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NEWS IN CHINA

• President Xi Chairs Meeting on Rescue and Relief Efforts after Devastating Mudslide: Xi Jinping chaired a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee to review rescue and relief efforts following a mudslide at the Gyirong border port in Southwest China. Xi and other senior leaders observed a moment of silence for the victims at the start of the meeting. The mudslide, which occurred on August 12 following an incident in neighbouring Nepal, caused heavy casualties and left people missing. Xi had earlier issued instructions on rescue and emergency response efforts, while Premier Li Qiang and Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing travelled to the affected area to oversee rescue operations. The meeting called for intensified search and rescue efforts for missing Chinese and foreign nationals, stronger monitoring and early-warning systems, and measures to prevent secondary disasters, particularly given the region’s harsh terrain and geological risks. It also stressed personnel safety and coordinated action among relevant authorities. China said it would provide emergency assistance to the affected area in Nepal and strengthen international cooperation on disaster management and emergency response in border regions.
  
  
• APEC China 2026 Third Senior Officials Meeting Held in Dalian: The Third Senior Officials’ Meeting of APEC China 2026 was held in Dalian, Liaoning Province, bringing together more than 3,000 representatives from APEC member economies, the APEC Secretariat and observer organisations. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu said at the opening that since the launch of the APEC “China Year,” members had strengthened consensus and begun outlining key areas for building an Asia-Pacific community. He said China would work with other APEC economies to promote practical cooperation and inclusive development, deliver outcomes for the upcoming Economic Leaders’ Meeting and advance regional economic integration. Participants acknowledged progress across various areas during the APEC “China Year” and expressed expectations for substantive outcomes at the Economic Leaders’ Meeting, which will be held in Shenzhen. The meeting was the largest of APEC’s senior officials’ meetings this year in terms of participation and activities. Nearly 130 meetings and events were held across areas including trade, transportation, food, customs, science and technology, energy, health, disaster reduction and anti-corruption. Prior meetings were held in Guangzhou and Shanghai.
  
  
• China and Zimbabwe Reaffirm Commitment to Stronger Economic and Trade Ties: China and Zimbabwe have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening economic and trade cooperation during the 11th Session of the Joint Commission on Economic, Technical and Trade Cooperation, held in Harare. The meeting was co-chaired by Zimbabwean Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Amon Murwira and Chinese Assistant Minister of Commerce Zhang Li. Both sides agreed to implement the 10 partnership actions announced at the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit, expand bilateral trade and investment, and accelerate negotiations on an Economic Partnership for Shared Development agreement. They also agreed to encourage greater Chinese investment in Zimbabwe, support the upgrading of the country’s mining industry and promote industrial development. Murwira highlighted China-Zimbabwe cooperation in sectors including energy, agriculture and infrastructure, while expressing support for expanding trade and investment ties. He also welcomed China’s zero-tariff policy for 53 African countries, citing Zimbabwe’s first blueberry shipment to China in July as an example of new export opportunities. Zhang noted Zimbabwe’s growing exports to China and its position as a major destination for Chinese investment. Both sides pledged to translate existing agreements into concrete outcomes, including increased trade, investment, value addition and job creation.
  
  
• China Advances Reforms to Commercial Housing Sales System: China will steadily reform its commercial housing sales system and accelerate the development of a new real estate model, according to a circular jointly issued by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the National Financial Regulatory Administration. The circular calls for stricter regulation of presale conditions and stronger supervision of presale funds to reduce housing delivery risks and protect homebuyers. For projects entering presale, the main structure of each building should be completed. Local authorities are also encouraged to promote the sale of completed homes to reduce disputes and provide buyers with greater certainty over housing delivery. The circular further calls for improved land supply, financial support and project management, as well as measures to facilitate the issuance of property ownership certificates when homes are delivered. Separately, the People's Bank of China and the NFRA issued guidelines to improve real estate credit management. The guidelines extend development loan terms to up to five years for presale projects and seven years for completed-home and commercial property projects. The maximum term for personal housing loans has also been increased from 30 to 40 years.
  
  
• China Issues Guidance to Diversify Investment in Ecological Technology Innovation: The Ministry of Ecology and Environment and five other departments have jointly issued guidelines to promote diversified investment in scientific and technological innovation in the ecological and environmental sector. The initiative aims to strengthen funding, improve technology development and commercialisation, and provide greater technological support for building a “Beautiful China.” The ministry said that while China’s capacity for ecological and environmental innovation has improved in recent years, investment channels remain limited, long-term funding is insufficient, and participation from financial and social capital needs to be strengthened. The guidelines propose measures across three areas: strengthening government financial guidance, expanding financial products and services, and mobilising social resources. They include improving coordination between central and local governments on major research projects, supporting basic research through ecological environment funds, increasing funding for the application of new technologies, and encouraging banks, insurers and securities institutions to develop financial products tailored to the sector. The guidelines also encourage enterprises to work with universities and research institutions to establish collaborative innovation networks. 
  
  

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Weibo Users React to Teachers Being Publicly Shamed Over Low Student Scores: A Weibo post about the public shaming of teachers over students’ low exam scores has attracted significant online attention. The post, citing The Paper, said teachers with low average final exam scores in Leibo County, Sichuan Province, were recently asked to take a group photo on stage with the word “shame” displayed prominently on a large screen behind them during an education administration meeting. The post criticised the practice, arguing that linking teachers’ professional dignity to student scores overlooks factors such as students’ backgrounds, individual abilities and regional disparities. It called for greater support for teachers and a more diversified evaluation system. The post prompted various reactions from Weibo users. One user criticised the lack of understanding toward teachers, saying society expects teachers to be “saints” while showing them little empathy. Another highlighted the difficulties faced by teachers in remote areas of Leibo, where many students are left behind by parents working elsewhere and some families have limited Chinese-language support at home. Other users said education requires “warmth” and patience, stressing that teachers’ responsibilities extend beyond improving grades. Some called for multiple criteria to evaluate teachers, while another urged authorities to report incidents involving the public humiliation of teachers to the Ministry of Education.

INDIA WATCH

Guancha Discusses Animal Symbols in India’s Politics and Economy: A Guancha article examined how animal symbols have reflected India’s political culture, national aspirations and economic trajectory, tracing the significance of snakes, lions, tigers, elephants and peacocks. It highlighted the historical association of lions and tigers with royal authority, military power and political strength, before linking these symbols to modern Indian politics. The article pointed out that the peacock became India’s national bird in 1963, while the Bengal tiger was designated the national animal in 1972 during Indira Gandhi’s tenure. Following economic liberalisation in 1991, it argued, lions and tigers increasingly came to symbolise dynamism and national transformation. Against this backdrop, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government adopted the “gear lion” for the 2014 “Make in India” campaign, representing industrialisation and innovation. However, it observed that manufacturing accounted for less than 15% of India’s GDP in 2025, while refined oil, electronics and pharmaceuticals emerged as major export categories. The article concluded by highlighting the importance of India’s economic relationship with China in advancing its manufacturing ambitions.

Prepared By

Team ORCA

Combined works by various researchers at ORCA