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NEWS IN CHINA

• China-South Asia Expo Aims to Forge Stronger Economic Ties: The 9th China-South Asia Expo officially opened in Kunming, Yunnan, on June 19. It is a six-day event highlighting regional cooperation. This year's expo draws participants from 73 countries, regions and international organizations, with over 2,500 companies showcasing their products. It brings together representatives from various nations, including India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, and Afghanistan. Operating under the theme "Unity and Cooperation for Common Development," Sri Lanka is featured as the theme country, and Thailand as the invited partner. Wang Ning, the Party secretary of Yunnan province, underscored that China and the nations of South and Southeast Asia are not only friendly neighbors and development partners but also form a community with a shared future. At the expo, nearly 70 percent of the 16 pavilions are specialized, focusing on sectors like manufacturing, green energy, coffee and traditional Chinese medicine, reflecting areas of strong economic potential between China and South Asian countries. Notably, two South Asian pavilions house nearly 800 booths, with India and Pakistan each having the largest presence with 140 booths. The expo has a strong track record, facilitating over $110 billion of foreign trade transactions in the previous eight sessions. Nearly 40 economic and trade activities, including forums, “invest in China, invest in Yunnan” activities are planned to facilitate business connections.

• China Launches Nationwide Campaign to Protect Youth from Online Drug Threat: Chinese authorities have launched a nationwide campaign to shield the young population from the rising danger of drug-related online content and criminal activities involving addictive substances. The initiative, announced by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) on Friday, will run from June to December this year. Seven government departments, including the CAC, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Public Security, are spearheading the campaign. These ministries issued a joint warning about the risks of misusing regulated substances like dextromethorphan, etomidate and tramadol. The campaign urges teenagers to be wary of misleading information that trivializes drug dangers, and calls on families and society to collectively combat drug abuse. This move comes as China witnesses a significant shift in drug abuse patterns, with the rapid rise in the misuse of narcotic and psychotropic drugs, posing a serious public health risk, especially among adolescents.

• China's E-commerce Sector Expands with 8.5 percent Growth in 2025: According to the Ministry of Commerce, China's e-commerce sector demonstrated growth from January to May 2025, with online retail sales increasing by 8.5 percent year-on-year. The ministry explained that this expansion is fueled by innovative strategies, diverse business strategies, vast market potential and strategic international collaborations, boosting both domestic spending and global trade. Major factors for this development include strong sales of premium products, a 10.4 percent rise in digital product sales, and a 14 percent increase in electronics appliances through trade-in programs. Online services also saw a significant 13.3 percent jump, while instant retail sales grew by 12 percent. Beyond sales figures, e-commerce has been instrumental in the digital transformation of industries. Over 200 events supported small and medium-sized enterprises, leading to significant agricultural and logistics cooperation deals. Internationally, the "Silk Road e-commerce" initiative expanded its reach, with China upgrading its partnership with Kazakhstan and establishing a new framework with Bangladesh, bringing the total to 35 partner nations. These efforts, alongside 40 key activities throughout the year, including major conferences, have fostered over 100 cooperation deals. The Silk Road e-commerce pilot zone also advanced data cooperation by signing a strategic agreement with Kazakhstan on cross-border data infrastructure.

• Zhao Leji Concludes an Inspection Tour in Inner Mongolia: Zhao Leji, Chairman of the National People's Congress, calls on people's congresses nationwide to fulfill their duties to advance the country's economic and social development and to carry out reform tasks. Zhao made these remarks during an investigation and research tour in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region from Monday to Thursday. During his tour, he visited local communities and enterprises, speaking with lawmakers and common citizens. He also inspected the regional people's congress and the municipal people's congress in Arxan. He urged people's congresses to uphold the Party's overall leadership, implement the CPC Central Committee's instructions, and advance legislative, supervisory work. He emphasized the importance of legal compliance, responsiveness to public concerns and active participation in a Party-led campaign focused on discipline and conduct. During the tour, Zhao also examined how the Forest Law is being enforced. He highlighted the region’s ecological value, describing it as northern China’s most vital and diverse ecosystem service zone. He called for rigorous application of ongoing protection of natural forests and expansion of artificial afforestation efforts. He also underscored the need to enhance forest resource quality and quantity, strengthen fire prevention and pest control systems.

• A New Guideline Aims to Make Shanghai a Global Financial Hub: Shanghai is set to become a leading international financial center within the next five to ten years, matching China's growing global influence. A new official guideline from the Central Financial Commission outlines this ambitious goal, anticipating significant improvements in the adaptability, competitiveness and openness of Shanghai's financial system. Key objectives include strengthening Shanghai’s role as a hub for financial opening and improving the performance of its markets and institutions. This includes enabling the sci-tech innovation board of the Shanghai Stock Exchange to play a more prominent role in promoting hard technology and supporting the Shanghai Futures Exchange's evolution into a world-class platform. The city will also build a globally leading financial infrastructure, enhance cross-border RMB payment systems and expand institutional financial opening-up, aligning with international trade standards. Green finance development, international cooperation and the integration of emerging technologies like AI, big data, and blockchain are also prioritized to ensure secure and efficient financial operations. The National Financial Regulatory Administration and the Shanghai municipal government have already released an action plan with measures to boost Shanghai's competitiveness and influence as a global financial center.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

• Chinese Netizens Praise the Successful Launch of ChinaSat 9C Satellite: China successfully launched its ChinaSat 9C communications satellite on June 20, 2025, using a Long March 3B carrier rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The satellite, designed to provide live television broadcast services for 15 years, successfully entered its prescribed orbit, marking a complete mission success. The ChinaSat 9C will replace the aging ChinaSat 9, expanding bandwidth, enhancing service capacity, and supporting high-definition and ultra-high-definition television. This was the 582nd flight mission for the Long March rocket series, underscoring China's consistent progress in space technology. News of the launch was met with an outpouring of national pride. Social media buzzed with congratulatory messages, reflecting a strong sense of achievement. One widely shared comment articulated the sentiment: "I wish the motherland prosperity and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation." Many people also praised China’s growing space capabilities and expressed their wish to witness the applications of satellites in communication and other developmental sectors.  

INDIA WATCH

• Chinese Media Report Assesses the Performance of India's IPO Market in 2025: As per the report by China’s state-owned Securities Times, India's Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) have significantly slowed in the first half of 2025, with just 99 listings compared to 147 during the same period last year. The report explains that this decline is witnessed even as the Nifty50 index rose 4.58 percent and the BSE Sensex index gained 3.86 percent during the same period. The article also notes that India’s foreign portfolio investment also fell 220 percent in the first five months of this year compared to 2024. Amidst this uncertain macroeconomic situation, several companies in financial services and pharmaceuticals have delayed their IPOs despite the approval from SEBI. Further, it argues that reduction in annual revenue growth of companies, along with low investor confidence, have also compelled them to postpone their IPOs. However, the article mentions that India's new stock listings are expected to regain momentum in the second half of the year. This trend has already begun, with Indian stock financing reaching $6.4 billion in May, the highest monthly total since December 2024. The article argues that a substantial pipeline of $12 billion in SEBI-approved IPOs suggests the first-half slowdown is a "pause before the next leap". Meanwhile, it also expresses concerns about recovery of valuations of companies which is only expected to normalize slowly due to poor performance of recent IPOs.

Prepared By

Maheshwar S Chhaunkar

Maheshwar S Chhaunkar has completed his Bachelor's degree in Political Science and History from Sri Aurobindo College, University of Delhi. He is currently working as an IT Assistant at CENJOWS. His areas of interest include India-China relations, Indo-Pacific affairs and Asian politics.