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NEWS IN CHINA

• Wang Yi to Travel to Africa, Attend African Union Event: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit  Ethiopia, Somalia, Tanzania and Lesotho from January 7 to 12, the Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday. Wang will also attend the launch ceremony of the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges at the African Union headquarters. The visit coincides with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Africa. According to Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, the trip continues China’s long-standing tradition of choosing Africa as the destination for its foreign minister’s first overseas visit of the year, a practice maintained for 36 consecutive years. Mao said all four countries are China’s strategic partners and the visit aims to deepen political trust, expand practical cooperation and strengthen mutual understanding. Mao further added that the visit will promote the implementation of the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, and provide fresh momentum for building an all-weather China–Africa community with a shared future in the new era.
  

• Eight Departments Roll Out Special Initiative to Integrate AI with Manufacturing: On January 7, eight departments, including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, issued the “Implementation Opinions on the Special Action of ‘Artificial Intelligence + Manufacturing' ” to accelerate AI integration in industry. The plan sets 2027 as the target year for achieving secure and reliable AI core technologies, with China’s industrial scale and empowerment level ranking among the world’s top. Key goals include applying 3–5 general-purpose large models in manufacturing, creating 100 high-quality industrial datasets, promoting 500 application scenarios, and cultivating globally influential enterprises alongside innovative SMEs. The document also calls for building a leading open-source ecosystem and strengthening AI security governance. Measures focus on enhancing computing power supply, advancing intelligent chips, servers, and cloud systems, and deploying national computing facilities. It also promotes AI adoption in key industries, intelligent equipment such as robots and medical devices, and testing autonomous vehicles. Support will be provided for enterprises through incubators, vouchers, and funding, while open-source projects and developer activities will foster collaboration. Safeguard measures emphasize coordinated policies, investment funds, and preventing unhealthy competition to drive sustainable AI-powered industrial transformation.

• World Mayors Dialogue Opens in Harbin: The World Mayors Dialogue opened in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, bringing together mayors, vice mayors and city representatives from countries including Canada, Finland, Germany, Greece, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey and China. The event focused on the sustainable development of the ice and snow economy, global cooperation, and the creation of distinctive “ice and snow IPs,” with exchanges facilitated through forums, scenario-based salons, and field visits. During a visit to Harbin Ice and Snow World, Heikki Kontiosalo, vice chair of the city council of Rovaniemi, Finland, said he has witnessed steady improvements in Harbin’s ice and snow tourism. At the “Ice and Snow Night Talk” salon, delegates shared experiences on harnessing cold-weather resources to drive economic growth. City leaders highlighted local strengths. Turkey’s Erzurum emphasized its ski facilities and compact urban layout, while Canada’s Edmonton shared how winter festivals and sports boost community ties and economic vitality. Participants also visited landmarks such as Central Street and Harbin Institute of Technology. Held under the theme “Ice and Snow Connect the World for a Win-Win Future,” the dialogue aimed to promote international cooperation through city-level exchanges.

• Li Qiang Signs Decree on Revised Funeral Management Rules: Chinese Premier Li Qiang signed a State Council decree revising Regulations on Funeral Management, which will take effect on March 30, 2026. The revised regulation aims to make funeral services more people-centered, transparent, and environmentally friendly. The regulations clearly define funeral services as a public welfare sector. They stress values such as serving the public interest, reducing financial burdens, promoting civility and frugality, and supporting green and low-carbon practices. The government plans to improve service quality while steadily advancing reforms in funeral customs. A key change is the clearer definition of basic funeral and burial services. An investment mechanism will also be set up for the funeral and interment industry to better meet public demand. The rules tighten fee management by requiring clear price lists and banning unauthorized charges. Authorities will strengthen price supervision to prevent excessive fees. Oversight across the entire process, from death handling to burial and memorial services, will also be improved. The regulations further encourage land-saving and eco-friendly burial methods, supporting sustainable use of land and environmental protection.

• China Stresses Protection of Its Lawful Interests in Venezuela: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated on Wednesday that Venezuela is a sovereign state with full and permanent sovereignty over its natural resources and all economic activities within its territory. She noted that the legitimate rights and interests of other countries in Venezuela including those of China must be protected and respected in accordance with international norms and principles. She also stressed that China strongly condemns the United States’ military operation against Venezuela and its insistence on prioritizing its demand of “America First” when it comes to Venezuela’s dealings with its oil resources. She described the stance as a typical act of bullying which not only seriously violates international law but also infringes upon Venezuela’s sovereignty and undermines the rights of the Venezuelan people. 

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Weibo Erupts Over 2.4 Million Yuan Unreturned, Wrong Transfer: A post with hashtag #WomanAccidentallyTransfers2.4MillionYuanToWrongAccount has gone viral on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The post is about Ms. Li, who mistakenly transferred 2.4 million yuan to another person’s bank account due to a similarity of names. Nearly a year later, the money has still not been recovered. Although the court ruled that the recipient should return the funds, the account had already been frozen because the recipient owed more than 7 million yuan, leaving the money stuck and unretrievable for now. The incident has sparked intense discussion online. Many users questioned how a frozen account could still receive incoming transfers, calling the situation “hard to understand” and urging banks to explain their rules more clearly. Others shared personal experiences of mistakenly sending money to loan or debt-related accounts, only to see the funds deducted with no clear way to reverse the transaction. Skepticism also emerged, with some netizens doubting the story’s authenticity and arguing that identical names should not easily lead to such errors. Meanwhile, more cynical comments reflected frustration, noting that even transfers to acquaintances can be difficult to recover, let alone to strangers.

INDIA WATCH

Guancha Article Discusses How India Lost Bangladesh as a Strategic Partner: An article by Wu Mengke, an assistant research fellow at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, in the Chinese media outlet, Guancha, discussed the sharp downturn in India-Bangladesh relations ahead of Bangladesh’s February 2026 general election. The article argues that ties between the two neighbors have reached a historic low following Bangladesh’s 2024 political upheaval, which forced former prime minister Sheikh Hasina to flee to India. Since then, disputes over Hasina’s extradition, trade restrictions, border security, and rising nationalist rhetoric on both sides have pushed relations toward open confrontation. Wu notes that India missed a major strategic opportunity during Hasina’s 15 years in power, and failed to achieve institutionalized and long-term mutually beneficial cooperation despite her government’s strong pro-India stance. The article emphasizes long-standing grievances between India and Bangladesh over unresolved river water-sharing, frequent border shootings by Indian forces, and what is seen as an unequal economic relationship that benefits India more than Bangladesh. Wu concludes that the deterioration is structural rather than temporary. Anti-India sentiment has become mainstream in Bangladeshi politics, limiting space for reconciliation. The article warns that continued strain will harm regional security, connectivity, and development, and reflects broader weaknesses in South Asian regional cooperation and leadership.

Prepared By

Neha Maurya

Neha Maurya is a fourth-year undergraduate student at FLAME University, pursuing a major in International Studies with a minor in Public Policy. Her research interests lie in strategic studies, governance, and education policy. She aspires to engage in work that links research insights to policy outcomes.