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NEWS IN CHINA

• Putin’s Four-Day Visit to China, Deepening Trade, Security, and Multilateral Ties: Russian President Vladimir Putin began a four-day visit to China on August 31, arriving in Tianjin for the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit before heading to Beijing for the 80th anniversary of China’s WWII victory celebrations. This marks his second trip to China in just over a year, which Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov stated as “unprecedented.” Putin’s large delegation comprising three deputy prime ministers, over ten ministers, and business leaders including Gazprom chief Alexi Miller signals Moscow’s intent to bolster economic ties. Energy and agriculture remain key cooperation areas, with agreements expected on new gas pipelines, LNG projects, and agricultural exports, projected to reach $7 billion by 2025. China is already Russia’s top trading partner, though bilateral trade dipped 8.1% year-on-year in early 2025. Beyond trade, Putin’s talks with Xi Jinping will cover Ukraine, Middle East security, and global governance reforms. With over ten bilateral meetings planned, including with India’s Narendra Modi, the visit underscores Moscow’s bid to counter Western pressure and strengthen multilateral diplomacy through the SCO platform.
  
  
• China Yongchuan Emerges as Global Hi-Tech Film Hub for SCO and Beyond: Yongchuan in southwest China is fast rising as an international hub for advanced filmmaking, with its state-of-the-art Sci-Tech Film Studio drawing global attention. The facility, equipped with one of China’s largest virtual soundstages and real-time rendering technology, is redefining cinematic production for Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states and international partners. The momentum follows the successful 2025 SCO Film Festival held in July, which attracted filmmakers and industry leaders from across the region. Since then, interest in Yongchuan has surged, with production teams from Pakistan and Belarus in advanced discussions to shoot high-budget projects. These include complex sequences such as high-speed train chases and expansive historical epics, which can now be executed with reduced costs and greater visual impact through the studio’s cutting-edge infrastructure. By combining digital innovation with international collaboration, Yongchuan is positioning itself as a bridge between China’s growing film technology sector and global cinema. Analysts view it as not just a boost for cultural exchange, but also a strategic soft power move within the SCO framework.
  
  
• Campaigning Begins for Macao’s Eighth Legislative Assembly Election: The campaign period for the eighth Legislative Assembly election of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) officially kicked off on August 30 with a launch event at Tap Seac Square. The campaigns will run for 14 days until September 12, ahead of the election day set for September 14, according to the Electoral Affairs Commission. Seng Ioi Man, chairman of the Commission, urged candidate lists to actively engage with voters during the campaign period, presenting their platforms and policy visions to earn public trust. He emphasized that all election procedures are proceeding lawfully and in an orderly manner, calling on society to safeguard integrity by adhering strictly to the Legislative Assembly Election Law and the Commission’s guidelines. Authorities highlighted the importance of ensuring a clean, fair, and transparent electoral environment. The election is seen as an important opportunity for candidates to shape Macao’s legislative agenda in the coming years, with campaign activities expected to focus on social governance, economic recovery, and livelihood issues.
  
  
• Cai Qi Meets Egyptian PM Madbouly in Tianjin to Advance Strategic Partnership: On August 30, Cai Qi, member of the CPC Central Committee’s Political Bureau Standing Committee and Secretary of the Secretariat, met with Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly in Tianjin during the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit. Cai highlighted that Presidents Xi Jinping and Abdel Fattah el-Sisi held two meetings in 2024, outlining a roadmap for deepening ties across multiple fields. With 2026 marking the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations, Cai stressed China’s readiness to implement the leaders’ consensus, expand cooperation in trade, infrastructure, and cultural exchange, and work toward building a China-Egypt community with a shared future in the new era. Madbouly reaffirmed Egypt’s adherence to the one-China principle and expressed strong support for Xi’s Global Development, Security, and Civilization Initiatives. He emphasized Egypt’s willingness to learn from China’s development model and strengthen practical collaboration in key areas such as investment, energy, and technology. Both sides agreed to further elevate the comprehensive strategic partnership, underscoring Egypt’s role as a vital partner for China in the Arab and African regions.
  
  
• China Xi Jinping, Pham Minh Chinh Pledge Deeper China-Vietnam Strategic Cooperation: Chinese President Xi Jinping met Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the Tianjin Guest House during Chinh’s visit for the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit. The meeting reinforced efforts to implement the consensus reached during Xi’s April state visit to Vietnam, aimed at building a China-Vietnam community with a shared future. Xi stressed that amid global turbulence, both nations must uphold confidence in their socialist paths, strengthen solidarity, and ensure steady progress in their comprehensive strategic partnership. He congratulated Vietnam on the 80th anniversary of its founding and voiced support for its upcoming 14th Communist Party Congress. China also proposed deepening cooperation in connectivity, digital economy, AI, and development of free trade zones. Chinh, conveying greetings from Vietnam’s leadership, affirmed that relations with China remain a top priority in Hanoi’s foreign policy. He emphasized expanding trade, investment, and people-to-people ties, while supporting China’s global initiatives. Both sides pledged to jointly advance modernization, mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties, and promote stronger multilateral cooperation under the SCO framework.
  
  

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Cross-Strait Symbolism at Beijing’s September 3rd Military Parade: The invitation of Taiwanese professor Yuan Juzheng to attend China’s September 3rd military parade has triggered extensive debate on Chinese social media. Yuan, originally from Shandong but long based in Taiwan, has frequently expressed an enduring attachment to the mainland. His earlier visit to his hometown where he paid respects by the Yellow River and pledged not to have “brought shame to the people of Shandong in Taiwan” has resurfaced online and is now being cast as an emblem of cultural continuity across the Taiwan Strait. On platforms like Weibo, hashtags drew millions of views. Many netizens lauded Yuan’s presence as a patriotic gesture and a symbolic “homecoming,” while others highlighted the political weight of featuring a Taiwanese academic at such a high-profile national event. For Beijing, Yuan’s participation underscores its narrative of shared heritage and cultural unity, even amid ongoing political divides with Taipei. Yuan’s case illustrates how individual stories are mobilized in service of larger identity politics where personal emotion, cultural memory, and state symbolism converge in China’s approach to cross-strait relations.

INDIA WATCH 

Xi to Modi: China and India Should Be Partners, Not Rivals: In a notable diplomatic signal ahead of the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Tianjin that China and India should be regarded as “partners, not rivals”. The Global Times noted that Xi stressed that the two countries represent “development opportunities rather than threats” to each other, highlighting the need for long-term strategic vision as they mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties. He called for enhanced communication, greater trust, and expanded multilateral cooperation, while urging that border disputes not be allowed to overshadow the broader relationship. The article highlighted the exchange as a chance for the “dragon and elephant” to move in step, portraying it as a reaffirmation of Beijing’s willingness to stabilize ties. On the Indian side, while Modi welcomed the cooperative tone, New Delhi remains cautious, mindful of both recent border tensions and the broader regional balance. For observers, the central question is whether the rhetoric will translate into sustained trust-building measures. The interaction signals Beijing’s desire to project a stabilizing approach, but its impact will depend on how both sides align words with concrete action.

Prepared By

Lipun Kumar Sanbad

Lipun Kumar Sanbad, a postgraduate student of Politics and International Relations from Pondicherry University and a History and Political science graduate from University of Delhi. From the past three years working as a freelance researcher in the domain of global peace, conflict and security studies, and defence studies.