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NEWS IN CHINA

• ​Communist Party of China Marks 105 Years of its Founding: A grand ceremony was held in Beijing to commemorate the 105th founding year of the Communist Party of China on July 1st, 2026. The meeting was presided over by the Chinese Premier, Li Qiang, and attended by Members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau and Vice President Han Zheng. While addressing the ceremony, President Xi Jinping reaffirmed the Party's adherence to its mission of seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation. Xi also reflected on the Party’s 105-year journey, from unifying all ethnic groups across the country to becoming a socialist country with Chinese characteristics in the new era. Xi also conferred the “July 1 Medal” on exemplary Party members for their outstanding contributions and dedication. The recipients of this award included Ma Shanxiang, Wang Yuchang, Li Liancheng, Wuhas Suleiman, Wu Yaqin, Chen Junwu, Zhao Yafu and Zhong Ju, who were selected by the Central Committee of the CCP. Xi reiterated the Party’s commitment to strengthening itself and carrying forward its excellent characteristics.
  
  
• Wang Yi Holds Phone Call with Rubio, Calls for Stable China–U.S. Relations: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, on a phone call with U.S. Secretary of State Rubio, stated that in May, President Xi Jinping and President Trump reached an important consensus aimed at building a constructive China–U.S. relationship. He added that this provides strategic guidance and direction for bilateral ties over the next three years and beyond. He further emphasized that both sides should eliminate interference, overcome obstacles, and adhere to the principles of equality, respect and reciprocity. He also called for incorporating the leaders’ consensus into concrete measures, noting that the relationship requires sustained action rather than slogans. On the Taiwan issue, Wang reiterated that it remains a sensitive matter and urged the U.S. to act cautiously in related affairs. Both sides reportedly agreed that the call was positive and constructive and committed to maintaining communication and implementing the consensus reached by the two heads of state.
  
  
• China Expands Occupational Injury Protection Pilot for Gig Workers Nationwide: According to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, China has expanded its occupational injury protection pilot program for workers in new forms of employment to all 31 provincial-level regions and the Xinjiang Protection and Construction Corps from July 1. As per the officials, the cumulative number of participants in the pilot program had reached nearly 29.9 million by the end of June. The newly included platform companies consisted of T3 Travel and Xiaoxiang Supermarket, while provincial authorities are expected to gradually incorporate small and medium-sized platform enterprises that operate in sectors such as ride-hailing, instant delivery and intra-city freight services. The pilot program was initially launched on July 1, 2022, and it aims to strengthen social protection for gig economy workers who frequently face high job mobility and work spanning multiple digital platforms. The system also adopts flexible measures like daily insurance enrollment, per-order billing, monthly payments and unified insurance participation to better suit the nature of platform-based employment. 
  
  
• China Issues New Mandatory Standards to Tighten Energy Efficiency Rules in Photovoltaic Industry: The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, along with the National Development and Reform Commission and the State Administration for Market Regulation, has released three mandatory national standards that aim to strengthen energy consumption control and efficiency across the photovoltaic (PV) industry chain. The new standards cover important segments including silicon materials, silicon wafers, crystalline silicon modules, inverters, and other related production processes. They set strict limits on consuming unit energy and also define energy efficiency grades for photovoltaic modules and inverters, while also introducing environmental stress attenuation indicators for components. These measures are designed to curb high-energy-consumption and inefficient production capacity, promote technological upgrading, and improve the overall green governance system of the PV sector. The new standards aim to enhance consistency in energy measurement and strengthen regulatory oversight. In the long term, the initiative is expected to align with China’s competitiveness in the global solar industry while supporting national carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals.
  
  
• Domestic Air Fuel Surcharge Cut Ahead of 2026 Summer Travel Season: China’s domestic aviation fuel surcharge will be reduced again from July 5, 2026, becoming another cost cut ahead of the peak summer travel season. According to the announcement by Jiuyuan Aviation Co., Ltd., the surcharge for domestic route flights will fall to 50 yuan for flights under 800 km and 100 yuan for flights above 800 km, showing reductions of 30 yuan and 50 yuan respectively. The adjustment came after a decline in international aviation kerosene prices, which has created room for lower surcharges under the industry’s pricing linkage mechanism regulated by national authorities. This is the second reduction after the surcharge reached its annual peak in May, with total cost declines estimated at around 400 basis points from the highest level this year. According to industry experts, the reduction in fuel cost is expected to encourage travel demand during the summer tourism season by lowering overall ticket costs. Airlines have also reduced international fuel surcharges on routes to Southeast Asia, Europe and the United States, to support outbound travel demand.
  
  

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Weibo Users React to Donald Trump’s Rising Net Worth: A post is going viral on Weibo that says the net worth of the U.S. president has grown significantly over the past year. It sparked discussions among Chinese social media users about the sources of his growing wealth. According to the post, Trump’s net worth increased from USD 5.1 billion to USD 6.5 billion within a year, referring to Forbes’ 2026 billionaires list, which listed him among the wealthiest sitting presidents in U.S. history. The post further cited the Bloomberg Billionaires Index that estimates Trump’s net worth to be US$7.6 billion (approximately RMB 51.6 billion). The discussion gained traction after reports revealed that Trump conducted more than 3,600 stock trades in the first quarter of 2026, averaging nearly 50 transactions per trading day. Some Weibo users argued that the sharp increase in his wealth was largely driven by cryptocurrency-related gains and high-frequency stock trading activity. A few other users emphasized Trump’s unique financial standing compared to previous U.S. presidents. 

INDIA WATCH

​Guancha Discusses India Receiving Preferential Japanese Visa Fees: An article in Guancha discussed that Indian citizens will continue to receive the benefit of significantly lower Japanese visa fees despite Japan's revised visa pricing structure that came into effect on July 1. The article noted that the cost of a single-entry Japanese visa in China has risen to 715 yuan, but the additional processing fee for Indian applicants remains only 40 yuan, including both single and multiple-entry visas. According to the article, the development drew widespread attention online, with many calling the move an indication of Japan’s growing interest in strengthening tourism, workforce mobility, and economic engagement with India. It cited analysts who suggested that the reduced charges can primarily be the result of a bilateral reciprocal agreement between the two countries. The article also highlighted that India allows Japanese citizens a concessional visa fee, and Japan also extended similar benefits to Indian nationals in return. It emphasized that the arrangement showcased India’s broader diplomatic approach of incorporating visa and migration issues into negotiations with developed countries, experts added. The article further added that this agreement would help India address domestic employment concerns while also increasing remittance inflows, making mobility partnerships strategically important for New Delhi.