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NEWS IN CHINA

• President Xi Jinping and US President Trump Hold Informal Talks at Zhongnanhai: President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump held a private meeting at Beijing’s Zhongnanhai leadership compound, ahead of the conclusion of Trump’s state visit to China. The meeting followed formal talks between the two leaders a day earlier. Xi warmly welcomed Trump upon his arrival, and the two leaders walked through the gardens while discussing bilateral ties. Xi described Trump’s visit as “historic and landmark,” saying both sides had established a new vision for a constructive China-US relationship based on strategic stability. He noted that the two countries reached important understandings on maintaining stable trade relations, expanding practical cooperation, and properly addressing mutual concerns. Xi also stressed the need for stronger communication on international and regional issues and said cooperation between the two countries would benefit both peoples and the wider world. Trump called the visit highly successful and globally significant, saying the two sides had signed several agreements and resolved many issues beneficial to both countries. Referring to Xi as an “old friend,” Trump expressed confidence that US-China relations would continue improving and said he looked forward to hosting Xi in Washington.
  
  
• China Calls for Dialogue on Iran Crisis: Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun reiterated China’s call for dialogue and political settlement regarding the Iran situation, after being asked about White House claims that China had agreed during a China-US leaders’ meeting to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Guo stated that China’s position on the Iran issue has been consistent and clear, stressing that the ongoing conflict has caused serious suffering for people in Iran and neighboring countries while also threatening global economic growth, supply chains, international trade and energy security. The spokesperson welcomed the recent ceasefire efforts between the US and Iran and attempts to resolve disputes through negotiations. He emphasized that China has always believed dialogue and consultation are the only viable solutions, while the use of force leads nowhere. Guo also emphasized the importance of reopening shipping routes as soon as possible to maintain stable and uninterrupted global supply chains. He called for a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire to restore peace and stability in the Middle East and Gulf region and support the creation of a sustainable regional security framework.
  
  
• State Council Meeting Charts Path for Urban Renewal and Rural Modernization: Premier Li Qiang chaired a State Council executive meeting, reviewing progress on urban renewal, agricultural modernization, and population and education development. The meeting emphasized that China’s urban development is shifting from large-scale expansion to improving the quality and efficiency of existing urban areas. Key priorities include delivering on urban renewal tasks, fostering new growth drivers, building high-quality living spaces, and promoting a green, low-carbon transition. On agriculture, the meeting reaffirmed that work related to farmers, rural areas, and food security remains central. Efforts will focus on strengthening production capacity, consolidating gains in poverty alleviation, broadening income channels for farmers, and preventing large-scale relapse into poverty. Population policy was also highlighted, with calls to maintain an appropriate fertility rate, foster a birth-friendly society, and expand child-rearing services. The meeting urged proactive responses to population aging, including stronger social security and elderly care systems. Finally, the State Council stressed the goal of making China a global leader in education by 2035, improving the quality of basic education, and ensuring equitable allocation of resources.
  
  
• Zhao Leji Stresses Law-Based Development During Guizhou Visit: Zhao Leji, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, conducted an inspection tour in Guizhou Province from May 13 to 15, emphasizing the need to advance the work of the National People’s Congress (NPC) in a lawful and orderly manner. During visits to Qiannan Prefecture and Guiyang, Zhao met grassroots lawmakers, villagers, enterprise representatives, and local officials to review the implementation of the spirit of the Fourth Session of the 14th NPC and assess improvements in people’s congress work. He also inspected local and provincial people’s congress institutions and chaired a symposium on legislative and supervisory work. Zhao stressed that high-quality legislation should support major national priorities such as technological self-reliance, industrial upgrading, green development, and economic restructuring. He called for improving legal frameworks related to innovation, finance, and environmental protection to ensure high-quality development. He also highlighted the importance of strengthening ties between the NPC and the public to practice whole-process people’s democracy. Zhao urged lawmakers to focus on public concerns, deepen grassroots research, and improve deputies’ capacity building. Additionally, he emphasized Party leadership, strict Party governance, and practical governance approaches while calling for continued study of Xi Jinping Thought and stronger rule-based governance.
  
  
• China Launches First Energy Engineering Satellite: China on Friday successfully launched PowerChina-1, the country’s first dedicated satellite for energy engineering, aboard a Lijian-1 Y13 rocket from the Dongfeng commercial space innovation pilot zone in northwest China. Developed by PowerChina Chengdu Engineering Corporation in cooperation with China University of Geosciences and Spacety Co. Ltd., the satellite is designed to strengthen monitoring and safety management for major national infrastructure projects. The 300-kilogram satellite is equipped with advanced X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology capable of all-weather, all-time observation. Operating in low-Earth orbit, it can penetrate clouds and rain while capturing millimeter-level ground deformations with extremely high precision. The system can detect geological risks such as landslides, subsidence and rock collapses, helping improve disaster prevention and early warning capabilities. According to developers, the satellite will support hydropower, transportation, water conservancy and new energy projects by conducting continuous remote monitoring of dams, bridges, tunnels and slopes. The launch also marks China’s progress toward independent space-based monitoring capabilities. Developers said follow-up satellites, including PowerChina-2, are already under development to build a comprehensive domestic satellite constellation for energy infrastructure management.
  
  

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

China-US Aircraft Deal Sparks Debate on Weibo: A post on Weibo discussing reports that the US President announced China would purchase 200 Boeing aircraft is going viral over the real significance of the potential deal and the future of China-US economic relations. The post noted that China’s Foreign Ministry neither confirmed nor denied the claim, instead reiterating that “the essence of China-US economic and trade relations is mutual benefit and win-win.” The post argued that Beijing’s cautious response allows flexibility over future delivery schedules and negotiations, while also highlighting Boeing’s dependence on the Chinese market after years of financial difficulties and declining market share against Airbus. Many users stated that the lack of a direct denial suggested that an agreement had likely been reached. One user commented that “framework agreements are often discounted during implementation,” while another user argued that “production capacity and supply chain recovery are more important than headline order numbers.” Some users described the deal as a “win-win situation” for both countries, while several other users viewed the announcement mainly as a temporary trade-balancing measure rather than a transformative aviation agreement. Another user remarked that “200 aircraft is not a very large number,” given China’s airline market and long delivery timelines. Some users also pointed to Boeing’s recent operational problems and questioned aircraft quality standards. Several other users expressed disappointment over Boeing’s stock decline after expectations of larger orders. 

INDIA WATCH 

Guancha Examines Credibility Concerns Over India’s GDP Data: An article published in Guancha discussed growing concerns over the reliability of India’s economic statistics, arguing that weaknesses in GDP accounting could undermine both policy credibility and India’s global image as a rising economic power. The article noted that the IMF, in its 2025 Article IV consultation, gave India’s national accounts statistics a “C” rating for the second consecutive year, citing delayed base year revisions, the use of wholesale price indices for deflation, and inconsistencies in GDP calculations. According to the article, India’s statistical base year has remained at 2011–2012 despite major structural changes in the economy. It also highlighted the challenge of measuring India’s large informal economy, estimated to account for around 45 percent of GDP, noting that current statistical methods often extrapolate informal sector growth from formal sector data, which may distort actual economic performance. The article also acknowledged India’s strong growth momentum driven by domestic consumption, investment demand, and services expansion, and it cautioned against overestimating the country’s economic rise solely through headline GDP figures. It further argued that India’s statistical problems are representative of broader challenges faced by developing countries, including outdated base years, weak statistical capacity, inadequate informal sector coverage, and political interference in economic data. The article concluded that improving GDP credibility will require not only technical reforms and updated accounting standards, but also a more multidimensional framework for assessing economic development.