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NEWS IN CHINA

• China-SCO Members Expand Cooperation in Basic Education: Members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) are expanding cooperation in basic education through the newly established China-SCO Basic Education Cooperation Centre in Beijing. The centre will provide a platform for SCO members to share experiences and strengthen practical collaboration in basic education, including through youth exchanges and teacher training. Chinese education authorities said China is prepared to use digital and AI-powered education to deepen cooperation with SCO members in education, science and technology, and talent development. Education authorities from SCO member states and basic education institutions across China will be invited to participate in developing the centre. China has also expanded its use of digital education platforms. Its national smart education platform currently provides more than 130,000 primary and secondary school resources, 12,500 vocational education courses and 145,000 higher education courses, with over 178 million users across more than 200 countries and regions. AI has also been incorporated into areas including examinations, teaching assessment and campus governance.
  
  
• China-U.S. Law Enforcement Agencies Advance Counternarcotics Cooperation: Chinese and U.S. law enforcement agencies have made progress in counternarcotics cooperation by jointly cracking a transnational case involving precursor chemicals used to manufacture synthetic cannabinoids, according to China’s Ministry of Public Security. The case was handled jointly by Chinese authorities and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). In May, U.S. authorities provided information on two Chinese nationals suspected of drug-related activities. Chinese police linked the information to an ongoing investigation and consolidated the cases. In August, coordinated operations in Hebei Province and elsewhere led to the arrest of 21 suspects and the seizure of non-scheduled precursor chemicals commonly used in drug production. The U.S. side had previously arrested two nationals suspected of purchasing such chemicals to manufacture drugs for distribution to inmates in federal and state prisons. Chinese authorities said the case demonstrates the effectiveness of the China-U.S. counternarcotics cooperation mechanism. The two countries have cooperated on drug trafficking and precursor controls for years. Their counternarcotics intelligence exchange mechanism, established in 2002, held its 11th meeting in February 2026, focusing on drug trends, joint investigations and precursor chemical controls.
  
  
• Vice Premier Calls for Greater Opening and Cooperation in Trade in Services: Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang called for greater opening up and international cooperation in trade in services, describing these efforts as both a national priority for China and a global necessity. Speaking at the 2026 Global Trade in Services Summit in Beijing, Ding said China has continued to expand its services sector and promote trade in services, creating opportunities for businesses and countries worldwide. Ding highlighted the need to strengthen the relationship between the services sector and trade in services to support economic and social development. He called for reducing barriers to cross-border flows, while promoting greater liberalisation and facilitation of trade in services to support the sector's long-term and inclusive development. He also stressed the importance of sharing digital and intelligent technologies, including artificial intelligence, and improving global digital infrastructure connectivity. According to Ding, these measures could provide new momentum for the development of trade in services.
  
  
• China Urges France to Stop Use of Anti-Ultra-Fast Fashion Law: China has urged France to stop using its Anti-Ultra-Fast Fashion Law, arguing that the legislation unfairly restricts Chinese-funded companies. Chinese Commerce Ministry spokesperson Huang Ling said that although France claims the law aims to protect the environment and consumers, its standards and implementation could disproportionately affect Chinese cross-border e-commerce companies. Huang said China believes France’s approach goes beyond environmental protection and contains elements of trade protectionism that could distort fair competition. He added that China has repeatedly raised its concerns with the French side. China has opposed what it considers the misuse of economic and trade restrictions and called on France to address the issue through equal dialogue. Huang also said China would continue to monitor developments and take necessary measures to protect the legitimate interests of Chinese enterprises.
  
  
• China Begins New Round of Direct County- and Township-Level Elections: China has begun a new round of direct elections for county- and township-level people's congress deputies, according to Song Rui, deputy secretary-general of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee. Speaking at a press conference, Song said more than one billion voters will directly elect over 2.6 million deputies as part of the country's electoral process. He described the elections as an example of China's “whole-process people's democracy”. China's people's congress system operates across five levels: national, provincial, municipal, county and township. Deputies at the county and township levels are directly elected by voters, while deputies at higher levels are elected by people's congresses at the level below. Each term lasts five years. Song also emphasised the role of people's congress deputies in maintaining communication between the Party, state institutions and the public. He called for greater support for deputies in carrying out their duties, conveying public concerns and helping address practical issues within the law. The previous electoral cycle concluded in 2022, when more than one billion voters elected approximately 2.62 million county- and township-level deputies.
  
  

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Weibo Users React to Apple’s First Foldable iPhone: A Weibo post went viral after Apple released its first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo. The post described the launch event as a “complaining conference”, highlighting comments by Chinese tech entrepreneur Luo Yonghao, who criticised Apple through a series of remarks accusing the company of copying existing technologies. It also referenced reactions from Samsung and other competitors, while questioning whether consumers would be willing to purchase what was described as Apple’s most expensive iPhone. The post quickly drew reactions from netizens. One user said, “Luo’s bombardment is so fierce that Apple’s press conference turned into a complaining conference in a second.” Another remarked, “Mobile phone innovation has gone down,” reflecting concerns over the pace of innovation in the smartphone industry. Other users discussed the rising prices of smartphones and questioned their affordability, while some viewed the criticism as evidence of growing competition in the foldable-phone market. Some also noted that technology development often involves companies learning from one another, making accusations of copying difficult to separate from broader competition.

INDIA WATCH

Global Times Discusses Indian Funds’ Growing Interest in Chinese Assets: An article in Global Times discussed growing interest among Indian investment managers in Chinese assets. It noted that discussions about investing in China have increased compared with recent years. The article cited a founder of a Mumbai-based boutique portfolio management firm, who said that some Indian fund managers are curious about Chinese equities but remain constrained by regulatory measures. It added that the firm already holds Chinese equities through funds available in India and views some Chinese assets as undervalued, particularly amid the growth of artificial intelligence (AI)-related sectors. Data cited by the article showed that Indian mutual funds’ holdings of Chinese mainland equities rose 52.2 per cent year-on-year to 8.22 billion rupees as of March. It also highlighted strong recent returns from some India-based funds focused on Chinese equities. The article stated views from Indian market participants that China and India could have complementary strengths in AI, with China having capabilities in applications, hardware and large-scale deployment, while India has strengths in software, engineering and digital infrastructure. The article concluded that greater regulatory clarity and a stable bilateral relationship would be important for expanding investment and business cooperation, with the outlook remaining cautiously optimistic.

Prepared By

Arushi Sharma

Arushi Sharma is a Research Intern at Organisation for Research on China and Asia (ORCA). She is a recent postgraduate in East Asian Studies from the University of Delhi and holds a Bachelor's degree in Chinese Language from K.R. Mangalam University. She has previously worked as a Subject Matter Expert in Mandarin Language at Unacademy. Her primary research interests focus on China's domestic politics and international economic statecraft.