Host Paul James at CRI headquarters in western Beijing. [Photos by Zou Hong / China Daily]

Every day, a few minutes before 7 pm, 33-year-old Canadian Paul James settles into his chair, takes one last look at the news wire and gets ready to go on air. James, who may be one of the most recognizable voices in Beijing radio, is host of the evening edition of The Beijing Hour, a daily current affairs and news program on China Radio International (CRI).

For the last five years James' voice has informed both a Chinese and international audience about not just local Chinese news but also major international events.

Although today his voice can be heard across the globe, his journey to become a CRI host began humbly.

Born in the small Canadian town of Broadview, Saskatchewan, James always set his eyes on bigger and brighter places.

Eventually, in 1996, James made his way to British Columbia and got his first broadcasting gig at a small local radio station on Northern Vancouver Island.

Even from his early days, James always liked to focus on the journalistic aspects of radio broadcasting.

"I'm not much of a music person. I mean I can't even tell you the difference between Lady Gaga and Madonna. My interests are more in history and politics. That's why I'm not a DJ," James explained.

Even though James liked his job in British Columbia, he eventually became tired of the lack of career advancement.

"The ways things usually work with broadcasting in Canada is that all the senior hosts, who had been with the station for a long time, got all the best opportunities.

"It really didn't matter how talented I was ... I was years behind them. I basically would have to wait till they were out of the picture to advance. I just couldn't be that patient," James said.

So, at the invitation of some fellow Canadian media professionals in China, James decided to, as he called it, "take the plunge" in the summer of 2005.

"I had never been to Asia and I really had no idea what to expect. It was a new experience for me," James remembers.

Although China offered the 193-cm-tall Canadian plenty of new sights, sounds, and tastes, what he enjoyed most was learning about a country and culture that is often misunderstood in the West.

"Things are very different than most people perceive them to be back home. In fact, things are more open than I expected them to be," James said.