Daily Conversations Daily Conversations

NEWS IN CHINA

• CPC Issues New Measures to Strengthen Supervision of Party Officials: The General Office of the CPC Central Committee issued new “Measures” requiring Party committees and Party groups to conduct supervisory talks with the top leaders of lower-level Party organizations. The notice called on all regions and departments to strictly implement the regulation. The Measures aim to solidify the primary responsibility of Party committees in overseeing comprehensive and strict Party governance, with a focus on strengthening supervision of “top leaders.” Under the Measures, supervisory talks will focus on officials’ fulfillment of their primary responsibilities and adherence to discipline, and will be carried out through both annual regular arrangements and ad hoc conversations when concerns emerge. The regulation emphasizes a problem-oriented approach, early warning and prevention, while rejecting formalism. In addition, officials subject to supervisory talks must formulate rectification measures within one month and report on their progress within three months. The Measures stipulate that supervisory responsibilities must be strictly fulfilled, and any failure to do so will result in serious accountability in accordance with Party rules and discipline.
  
  
• Xi Calls for Stronger Basic Research to Drive Original Innovation: President Xi Jinping urged for stronger strategic planning and forward-looking thinking in basic research. He also called for greater support for scientists to deliver more original and breakthrough innovations. In a recent instruction on the work of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), Xi emphasized the need to deepen reform of the science funding system, optimize the funding structure and improve efficiency to serve national development goals. Xi praised the NSFC’s contributions over the past 40 years in advancing basic research and cultivating scientific talent. During his first local inspection tour of 2026, marking the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026–2030), Xi stressed that self-reliance in science and technology is the key to building China into a modern socialist country.
  
  
• Wang Yi Meets Hungarian PM Orban: Wang Yi met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Budapest. Wang Yi conveyed cordial greetings from Chinese leaders and stated that the strong mutual trust established by the two sides provides strategic guidance for the steady development of China-Hungary relations. He praised Hungary’s long-standing friendly policy toward China and its commitment to advancing comprehensive cooperation. Wang noted that bilateral ties are based on mutual respect, equality and win-win results, with broad prospects for further growth. Furthermore, he remarked that China welcomes Hungary’s continued participation in China's modernization and expressed confidence that Hungary will maintain support for issues concerning China’s core interests. Additionally, China also reiterated its support for Hungary in safeguarding sovereignty and opposing external interference. Orban requested Wang Yi to convey his greetings to Chinese leaders, noting President Xi’s 2024 visit strengthened bilateral friendship and cooperation. He praised China’s development, welcomed greater Chinese investment, reaffirmed Hungary’s commitment to the one-China policy, and pledged to promote deeper cooperation and stronger EU-China dialogue.
  
  
• China Issues Strict Discipline Notice for Upcoming Leadership Reshuffles: As provincial, municipal, county and township leadership teams begin a new round of reshuffles this year, central authorities have issued a notice demanding strict enforcement of discipline. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee and the National Supervisory Commission jointly released the directive, requiring all regions to rigorously implement its provisions. The notice noted that although Party discipline in cadre selection has improved since the 18th CPC National Congress, risks of corruption, vote-buying and improper interference have not been fully eliminated. It outlined ten strict prohibitions, including bans on forming factions, buying or selling official posts, lobbying, falsifying information, promoting problematic candidates and disrupting the election process. Authorities also called for strengthened ideological education, warning campaigns using typical cases, and open talks with key officials. 
  
  
• China Hands Over Satellite Ground Station to Boost Namibia’s Space Capacity: Namibia officially received a China-aided Satellite Ground Data Receiving Station, marking a major step in strengthening the country’s space science capabilities. The facility, located at the Telecom Earth Station outside Windhoek, will allow Namibia to directly receive and process remote-sensing data from satellites, including the China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite (CBERS-4). Chinese Ambassador Zhao Weiping stated that the project underscores China’s commitment to Africa’s technological advancement, adding that Namibia will fully own and operate the station, with continued technical support from China. Speaking on behalf of President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare expressed gratitude to China, noting that the project reflects strong bilateral ties and enables Namibia to join a select group of African nations with real-time satellite data access. He noted that the data will support evidence-based policymaking across key sectors. 
  
  

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Weibo Erupts Over Wang Lixia Expulsion in Anti-Corruption Case: The announcement of Wang Lixia’s expulsion from the Party and dismissal from public office quickly went viral on Weibo, with the hashtag #WangLixiaExpelledFromPartyAndPublicOfficeForSeriousViolations#. According to the official statement, Wang was found to have violated political and organizational discipline, interfered in judicial activities, and used her position to seek benefits for others in project approvals and engineering contracts while allegedly accepting huge bribes. She has been expelled from the Party and dismissed from public office. Public reactions were largely in favour of the decision. Many comments expressed strong support for strict punishment. Comments such as “Zero tolerance,” “The fight against corruption must not stop,” and “Support and severely crack down on corruption” were widely echoed. Another commented, “These lawless, morally corrupt individuals must be severely punished.” The sentiment that “The fight against corruption is an ongoing process” appeared repeatedly, reflecting public backing for sustained disciplinary efforts.

INDIA WATCH

Guancha Highlights Gaps in India’s Chip Self-Sufficiency Push: An article in Guancha examines India’s renewed push for semiconductor self-sufficiency, highlighting that while policy ambition is growing, structural bottlenecks remain. Citing reports from The Indian Express and The Hindu, the article noted that four semiconductor plants under the Indian Semiconductor Programme (ISM) are expected to begin commercial operations this year following trial production. It added that New Delhi has offered up to 50% fiscal support to attract global chipmakers across manufacturing, packaging and testing. According to Guancha, companies such as Tata Group, Micron, CG Power and Kaynes have advanced projects, with total committed investment reaching 1.6 trillion rupees. The article highlighted that India has now moved to “ISM 2.0,” signaling a shift from a manufacturing-focused approach to a full value-chain strategy. According to the report, the new phase will prioritize semiconductor equipment, materials, domestic intellectual property and supply chain resilience. The article noted that India aims to meet 70–75% of its domestic chip demand with locally designed and manufactured products by 2029 and position itself among the world’s top four semiconductor producers by 2032. However, Guancha stressed that India still lacks advanced fabrication capability, infrastructure and relies on imported equipment.

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.