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NEWS IN CHINA

• Wang Yi Highlights Deepening China–Africa Ties After Africa Tour: After concluding his visits to the African Union, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Lesotho, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China and Africa are entering a new stage of closer unity, shared development and strategic trust. Wang stressed that Africa remains the starting point of China’s diplomacy for the 36th consecutive year because of its enduring importance in Beijing’s global outlook. In an interview with Chinese media, Wang said the China-Africa Strategic Dialogue and the launch of the “China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges” reflect a shared determination to safeguard the interests of the Global South, strengthen cooperation, and pass on China-Africa friendship to future generations. He emphasized that China has consistently stood with Africa during difficult moments, from offering zero-tariff access to African goods to supporting sovereignty and development when external forces intervene. Wang noted that implementation of outcomes from the 2024 FOCAC Beijing Summit is progressing smoothly, with over 90 percent of commitments achieved or underway,trade expected to exceed $300 billion, and flagship projects like the revitalization of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway gaining new momentum. He also highlighted Africa’s strong and unified support for the one-China principle, and stated that China will continue working with African partners to build a more just global order and a shared future based on equality, dignity and mutual respect.

• China Warns of Hidden Risks in Surveying and Mapping Data Security: China’s Ministry of State Security has warned of growing risks to national security stemming from improper handling of surveying and mapping data, noting that demand for geographic information is rising across government bodies and enterprises. The ministry said that some units and individuals have stored classified drawings and files on internet connected computers or shared them through cloud services and messaging platforms, increasing the risk of leaks. Several cases were cited in which employees copied confidential data onto personal devices, illegally outsourced surveying tasks, or conducted unauthorized drone surveys of sensitive areas without completing required approval procedures. The ministry also warned that foreign hostile forces have long targeted China’s geographic information, often using academic exchanges, commercial cooperation and tourism activities as cover to collect sensitive data and transfer it overseas. The MSS stressed that strict confidentiality measures must be enforced throughout the entire surveying and mapping process, including proper classification, controlled access and strengthened protection of sensitive information, to effectively safeguard national security.

• China Pushes Back Against US Latest Tariff Threat: Beijing has firmly rejected Washington’s latest tariff warning tied to Iran, saying it will protect its legitimate interests and opposing the use of economic pressure. Responding to remarks by Donald Trump, who said the United States would impose a 25 percent tariff on any country doing business with Iran, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said China’s position remains clear and consistent. Mao stressed that tariff wars benefit no one and only create instability, adding that China will take all necessary steps to safeguard its lawful rights and interests. 

• Chinese Study Links Moon’s Far Side Impact to Loss of Volatiles in Lunar Mantle: Chinese scientists have found that a massive ancient impact on the Moon’s far side led to significant volatile loss from the lunar mantle, offering new clues to the Moon’s uneven evolution. According to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers analyzed potassium isotope compositions in lunar basalt samples brought back by China’s Chang’e 6 mission from the South Pole Aitken Basin. They found these samples contained much heavier potassium isotopes than any previously studied lunar basalts from Apollo missions or lunar meteorites. After ruling out other possible causes such as cosmic ray exposure, magmatic processes or material from the impactor itself, the team concluded that the giant impact that formed the basin caused lighter potassium isotopes to escape under extreme heat and pressure, leaving heavier isotopes behind in the mantle. The findings suggest that such volatile depletion altered the Moon’s deep interior and may have reduced magma generation and volcanic activity on the far side.

• Former Nanjing Discipline Chief Long Xiang Prosecuted on Multiple Serious Charges: Chinese prosecutors have formally brought charges against Long Xiang, a former head of the Nanjing Municipal People’s Congress Standing Committee. According to the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, Long has been indicted on four major charges embezzlement, bribery, abuse of power, and insider trading  with the case filed by the Jingzhou Municipal People’s Procuratorate in Hubei and now before the Jingzhou Intermediate People’s Court. Prosecutors alleged that Long colluded with other officials to illegally seize large amounts of public assets, abused multiple senior posts over many years to seek benefits for others in exchange for massive bribes, caused serious losses to state and public interests through malfeasance, and used non-public securities information for personal profit. Official findings said he had lost his ideals, violated political and organizational discipline, interfered in judicial and disciplinary work, lived extravagantly, and turned public power into a tool for personal gain.
  
  

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER 

Three Sheep Quietly Returns to Livestreaming, Netizens Split Over Comeback: After nearly a year and a half off the air, Three Sheep Network quietly resumed livestreaming on the evening of January 12, quickly becoming a hot topic on Weibo. The return drew attention not only because it marked the end of a long suspension, but also because the platform’s most recognizable faces like Big Brother Yang and Little Brother Yang did not appear. According to third-party data, the first livestream lasted about four hours, attracted roughly 420,000 viewers, and mainly sold beauty products; a second session the next day drew around 170,000 viewers. Online reactions were mixed and lively. Some long-time fans welcomed the comeback, saying they missed the old days when watching the hosts joke around felt like a happy Saturday ritual, and praised the team as quite conscientious despite past controversies. Others were more cynical, commenting that livestreaming money is “too easy to give up,” questioning why the account was suddenly rebroadcast, or asking whether the comeback could have been done more quietly instead of “testing the waters.” There were also skeptical voices wondering if this signals a full return or just cautious probing, with remarks like “whether they can really come back shouldn’t be a mystery.” Overall, the rebroadcast has reignited debate online showing that even after a long pause, Three Sheep still knows how to stir up attention.

INDIA WATCH 

IMF Raises Concerns Over Gaps in India’s Economic Data Quality, Guancha Reports: A report by Guancha noted that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has assigned India a “C” rating for the quality of its national accounts data in its Article IV Consultation, reviving concerns about the reliability of India’s GDP and growth estimates. The IMF observed that shortcomings in official statistics have constrained effective monitoring of economic performance and policymaking, with similar weaknesses identified in price and fiscal data. The report cited the IMF’s concerns over India’s continued reliance on the 2011–12 base year for GDP calculations despite major structural disruptions such as demonetization, the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), and the COVID-19 pandemic. It also highlighted the absence of a Producer Price Index, which compels authorities to use the Wholesale Price Index as a proxy when estimating real GDP. Additionally, the IMF pointed to large and persistent discrepancies between GDP estimates derived from the production and expenditure approaches, indicating incomplete coverage of economic activity, particularly within the informal sector. The article further underscored how delays in population and economic censuses, unreleased survey data, and weak statistical coverage of informal industries and MSMEs have compounded doubts about the accuracy of official figures. 

Prepared By

Mohit Singh Mehra

Mohit Singh Mehra is a Master’s student of International Relations at South Asian University, New Delhi. His academic and research interests focus on China, Himalayan geopolitics, and border dynamics, with a particular emphasis on strategic, security, and political developments in the region. He is interested in understanding how geography, power, and policy interact in shaping regional order in Asia.