CiCM 14th May 2025

NEWS IN CHINA

Wang Yi and China’s Top Leaders Meet Ministers from Latin America: Wang Yi, China’s Foreign Minister met his counterparts attending the Fourth Ministerial Meeting of the China-Latin America Forum in Beijing. He met with the foreign ministers of Honduras, Bolivia and Mexico to discuss cooperation and engagement. Wang Yi and his counterpart from Honduras, Eduardo Enrique Reina, emphasised their commitment to the One-China Principle and Reina expressed his excitement for China’s proposed “five major projects”. Bolivia’s Sousa expressed that Bolivia attaches significance to BRICS cooperation and would continue to deepen Belt and Road cooperation by speeding up negotiation of the investment protection agreement. In the meeting with Mexico’s De La Fuente, Wang Yi welcomed more high-quality Mexican products into the Chinese market, promised greater investment by Chinese companies and De La Fuente stated Mexico’s adherence to the One-China Principle. China’s top leaders like Han Zheng, Zhao Leji and Wang Huning also met with officials from Latin America to discuss various issues. Interestingly, diplomats from Taiwan-friendly countries like Haiti and Saint Lucia also attended the Forum.
China to Increase Support for Technology Companies in Equity Markets: Several ministries in China have announced measures to support scientific and technological self-reliance, covering venture capital funding, monetary credit, capital market guidance and coordinated promotion of financing. A total of 15 measures have been proposed, including establishing a “National Venture Capital Guidance Fund” to support innovation, expanding the pilot program for equity investment in financial asset investment companies to 18 cities, initiating a pilot program for physical distribution of stocks and optimising the environment for state-owned capital funds. The measures also detail monetary credit solutions, such as encouraging commercial banks to set up specialised technology finance institutions, a pilot program for merger and acquisition loans for tech companies and establishing a technology board in the bond market. China also plans to enhance the availability of insurance as a shock absorber and urges local and national governments to work together. The measures direct the establishment of international science and tech centres in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, and regional centres in Chengdu-Chongqing, Wuhan and Xi’an, while also detailing financial reform pilot zones in other parts of China.
Cyberspace Administration Releases Digital Rural Development Plan of 2025: The Cyberspace Administration of China and ministries like the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs have issued the “Key Points for Digital Rural Development in 2025” to outline the implementation of digital rural development work. The Key Points outline 26 tasks in 9 areas, which include development of digital villages, food security, smart agriculture, new industries, rural digital culture and governance and inclusive services. The points report that 5G accessibility rate of administrative villages across China exceeds 90%, the rate of agricultural production informatization and retail sales of agricultural products has increased steadily. The tasks for the year ahead include, improving rural network infrastructure, strengthening support measures to prevent poverty, digital support for food security assistance, application of smart equipment, increasing farmer incomes through digital tools, provision of rural public cultural services, improving rural social governance, rural health, education and financial services.
State Council Outlines Legislative Priorities for 2025: The General Office of the State Council has announced its legislative agenda for 2025, focusing on introducing new laws and making amendments in emerging industries, domestic and foreign affairs. This year’s legislative agenda includes amendments to the Trademark Law, Prison Law, Water Law and Financial Law. The plan also includes submitting new bills to the Standing Committee of National People’s Congress for deliberation, such as the draft national development planning law, social assistance law, medical insurance law, draft law on protection and quality improvement of cultivated land and several others. The Plan also includes administrative regulations to be formulated or amended, which include regulations related to housing lease, express delivery, implementation of anti-foreign sanctions law, foreign intellectual property disputes, government data sharing and others.
Provinces Experience Extreme Drought, Act to Protect Harvest: Provinces in China such as Henan, Shaanxi, Gansu and others are experiencing severe meteorological drought during a critical period for wheat production. China’s Central Meteorological Observatory has announced a yellow warning for drought on 12May and has warned that there will be no precipitation from May 14 to May 19, and daily temperatures will be above 36 degrees in some places. The Shaanxi Provincial Meteorological Bureau had issued an early warning in April that precipitation would be lower than normal this spring; average rainfall in the province has been its lowest since 1961. National precipitation is already 30% less than the same period during the previous year. To cope with the drought and protect agricultural production, local governments have announced a variety of measures. In Henan, the provincial financial department has allocated 50 million yuan to support wheat irrigation and stabilise grain output. In Yulin, Shaanxi, the district has upgraded its monitoring capabilities and is preparing cloud seeding operations.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Elderly Woman Dies Outside Bank in Hunan Amid Withdrawal Dispute, Sparks Outrage Online: A tragic incident has ignited widespread debate on Chinese social media after an elderly woman passed away outside a bank while attempting to withdraw money. The woman, who was critically ill and hospitalized, was brought to the bank in a wheelchair by her family after the bank insisted that she be present to withdraw her deposit of 50,000 yuan. Sadly, she died at the bank’s entrance before completing the transaction. Authorities from the Tianxin Police Station have intervened and are investigating the matter, but other details have not been disclosed. The bank is cooperating with the police and has promised to provide further updates. The tragedy has sparked outrage across Chinese social media platforms, particularly Weibo, where the hashtag #ElderlyWomanDiesOutsideBank has been trending and garnered millions of views. Netizens have severely criticised the bank’s rigid policies, calling them inhumane and insensitive to the needs of vulnerable customers. Many pointed out that the bank could have offered alternative solutions, such as mobile banking or appointments, to avoid forcing the sick woman to visit in person. Comments on Weibo reflect widespread frustration with banking regulations that prioritize security over customer convenience. Some users shared similar experiences highlighting the challenges of withdrawing money under strict rules. Others called for reforms of financial regulations to better accommodate the needs of elderly and sick customers. The incident has also reignited discussions about the lack of flexibility and empathy in institutional policies, with many urging banks and regulatory bodies to address these systemic issues.

