. Upon graduation, she worked as a television reporter in New York, and later was a technology reporter in San Francisco.
Zheng Junfeng
Zheng Junfeng is an anchor at “Global Business”. He has interviewed hundreds of Chinese and global business leaders, including Bill Gates and Warren Buffett and Wang Shi, Chairman of China Vanke, the largest real estate enterprise in China. Junfei has held different positions at CCTV and CGTN since 2005. Before his career in journalism, Junfeng worked as a certified accountant in the UK after finishing his master’s degree there. He also worked professionally in finance, real estate and movie industries.
Zhong Shi
Zhong Shi is a Beijing-based anchor for CGTN who joined the network in 2013. He primarily contributes to the global news program the “World Today” and appears regularly on “Global Watch”. As a “World Today” anchor Zhong Shi led coverage of the disappearance of flight MH370, Kim Jong-un’s summit with Donald Trump in Vietnam, and New Zealand’s mosque shooting. Before coming to CGTN, Shi presented news at Xinhua’s CNC network.
MORE FROM CGTN
MORE FROM CGTN