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NEWS IN CHINA

• China and Mauritania Mark 60 Years of Diplomatic Ties with Strategic Partnership Pledge: On July 19, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazwani exchanged congratulatory messages to commemorate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Mauritania. President Xi highlighted the long-standing mutual respect and cooperation between the two nations, calling their relationship a model for South-South cooperation. He reaffirmed China’s commitment to deepening the newly established strategic partnership, first announced during the 2024 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. Ghazwani echoed this sentiment, praising the close ties and shared vision that have strengthened over the decades. Both leaders emphasized their commitment to boosting cooperation, security, and development. Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Mauritanian Prime Minister Mohamed Ould Bilal also exchanged messages, expressing readiness to expand bilateral cooperation. Mauritania reaffirmed its adherence to the one-China principle, signaling continued political alignment and collaboration on global and regional challenges for the benefit of both peoples.
  
  
• Premier Li Qiang Emphasizes High-Quality Development During Xizang Inspection Tour: On a two-day inspection tour in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Chinese Premier Li Qiang called for high-quality implementation of major national projects to drive economic and social development. Visiting key sites including the Sichuan-Xizang Railway and the Yarlung Zangbo hydropower project, Li highlighted the importance of safety, technological innovation, and ecological preservation. He described the hydropower project as a “century-defining” initiative, urging its transformation into a signature project of modern China. At a modern agriculture demonstration zone in Lhasa, Li emphasized leveraging Xizang's unique resources to advance agriculture and animal husbandry, boosting rural incomes and regional growth. He also called for breakthroughs in high-altitude breeding and greater promotion of agricultural technology. Praising Xizang’s development achievements, Li urged continued focus on stability, ecology, and border area advancement.
  
  
• China's Internet Users Surge Past 1.12 Billion as AI Sector Booms: According to the latest report by the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC), China’s internet user base reached 1.123 billion by June 2025, with a national internet penetration rate of 79.7%. The number of elderly internet users (aged 60+) rose to 161 million, and rural users grew to 322 million, signaling deeper digital inclusion across demographics. Simultaneously, China's artificial intelligence (AI) sector witnessed remarkable progress. Generative AI products rapidly evolved in both technology and application, with 346 services registered by March 2025. DeepSeek, one such product, topped app charts in 140 countries with 30 million daily active users in under 20 days. User interactions were largely for Q&A tasks (80.9%), while industries adopted AI in education, industrial design, and content creation. By 2024, China’s AI industry surpassed 700 billion yuan ($97.5 billion), maintaining over 20% annual growth and driving the nation's high-quality socio-economic transformation.
  
  
• China Unveils New Measures to Attract Reinvestment by Foreign Enterprises: China has rolled out a comprehensive set of policy measures to boost reinvestment from foreign-funded enterprises, aiming to maintain its appeal as a global investment hub. Announced via a joint circular from seven major government departments including the NDRC, Ministry of Finance, and People’s Bank of China, the measures focus on streamlining project approvals, expanding access to financial products, and launching pilot investment reporting systems. Officials emphasized coordination between central and local authorities to ensure policy effectiveness. The plan encourages deeper collaboration between foreign and Chinese firms in areas such as R&D and innovation, citing successful partnerships like a U.S.–China intelligent control system for vehicles. China’s recent push for equipment upgrades and consumer goods renewal has created new market momentum. According to official data, over 24,000 new foreign-invested enterprises were established in the first five months of 2025, a 10.4% increase, with high-tech sectors leading the growth. The news became a trending topic on CGTN and Sina Weibo. 
  
  
• China Advances Major Hydropower Base on Lower Yarlung Zangbo River with Cutting-Edge Engineering: The construction of the large-scale hydropower base on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River in Tibet has gained momentum, becoming a major engineering and infrastructure focus in southwest China. Given the steep terrain, extensive tunnel excavation requires advanced civil blasting, with Tibet’s state-owned blasting enterprises preparing mobile pyrotechnic warehouses to support operations. Meanwhile, Shanghai Port leads in foundation treatment, leveraging its patented high-vacuum compaction methods to tackle soft, water-rich soil conditions typical of Tibetan hydropower sites. Their innovations address high costs, pollution, and delays associated with traditional techniques. Supporting transportation infrastructure is also accelerating: the Medog and Paimo highways have already seen multibillion-yuan investments, while critical routes like the Sichuan-Tibet Railway and Chamo Highway are under rapid development. Companies like Zhengping, China Railway, and China Communications Construction are expected to benefit. The project has drawn national attention for its engineering scale, economic potential, and strategic location.
  
  

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Identity Mix-Up Sparks Outrage on Chinese Social Media: A violent brawl between tattooed tourists in Pattaya, Thailand, initially sparked outrage on Chinese platforms like Weibo and Douyin after viral videos misidentified the attackers as Chinese citizens. The hashtag “#Koreans Pretending to Be Chinese in Thailand Fight surged to the top of Weibo’s top search. Chinese netizens reacted with fury until Thai police confirmed all individuals involved were Korean nationals. The incident triggered users demanding foreign media stop associating Chinese travelers with disorderly conduct. The mix-up highlighted how quickly misinformation spreads on Chinese social platforms and fueled calls for digital literacy and responsible journalism. Memes, mock-ups, and satirical edits flooded comment sections, with over 350 million views in 24 hours. Chinese state media later urged caution in reacting to viral content. The topic remains one of the most shared on Sina Weibo and Bilibili today.

INDIA WATCH 

China-Pakistan-Bangladesh Bloc Seen as Attempt to Sideline India, Revive SAARC Alternative: Chinese state media have characterized the emerging China-Pakistan-Bangladesh grouping which omits India as a bold attempt to replace the SAARC and reshape South Asian geopolitics under Beijing’s influence. The Chinese reports have stated Bangladesh's participation as “non-political” which is clearly  an attempt at downplaying its involvement. The outlets have also noted that China and Pakistan see economic and connectivity frameworks including expansion of CPEC as central to the initiative. This bloc is viewed with suspicion and outright rejection. India declined invitations to joint statements at SCO meetings perceived as pro-Pakistan and without its concerns on terrorism addressed. The Chinese state outlets have commented that India’s leadership interprets the China–Pakistan axis as an exclusionary strategy aimed at diminishing its regional influence and countering its rise. Notably, India has responded with calibrated diplomacy: strengthening ties via BIMSTEC, maintaining bilateral engagements with Bangladesh, Nepal, and Maldives, and reaffirming support for inclusive institutions like SAARC. Analysts warn the bloc may falter without India and caution Beijing’s ambitions face practical and regional resistance.

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.