INDIA WATCH

Sichuan Daily Interviews Zhang Chaozhe to Discuss India-Pakistan Clash: An interview of Zhang Chaozhe, Director of the Pakistan Research Center at Sichuan University, by Sichuan Daily Online reveals the Chinese perspective of the India-Pakistan conflict. Zhang Chaozhe argues that three unexpected events have damaged India’s strategic interests. First, the scholar argues, India underestimated Pakistan’s resolve to fight and technological capabilities to impact India’s logistical and infrastructural capacities. The scholar incorrectly claims that Pakistan conducted a massive cyberattack that crippled 70% of India’s power grid and “paralysed” cities like Mumbai and Delhi. Secondly, the report argues that India misjudged Pakistan’s military strength; Pakistan’s JF-17 Block 3 jets, equipped with advanced radar and electronic warfare capabilities, the scholar claims, successfully countered India’s more expensive Su-30MKIs and Rafales. Thirdly, the scholar claims that India’s global image suffered due to public relations factors, including the spread of false information about a missile strike on Karachi port. This, coupled with India’s suspension of the Indus Water Treaty, has drawn international criticism and undermined India’s image as a responsible regional power, the scholar argues. The interview underlines the understanding of the India-Pakistan conflict from a Chinese perspective, which has been called out for being biased and promoting misinformation.

Prepared By

Rahul Karan Reddy

Rahul Karan Reddy is a Senior Research Associate at Organisation for Research on China and Asia (ORCA). He works on domestic Chinese politics and trade, producing data-driven research in the form of reports, dashboards and digital media. He is the author of ‘Islands on the Rocks’, a monograph about the Senkaku/Diaoyu island dispute between China and Japan. Rahul was previously a research analyst at the Chennai Center for China Studies (C3S). He is the creator of the India-China Trade dashboard and the Chinese Provincial Development Indicators dashboard. His work has been published in The Diplomat, East Asia Forum, ISDP & Tokyo Review, among others. He can be reached via email at [email protected] and @RahulKaranRedd1 on Twitter.