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 NEWS IN CHINA

• China and Belarus Pledge Stronger Ties During President Lukashenko’s Visit to Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Beijing and congratulated him on his re-election and emphasized the strong friendship between China and Belarus.  He noted that both countries have always trusted and supported each other, leading to deep political ties and expanding cooperation in various areas. Xi expressed China's commitment to further strengthening this partnership and working together for mutual benefit. President Lukashenko, on his 15th visit to China, expressed gratitude for China's consistent support. He reaffirmed Belarus's dedication to enhancing relations with China and praised China's role in promoting multilateralism and opposing unilateral sanctions. Lukashenko highlighted China's efforts in upholding international justice and expressed Belarus's willingness to collaborate with China in maintaining global fairness. The meeting underscored the shared commitment of both nations to deepen their strategic partnership and collaborate on international platforms like the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Both leaders agreed on the importance of resisting hegemonic practices and promoting a fair international order. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also attended the meeting.

• Chinese Provinces Intensify Preparations for Upcoming College Entrance Exams: As China's national college entrance examination, known as the Gaokao, approaches on June 7 and 8, provincial leaders are actively overseeing preparations to ensure a smooth and secure testing process. In Hainan, Party Secretary Feng Fei and Governor Liu Xiaoming visited key exam sites in Haikou, including Hainan Middle School and Hainan Normal University. They emphasized meticulous planning, implementing heat prevention measures, and closely monitoring weather conditions to create a comfortable environment for examinees. Similarly, in Fujian, Vice Governor Li Xinghu conducted inspections at Xiamen Foreign Language School and Xiamen No. 2 High School. He reviewed security checkpoints, main examination rooms, and surveillance systems, underscoring the importance of safety and order during the exams. Yunnan's Vice Party Secretary and Governor Wang Yubo highlighted the significance of this year's exams, marking the province's first under a new comprehensive reform. He stressed the need for thorough organization and security measures to ensure a stable examination process. In Henan, Vice Governor Song Zhenghui inspected facilities in Xuchang, focusing on anti-cheating technologies and health protocols in dining areas. He reiterated the Gaokao's importance as both an educational milestone and a critical public service. Anhui's Governor Wang Qingxian visited exam centers in Hefei, examining key areas such as secure storage for test papers and surveillance systems. He called for strict adherence to protocols to maintain the integrity and fairness of the exams.

• China Expands Urban Renewal Support to 20 Cities: The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development have announced the selection of 20 cities across China that will receive central government funding for urban renewal projects in 2025. This announcement follows a selection process that identifies cities based on their potential and readiness for urban redevelopment efforts. The public review period for this selection is from June 4 to June 8, 2025. The selected cities include Beijing, Tianjin, Tangshan, Baotou, Dalian, Harbin, Suzhou, Wenzhou, Wuhu, Xiamen, Jinan, Zhengzhou, Yichang, Changsha, Guangzhou, Haikou, Yibin, Lanzhou, Xining, and Urumqi. These cities will benefit from financial support aimed at improving infrastructure, revitalizing old city areas, and building systems to support sustainable urban development. According to a notice released in April 2025, the funding will focus on two key areas: important urban renewal model projects and the development of urban renewal systems. The subsidy limits are based on regional classifications. Eastern cities can receive up to 800 million yuan, central cities up to 1 billion yuan, and western cities or municipalities up to 1.2 billion yuan. This marks the second year of the central government's urban renewal support program. In 2024, 15 cities including Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Chengdu were part of the first round of funding, following the same subsidy structure.

• China Launches Pilot Program to Connect Human Resources with Manufacturing Industry: The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security announced a new plan to boost employment and support the manufacturing industry. Around 30 selected cities across China will carry out pilot projects to better connect human resources services with the manufacturing sector. This move aims to help build a stronger and more modern industrial system and the pilot program will last for three years. During this time, cities will work to develop professional human resources service agencies focused on manufacturing, build platforms for cooperation, and create new technologies, products, and service models. The goal is to improve employment quality while also helping industries grow through innovation. According to the Ministry, the human resources service industry already supports more than 50 million employers each year, and about 40% of those are in manufacturing. Many services are now specially designed to meet the needs of factories and industrial companies. The pilot will mostly take place in cities at the prefecture level or higher. Local governments are encouraged to explore new ways to link employment, talent development, and industrial upgrades and local authorities will guide and support the cities in carrying out the program, strengthening policies, and ensuring practical results.

