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NEWS IN CHINA

• China Sends Defence Attaché to ADMM-Plus Amid Differences with Philippines: China’s Defence Ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang addressed China’s decision to send a defence attaché to the 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), hosted by the Philippines, rather than its defence minister. This marks China’s lowest-level representation at the forum since its establishment in 2010. Zhang expressed concerns over the arrangements for China’s participation, stating that they were inconsistent with ASEAN’s consensus-based approach and the forum’s principles of openness and inclusivity. He noted that China had nevertheless decided to send a representative, reaffirming its support for ASEAN centrality and regional defence cooperation. According to the Chinese Defence Ministry, its representative will engage with other participants on strengthening dialogue, mutual understanding and trust, as well as promoting regional peace and stability. Zhang also cautioned that differences over participation could affect cooperation and mutual trust among regional countries. Established in 2010, ADMM-Plus serves as a platform for ASEAN member states and eight dialogue partners to discuss defence and security issues. China’s decision to send a defence attaché comes amid ongoing differences with the Philippines, including disputes in the South China Sea.
  
  
• China to Continue Measures Supporting Taiwan’s Agricultural and Seafood Exports: China will continue implementing 10 measures introduced in April to promote cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, including expanding mainland market access for Taiwan’s agricultural and fishery products, according to  Chen Binhua, spokesperson of the Taiwan Affairs Office. Chen noted that the measures had helped broaden distribution channels for products such as pomelos and custard apples. In October, approximately 350 metric tonnes of Taiwan’s seafood arrived in Xiamen, Fujian province, followed by the opening of a Taiwan fishery products exhibition and sales centre and a cross-Strait seafood market. According to Chen, Chinese imports of agricultural products from Taiwan rose 18.5% year-on-year in the first three quarters of the year, while fishery product imports increased 35.5%. Between April and September, Fujian imported 19,100 metric tonnes of Taiwan fishery products worth 585 million yuan ($87 million), marking a 35.9% increase year-on-year. China reported that it will continue facilitating trade through business-matching events, streamlined customs procedures and trade fair participation. Chen said the measures aim to address practical concerns among Taiwan’s agricultural and fishing communities and expand the benefits of cross-Strait economic cooperation.
  
  
• CPC Concludes Fifth Plenary Session with Resolution on Strengthening Party Self-Governance: The 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) concluded its fifth plenary session in Beijing, adopting a resolution to advance full and rigorous Party self-governance. Presided over by the Political Bureau, the session featured an address by General Secretary Xi Jinping, who presented a report on the Political Bureau’s work and explained the draft resolution. The resolution outlines measures to strengthen Party discipline, improve oversight mechanisms, enhance officials’ political and professional competence, and reinforce Party organisations at all levels. It emphasises strengthening Party spirit, implementing democratic centralism, and improving conduct through stricter regulations. The CPC also reaffirmed its commitment to combating corruption through integrated measures targeting both its symptoms and underlying causes, combining punishment, corrective action and prevention. The communique noted that evolving domestic, international and Party conditions have increased the challenges facing the CPC in safeguarding national interests, advancing reform and development, and maintaining social stability. It called for implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The session also announced that the CPC’s 21st National Congress will convene in Beijing in the second half of 2027 and elected Zhang Shengmin as a new member of the Political Bureau.
  
  
• China Introduces 16 Measures to Enhance Trade Liberalisation in Hainan Free Trade Port: China’s Ministry of Commerce, alongside three other government departments, has issued a notice outlining 16 measures to improve trade liberalisation and facilitation in the Hainan Free Trade Port. The measures cover three areas: upgrading goods trade, expanding trade in services, and developing new trade formats and business models. For goods trade, the measures target industries such as automobiles and petrochemical new materials, with support for bonded supervision, bonded delivery and research and development testing to strengthen industrial supply chains. In the service sector, China plans to expand opening-up in healthcare, insurance and professional qualification recognition while easing market access and professional practice for foreign nationals. The measures also aim to promote tourism and modern services. To encourage new trade models, Hainan will explore bonded maintenance and remanufacturing activities, deepen cooperation with Hong Kong, and strengthen coordinated development with the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area. The initiative seeks to improve the business environment, integrate trade with industrial development and generate new momentum for Hainan’s economic growth.
  
  
• China to Strengthen Small and Medium-Sized Museums Under 15th Five-Year Plan: China will strengthen small and medium-sized museums during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), upgrading their collections, exhibitions, educational programmes and staffing to expand access to cultural services at the community level, said Deng Chao, vice administrator of the National Cultural Heritage Administration (NCHA). China’s museum network expanded from 5,788 institutions in 2021 to 7,188 in 2025, recording more than 6.2 billion visits during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025). However, smaller museums continue to face challenges, including inadequate funding, limited professional staff, outdated collection management systems and insufficient exhibition space. The NCHA plans to improve collection documentation and conservation, conduct a second national survey of movable cultural relics, and optimise resource allocation. It will also pilot a support mechanism for more than 6,000 small and medium-sized museums and promote collaboration with larger institutions. Proposed initiatives include sharing digital collection records, producing artefact replicas, developing joint research projects and organising touring exhibitions. The measures aim to preserve distinctive local cultural heritage, address disparities in museum development and strengthen the role of museums in delivering cultural services to local communities.
  
  

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Weibo Users React to Huawei Executive’s Comments on Pharmaceutical Research: A post on Weibo went viral after an executive from Huawei’s Manufacturing and Large Enterprise Corps questioned conventional timelines for pharmaceutical experiments. According to the post, the executive suggested that processes taking four weeks could potentially be shortened to a day or even an hour by challenging established approaches and embracing technological innovation. It also highlighted Huawei’s role in the pharmaceutical sector as a technology provider rather than a drug manufacturer. The post prompted reactions that reflected differing views on AI’s potential and the complexities of drug development. One user highlighted AI’s growing role in pharmaceutical research, citing Rentosertib’s progress to Phase III clinical trials and stating, “It is no exaggeration to say that it subverts the pharmaceutical research and development process.” A separate user clarified that Huawei was supporting drug innovation and research, including cancer drug development, rather than manufacturing medicines. Others noted that domestic and foreign companies had already been using AI in pharmaceutical research for years. One user supported conventional timelines, asking, “When will they realise that the long traditional R&D cycle is not pure R&D, but rather a long verification cycle?” Another defended China’s pace of development, commenting, “China has achieved in 30 years what the West took 100 years to accomplish. According to the logic of some groups, this is a ‘fast-track country’.”

INDIA WATCH

Global Times Discusses China’s Market as a Test for India’s Export Ambitions: An article in Global Times examined India’s ambition to become a major exporter to China and ASEAN, arguing that closer integration with Chinese supply chains could help translate this goal into reality. The article, citing trade figures, noted that India’s exports to China increased 36.62% year-on-year to $19.47 billion in FY2025-26, while China’s sustained import growth offers further opportunities for Indian exporters. It attributed China’s rising import demand partly to its manufacturing sector, which requires raw materials, components and intermediate goods for production. The article suggested that Indian firms could benefit by supplying these inputs and becoming more integrated into Chinese production networks. It rejected a zero-sum view of industrial competition and argued that India and China could develop complementary industrial strengths. The article also highlighted the potential benefits of Chinese components for Indian manufacturers, including lower production costs and improved competitiveness. The article concluded that translating India’s export ambitions into reality would require more predictable market access, fewer unnecessary trade barriers and stronger supply-chain integration to promote mutually beneficial trade between India and China.

Prepared By

Arushi Sharma

Arushi Sharma is a Junior Research Associate 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.