CiCM 27th May 2025

NEWS IN CHINA

President Xi Sends Letter to Chinese Young Pioneers National Congress: President Xi Jinping has sent a congratulatory letter to the ninth national congress of the Chinese Young Pioneers (CYP), which opened Tuesday in Beijing. Xi emphasized that the CYP should guide youth to follow the Party and grow into capable builders of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Marking the upcoming International Children’s Day, Xi extended greetings to children across the country and urged efforts to create a healthy, supportive environment for their development. The congress drew approximately 3,000 participants, including youth representatives and officials. Senior CPC leaders Cai Qi and Shi Taifeng attended the opening ceremony. Shi read Xi’s letter and delivered remarks on behalf of the CPC Central Committee, encouraging CYP members to embrace Xi’s guidance and remain committed to China’s long-term development goals. The event underscored the Party’s continued focus on youth education and ideological development as part of its broader nation-building strategy.
China Rejects Ukraine’s Allegations of Supplying Military Goods to Russia: On May 27, 2025, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning firmly denied recent Ukrainian claims that China is supplying key products to Russian military factories. Mao emphasized that China has never provided lethal weapons to any party involved in the conflict and maintains strict controls over dual-use items. Responding to Ukraine’s foreign intelligence chief's allegation that China supplies tooling machines, special chemical products, gunpowder, and other components to 20 Russian defense manufacturing plants, Mao reiterated China’s consistent stance on the Ukraine crisis, stressing its active role in promoting ceasefire and peace negotiations. He further stated that China strongly opposes what it terms “baseless accusations and political manipulation” and called for respect of its position.
CPC Hosts Dialogue with Neighboring Countries’ Political Parties: The Communist Party of China (CPC) hosted a high-level dialogue with political parties from neighboring countries in Beijing from May 25 to 26, under the theme "Building a Community with a Shared Future with Neighboring Countries: Political Parties in Action." The event underscored China’s focus on fostering diplomatic and political cooperation in the region amid growing global uncertainties. Leaders from across Asia, including Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, sent congratulatory messages to the conference, reaffirming their commitment to regional unity and collaboration. Liu Jianchao, head of the CPC’s International Department, reaffirmed China’s commitment to regional diplomacy and cooperation. Participants spanning over 200 political leaders, diplomats, scholars, and business figures, praised China’s global initiatives, including the Belt and Road Initiative, and called for strengthened unity to promote peace, stability, and development across Asia.
China, ASEAN, GCC To Forge Stronger Ties: At the first ASEAN-China-GCC summit in Kuala Lumpur, Chinese Premier Li Qiang called for enhanced openness, deeper trade cooperation, and cross-civilizational exchange between the three regions. Li urged swift progress on Free Trade Agreements, building a shared market for efficient resource and talent flow, and turning individual strengths into collective benefits. Li emphasized the deep-rooted cooperation among the three parties and expressed confidence in future trilateral achievements, including higher economic efficiency and innovation. Li also noted China’s ongoing economic recovery, proactive macroeconomic policies, and commitment to expanding domestic demand and high-level opening-up. Leaders from ASEAN and the GCC pledged to boost Belt and Road Initiative cooperation and collaborate in trade, industry, energy, finance, and digital economy. On the sidelines, Premier Li met leaders from Malaysia, Cambodia, and Kuwait to strengthen bilateral ties, focusing on AI, green energy, trade, and infrastructure.
China to Strengthen the Role of State-level Economic and Technological Development Zones: The Ministry of Commerce has announced that China will further consolidate the role of state-level economic and technological development zones in attracting foreign investment amid ongoing efforts to deepen opening-up. Vice Minister Ling Ji highlighted that these zones have become crucial in stabilizing foreign trade and investment, contributing significantly to China’s economic growth. By the end of 2024, 232 such zones generated a combined GDP of 16.9 trillion yuan ($2.35 trillion) and accounted for 24.5% of China’s foreign trade and 23.4% of foreign direct investment. A newly released ministry work plan focuses on reform and innovation to promote high-quality growth, prioritizing foreign investment in sectors like integrated circuits, biomedicine, and advanced manufacturing. The plan also encourages stronger engagement with global investors and financial institutions, alongside overseas promotion efforts. Moving forward, the ministry aims to support the zones in broadening foreign investment sources and fostering reinvestment by foreign enterprises within China.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Yang Yexin’s “Gold Grains Rush” Sparks Debate on Food Waste and Value: Yang Yexin’s latest art installation “Gold Grains Rush” has ignited heated discussions online. The exhibit, where visitors trample over five tons of rice to find 1,000 hidden gold grains, challenges perceptions of food waste and wealth, but opinions on social media are divided. Some netizens criticized the use of such a massive amount of rice as wasteful in itself. One Weibo user wrote, “If five tons of rice are left uneaten instead of feeding those in need, isn’t that the very definition of waste?” Meanwhile, others praise the artwork’s message about the tension between valuing food and pursuing wealth. A commenter commented, “Lock the rich in a room with golden grains and make them search for rice, now that’s real art.” The project brings attention to cultural attitudes toward food consumption and excess in China, prompting a deeper look at social behaviors. Despite the controversy, Yang’s installation prompts a reflection on whether society places greater value on wealth than on the essential food that sustains it.

INDIA’S WATCH

Global Times Covers Diverging Views from NITI Aayog’s Officials on India’s Rise to Fourth-Largest Economy: An article in Global Times highlighted a recent claim by BVR Subrahmanyam, CEO of the Indian government think tank NITI Aayog, asserting that India has surpassed Japan to become the world’s fourth-largest economy. Subrahmanyam cited International Monetary Fund (IMF) data to support his statement that only the US, China, and Germany now rank ahead of India in terms of nominal GDP. However, the article also featured a clarifying comment from NITI Aayog member Arvind Virmani, who expressed caution regarding the timeline. Virmani noted that while India is on track to achieve this milestone, it has not officially done so yet, and the target is to become the fourth-largest economy by the end of 2025. He emphasized that final confirmation would require full-year GDP data for 2025. Analysts pointed out that despite India’s strong economic momentum, premature announcements could risk damaging credibility, especially at a time when accurate communication is vital for maintaining investor confidence and effective policy planning.

Prepared By

Aastha Pandey

Aastha is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Political Science at Amity University, Noida. She holds a Bachelor's degree in the same discipline from the University of Delhi, Dyal Singh College. Additionally, she has completed a diploma in International Relations and Affairs, further strengthening her academic foundation. Aastha is the Co-founder of Mudra by Aashi, a socially conscious fashion brand that actively supports animal welfare. Her commitment to social causes is also reflected in her experience interning with Saarthi NGO and volunteering as a COVID-19 relief coordinator. Deeply passionate about Asian geopolitics, She aspires to contribute to ORCA by writing insightful, research-driven newsletters that reflect her academic rigour and dedication to international affairs.