• China Issues New Rules to Improve Government Data Sharing: China has announced new rules to better manage how government data is shared, aiming to improve digital governance and public services. Premier Li Qiang has signed the official document, and the new regulations will take effect on August 1, 2025. The main goal of the new rules is to make government work more efficient by reducing repeated data collection. If a department can complete its tasks using already shared data, it should not ask for the same data again from the public or other departments. To support this effort, China will create a unified national big data platform for government affairs. All existing government data systems will be merged into this central platform. The rules also state that, generally, no new data-sharing platforms should be built unless absolutely necessary. The regulations also highlight the importance of data security. Any government department using shared data will be responsible for keeping it safe. Both government offices and any third parties they work with must follow strict rules to protect the data.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Amateur Football League Draws Crowds in Jiangsu: What started as a simple amateur football competition in Jiangsu Province has now become an internet phenomenon across China. The Jiangsu Provincial City Football League, featuring teams from the province’s 13 cities, gained viral popularity during the Dragon Boat Festival, attracting both massive in-person crowds and online attention. The tournament is now nicknamed “sanzhuang Jiangsu” a humorous phrase that means “loosely packed Jiangsu” refers to the 13 cities that are each economically strong and culturally distinct, yet operate independently without tight coordination. Unlike professional leagues, this tournament truly represents grassroots football. Over 500 players including students, couriers, teachers, and office workers participated, giving the league a strong community-led feel. Matches in cities like Xuzhou drew such huge crowds that organizers had to shift games to stadiums like the Olympic Sports Center, which can hold over 22,000 spectators. Hashtags related to the league gained over 820 million views on Douyin, with netizens creating memes and slang inspired by the event. “This is what true grassroots football culture should look like,” one popular Weibo comment read. Local governments also played a role, offering free tickets, tourist discounts, and shopping coupons to support the matches. The league not only showcased local pride but also demonstrated how community sports, when combined with clever social media engagement, can become a nationwide celebration.

INDIA WATCH

CCTV Reports on Challenges Facing India’s New EV Policy: China’s CCTV News has reported that India’s new electric vehicle policy faces challenges in attracting global manufacturers after India's Ministry of Heavy Industries introduced a new electric vehicle policy The policy offers reduced import duties of 15% for EVs priced above $35,000 if companies invest at least ₹4,150 crore (approximately $500 million) in local manufacturing within three years. Additionally, manufacturers must achieve 25% localization within three years and 50% within five years. However, these stringent conditions have led to skepticism among international automakers, reports CCTV. The report states that companies like Tesla have shown limited interest, citing challenges such as the need for a dedicated charging infrastructure and concerns over India's road conditions affecting vehicle performance.  Tesla's CEO, Elon Musk, had previously postponed plans to invest in India, highlighting the company's cautious approach. Domestic manufacturers, including Tata Motors and Mahindra, have expressed concerns that the policy might favor foreign entrants, and harm local players who have been instrumental in developing India's EV ecosystem. The CCTV report states that they argue that the policy's emphasis on foreign investment could undermine the progress made by Indian companies in the EV sector. From India's standpoint, the policy is a strategic move to boost local manufacturing, reduce dependency on imports, and promote sustainable transportation. By setting high localization requirements, the government aims to ensure technology transfer and job creation.  However, the success of this policy hinges on its ability to attract genuine investment without sidelining domestic innovators. Striking this balance is crucial for India's vision of becoming a global leader in the EV industry.

Prepared By

Lipun Kumar Sanbad

Lipun Kumar Sanbad, a postgraduate student of Politics and International Relations from Pondicherry University and a History and Political science graduate from University of Delhi. From the past three years working as a freelance researcher in the domain of global peace, conflict and security studies, and defence studies.