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NEWS IN CHINA

• Wang Yi Meets Swedish Prime Minister, Calls for Stronger China-Sweden Cooperation: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in Stockholm, where both sides discussed a need for strengthening bilateral relations and expanding cooperation. During the meeting, Wang emphasised China’s willingness to increase exchanges at all levels with Sweden, leverage complementary strengths, and promote mutually beneficial cooperation. He added that China hopes to place bilateral relations on a stable and sustainable path. Prime Minister Kristersson reaffirmed Sweden’s adherence to the one-China policy and expressed willingness to deepen dialogue and cooperation with China across multiple sectors. He also urged deeper engagement between Europe and China, stressing that their differences should be addressed and managed through sustained dialogue. Wang noted that Sweden was the first Western country to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China and highlighted the importance of rebuilding mutual trust after recent challenges in bilateral ties. He also stated that China’s development would create new opportunities for countries including Sweden. During his visit, Wang also held talks with Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard and met the chair of the board of Sweden-based Investor AB, Jacob Wallenberg.
  
  
• China-ASEAN School Launched as Experts Emphasise Legal Dialogue for Civilisational Cooperation: The 2026 Conference on Exchanges and Mutual Learning of the Rule of Law of Civilisations was held in Beijing on July 5, bringing together more than 150 legal scholars, judges and experts from over 20 countries and regions. A major focus of the conference was the governance of artificial intelligence and ecological protection, reflecting concerns over rapid technological change and climate risks. The event also included four parallel forums covering Chinese legal autonomy, digital economy regulation, legal talent development and global financial crime governance. The China-ASEAN School was inaugurated during the opening ceremony to promote long-term legal exchanges and cooperation. ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn highlighted that legal diversity should be seen as a strength rather than a barrier, stressing the importance of deeper China-ASEAN cooperation in addressing cross-border challenges. Experts at the conference also discussed AI governance approaches across regions, with China’s framework described as balancing innovation, security and development. Participants stressed that stronger legal dialogue, especially between China and ASEAN, will be crucial for future technological and environmental cooperation.
  
  
• Chinese State Councillor Urges Expansion of Elderly Care and Cultural Tourism Industries: Chinese State Councillor Chen Yiqin visited Shaanxi Province from July 2 to 4 to inspect work related to civil affairs, cultural tourism and elderly care development. During her visit to Xianyang and Xi’an, Chen stressed the need to implement the spirit of President Xi Jinping’s recent speech marking the 105th anniversary of the Communist Party of China and to strengthen sectors linked to elderly care and cultural tourism. Chen visited enterprises, industrial parks and rural tourism sites to examine employment generation, the “silver-haired economy” and tourism development. She highlighted the significant potential of the elderly care industry, noting its broad scope, long industrial chain and diverse business opportunities. She called for improving elderly care services, expanding product supply and enhancing the quality of services to better meet the needs of China’s ageing population. Chen also reiterated the importance of using local cultural and tourism resources more effectively. She urged authorities to promote traditional festivals, folk culture and integrated cultural-tourism development in order to create new economic growth points and support high-quality economic and social development.
  
  
• Beijing Digital Economy Conference Highlights China’s Expanding Global AI Ambitions: The 2026 Global Digital Economy Conference, held in Beijing, showcased China’s growing advances in artificial intelligence and digital technology, with experts highlighting the country’s expanding global role in AI innovation and cooperation. At the Digital Economy Industry Expo, visitors experienced AI-powered products including intelligent traditional Chinese medicine health detectors capable of generating health reports through facial and eye analysis. Developers said the systems have been adapted into multiple languages for international markets. The conference featured more than 80 new technologies, products and solutions, bringing together representatives from politics, business and academia. Chinese companies, including ByteDance, Zhipu AI and Boundless Power, highlighted their expanding overseas presence and AI applications across sectors. International participants also acknowledged China’s role in digital infrastructure development and AI collaboration. Officials from Beijing said the city aims to strengthen its position as a global innovation hub by promoting digital talent exchanges, smart city governance and international technological cooperation. In 2025, Beijing’s digital economy exceeded 2.4 trillion yuan, accounting for nearly half of the city’s GDP.
  
  
• China Seeks Public Feedback on Draft Amendments to E-Commerce Law: China’s State Administration for Market Regulation and the Ministry of Commerce, on July 4, released a draft amendment to the country’s e-commerce law for public consultation, aiming to strengthen regulation and support the healthy development of the platform economy. The draft consisted of 20 provisions that would expand the law’s regulatory scope beyond e-commerce platforms and online merchants to include other participants in the platform economy. It also proposed clearer rules on the rights and responsibilities of platforms and stronger mechanisms for routine supervision. The amendments seek to improve coordination between regulators in response to the growing integration of online and offline business operations. Authorities also proposed stronger cross-department cooperation and updated measures to address serious illegal activities in the e-commerce sector. According to the Chinese authorities, the draft will be revised based on public feedback before being formally advanced. The new policy aligns with priorities outlined in China’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030), which calls for tighter oversight of platform companies’ data, algorithms and operating practices while promoting balanced development within the digital economy.
  
  

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Weibo Users React on Guangxi Flood Emergency Upgrade: A  post by China’s State Disaster Prevention Administration regarding the escalation of Guangxi’s flood control emergency response from Level 4 to Level 3 has triggered widespread concern on Weibo, as heavy rainfall linked to Typhoon “Maysak” continues to affect Guangxi. According to the post, continuous rainfall since July 3 has caused severe flooding in several areas of the region, with authorities warning that heavy rains are expected to persist from July 6 to 8, further complicating flood prevention and disaster relief efforts. The post quickly drew reactions from users, many expressing concern over the worsening conditions and calling for stronger rescue and relief measures. Several users urged authorities to prioritise assistance for affected communities, with one user commenting, “Authorities should pay attention to support Guangxi.” Other users shared personal accounts of the situation on the ground. One user added, “The government should pay more attention to Guangxi. The situation has worsened since yesterday and appears even more serious this morning.” Another user stated, “There is no water, no electricity, no food and no drink. From last night to now, the first floor has been flooded.” Some users also appealed to authorities to “Improve the emergency response!” and many others wished for the safety and well-being of residents in the affected areas.

INDIA WATCH

Guancha discusses India’s Push for Greater Pharma Exports to China:  An article on Guancha discussed India’s Ambassador to China, Vikram Doraiswamy (Wei Jiameng), calling for stronger economic engagement between India and China, particularly through increased Indian pharmaceutical exports to China. The article referred to his speech at the World Peace Forum in Beijing, in which India seeks broader access to the Chinese market for its globally competitive pharmaceutical products, especially high-quality generic medicines already exported to developed countries such as the United States. He mentioned that allowing Indian pharmaceutical products into China would benefit both countries economically while also strengthening bilateral relations. The article further noted that China has overtaken the United States to become India’s largest trading partner in fiscal year 2025–26, with bilateral trade reaching US$151.1 billion. At the same time, it underscored that India’s trade deficit with China had also widened significantly to US$112.1 billion. The article highlighted the ambassador’s remarks that despite political fluctuations, trade between the two countries continues to grow, indicating untapped opportunities in the Chinese market. The article concluded with him calling on China to increase its investments in India, while underscoring recent policy measures introduced by New Delhi to encourage greater participation of Chinese businesses and strengthen overall bilateral relations.