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NEWS IN CHINA

• Fireworks Explosion in Hubei Prompts Emergency Inspections: A fire and explosion struck a fireworks store in Yicheng City, Hubei Province. The blaze affected an area of about 50 square meters and resulted in 12 deaths. In response, the Ministry of Emergency Management announced that inspection teams will be dispatched to urge local governments to carry out in-depth investigations and strictly enforce safety regulations. A special meeting jointly held by the State Council’s Safety Production Committee Office and the Ministry of Emergency Management. The ministries emphasized the need to strengthen supervision across the entire fireworks and firecrackers supply chain, including production, transportation, sales, and use. The meeting noted that the Spring Festival and Lantern Festival are peak periods for fireworks consumption, significantly increasing safety risks. Authorities were instructed to immediately conduct comprehensive inspections of retail outlets, eliminate hidden dangers, prohibit outdoor display of fireworks and prevent illegal storage and overcrowding. They were further instructed to crack down on unlawful online promotion, offline sales, and illegal delivery, in order to firmly safeguard public safety.
  
  
• Mozambique Welcomes China’s Zero-Tariff Policy: The Mozambique government welcomed China’s decision to grant full tariff exemptions on products imported from 53 African countries. It described the move as a major opportunity to expand Mozambique’s exports. A government spokesperson, Inocencio Impissa, stated that Mozambique received the announcement “with great pleasure,” noting the country’s long-standing and strong relations with China. He urged Mozambican businesses, particularly exporters and trading companies, to actively seize the new opportunities created by the policy. Impissa pointed out that the zero-tariff treatment could help local exporters boost earnings and strengthen their presence in the Chinese market, calling it a valuable opening for national economic growth. He encouraged entrepreneurs to prepare and position themselves to benefit from increased market access. The measure will take effect on May 1, 2026, and is expected to further deepen China-Africa economic cooperation and trade ties.
  
  
• Su Yiming Secures China’s First Gold at 2026 Winter Olympics: Su Yiming won the men’s snowboard slopestyle gold medal on Wednesday, earning China’s first gold at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. The victory also marked a special birthday gift for the 22-year-old athlete at Livigno Snow Park. Su took the lead in the final with a strong first run, scoring 82.41 points. Japan’s Taiga Hasegawa placed second, finishing just 0.28 points behind. In the final round, American snowboarder Jake Canter moved into third place with a solid performance. Su delivered another best performance in his final attempt, scoring 82.18 points. His steady performance secured him the gold medal, with Hasegawa winning silver and Canter taking bronze.
  
  
• Beijing Issues Guidelines to Boost Low-Altitude Insurance Development: China released new policy guidance to accelerate the development of a comprehensive insurance system for the low-altitude economy. The National Development and Reform Commission, together with the State Financial Regulatory Commission and the Civil Aviation Administration of China, issued implementation opinions to promote the high-quality development of low-altitude insurance. The document outlined nine measures across four areas, which included policy frameworks, institutional development, product and service supply, and basic capacity building. It called for stronger policy support for low-altitude insurance and encouraged operators to use insurance as a key tool for safety supervision and accident handling. The document also focused on speeding up the establishment of a mandatory liability insurance system for unmanned aerial vehicles. Additionally, authorities plan to strengthen insurance verification, formulate implementation rules in line with the law, and issue standard policy clauses. The opinions also emphasized building a service support system by developing insurance products that cover the entire low-altitude industrial chain. 
  
  
• China Warns Against Japan’s Taiwan-Related Intervention at UN: China’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Fu Cong, warned that any attempt by Japan to intervene in the Taiwan question under the pretext of “collective self-defense” would constitute aggression against China and would be met with a firm response. Fu made the remarks at a meeting of a UN special committee. He expressed concern over recent statements by Japanese leaders that link China’s Taiwan region with what they describe as threats to Japan’s survival, while outlining response scenarios under the Japan-US alliance. Fu stressed that such claims lack legal basis, noting that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China and that the Taiwan question is purely China’s internal affair. He added that no country has the right to interfere or use force under the guise of self-defense. He further stated that such arguments violate post-World War II international agreements and undermine the principles of the UN Charter. 
  
  

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Weibo Buzzes Over Yunnan Officials’ Drunk Driving Case: The hashtag #Yunnan Announces 3 Public Officials Suspected of Drunk Driving# is going viral on Weibo. According to posts with the hashtag, the Yunnan Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision announced that three Party members and public officials were placed under investigation for suspected drunk driving. All three were suspected of violating Party disciplinary regulations and relevant laws on administrative sanctions for public officials. The announcement triggered a heated discussion online. One user noted concerns over accountability, questioning whether it was difficult to dismiss those involved. Others questioned whether other aspects related to drunk driving should also be investigated. One user emphasized that driving under the influence should be subject to “strict punishment”. The fact that those involved were civil servants also attracted significant attention, with comments questioning the coincidence of their “official status,” while others described the behavior as “lawless”.

INDIA WATCH

The Paper Reports on India’s Plan to Buy 114 Rafale Fighter Jets: An article in The Paper discussed India’s Defence Procurement Council approval for the preliminary proposal to spend 3.25 trillion rupees to purchase 114 Rafale fighter jets from France’s Dassault Aviation. The article noted that the decision followed last May’s India-Pakistan border conflict, in which Pakistan claimed it had shot down six Indian aircraft, including three Rafales. According to the article, India’s renewed push for the Rafale was driven more by necessity than preference, stemming from multiple constraints. It pointed to the lack of alternatives, as the indigenous LCA Mk2 remains under development, while US, European, and Russian options carry political, logistical, and diversification challenges. The article notes that  the Indian Air Force is operating only 29 squadrons and grappling with a fighter shortfall following the retirement of MiG-21. The report also noted that the deal is expected to include substantial technology transfer, with most of the aircraft assembled in India. It added that localization levels are set to rise, aligning with the government’s “Make in India” strategy.

Prepared By

Neha Maurya

Neha Maurya is a fourth-year undergraduate student at FLAME University, pursuing a major in International Studies with a minor in Public Policy. Her research interests lie in strategic studies, governance, and education policy. She aspires to engage in work that links research insights to policy outcomes.