China's biggest national news agency announced plans Friday to launch its global, English-language television news network this week.

Starting May 1st, China Xinhua News Network Corp. (CNC) will begin trial broadcasts of its English TV service around the clock, including news segments, feature stories, weather updates and special bulletins, the official Xinhua News agency said.

"CNC will offer an alternative source of information for a global audience and aims to promote peace and development by interpreting the world in a global perspective," Xinhua quoted its President Li Congjun as telling a launching ceremony in Beijing.

The channel is officially set to launch on July 1. The agency did not immediately say what countries would receive the channel.

In January, Xinhua began broadcasting TV programs in Chinese in Asian and select European countries.

(CRIENGLISH.com May 1, 2010)