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NEWS IN CHINA

• Wang Yi Meets Argentine FM Quirno: Wang Yi met with Argentine Foreign Minister Quirno on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. He noted that China and Argentina have upheld mutual respect and equality since establishing diplomatic relations, building a resilient and dynamic partnership despite global changes. He recalled the 2024 meeting between Xi Jinping and Argentine President Mile, which reached key consensus on consolidating the comprehensive strategic partnership. He added that China is ready to work with Argentina to implement those agreements for the benefit of both peoples. Wang Yi called for closer exchanges at all levels and firm mutual support on core interests, noting strong economic complementarity between the two sides. He proposed deepening cooperation in trade, science and technology, finance, and mining, and encouraged Argentina to use platforms such as the China International Import Expo and the Canton Fair to expand exports to China. Quirno, in response, emphasized that cooperation with China has delivered tangible benefits and thanked Beijing for its support during Argentina’s economic difficulties. He reaffirmed Argentina’s adherence to the one-China principle and welcomed greater Chinese investment and cooperation across key sectors.
  
  
• Premier Li Qiang Meets Foreign Experts Ahead of Lunar New Year: Premier Li Qiang held a symposium with foreign experts working in China and recipients of the 2025 Chinese Government Friendship Award. Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang also attended. Li Qiang extended Lunar New Year greetings and thanked the experts for their contributions to China’s modernization. He listened to their suggestions on scientific innovation, agriculture, cultural exchange, talent cultivation, and investment cooperation. Experts from countries including the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Uganda, Bulgaria, Belarus, and Germany shared insights on enhancing collaboration. Highlighting global turbulence, Li stressed the importance of openness, cooperation, and international exchange. He noted China’s continued economic growth, commitment to innovation, green development, and global engagement. Li encouraged experts to act as bridges between China and the world, promoting mutual understanding, learning, and win-win results. He emphasized the government’s commitment to creating a supportive environment, including better visa services, social security, healthcare, and education.
  
  
• Beijing Hosts 2026 International Commercial Space Exhibition: Beijing hosted the 2026 International Commercial Space Exhibition, attracting strong participation from domestic aerospace firms and overseas exhibitors from different countries. Diplomatic representatives from Argentina, Peru, Canada and other nations also attended, reflecting growing global interest in China’s rapidly expanding commercial space sector. Held under the theme “Gathering Global Resources to Promote the Development of Commercial Aerospace,” the exhibition brought together more than 300 companies and institutions. Displays covered the full industrial chain, from launch vehicles and satellite manufacturing to space applications, services, and investment. Chinese firms, including LandSpace, Galactic Energy, GalaxySpace, and Geovis Technology, showcased new rockets, satellites, and digital Earth technologies. Companies highlighted reusable launch vehicles, satellite internet breakthroughs, and AI-enabled space services. Participants also discussed overseas expansion and opportunities under China’s upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan. International exhibitors highlighted China’s strong appeal as a center for innovation and collaboration.
  
  
• China Issues New Anti-Monopoly Guidelines for Internet Platforms: The State Administration for Market Regulation released new guidelines aimed at strengthening anti-monopoly compliance among internet platform operators. The Guidelines on Anti-Monopoly Compliance of Internet Platforms are designed to help companies prevent compliance risks while supporting innovation. The regulators noted that internet platforms involve multiple stakeholders, including operators, businesses, consumers, and employees. They can significantly shape market competition through platform rules, data, algorithms, and technology. Improper use of these tools to exclude or restrict competition would thus harm all parties. The new guidelines require platform operators to follow principles of relevance, comprehensiveness, transparency, sustainability in compliance management and to assume primary responsibility for lawful competition. They identified four major monopoly risks, which included monopoly agreements, abuse of market dominance, concentration of undertakings, and abuse of administrative power, while setting clear “red lines.” These guidelines offer practical and clear direction to help platform operators enhance their anti-monopoly compliance management.
  
  
• China Regulates Ride-Hailing and Travel Platforms on Lending Practices: China’s State Financial Regulatory Commission, together with the State Administration for Market Regulation and the People's Bank of China, held talks with six major travel and ride-hailing platforms. The companies included Ctrip, Gaode Map, Tongcheng Travel, Fliggy, TravelSky, and Qunar.com. The regulators addressed concerns over lending practices in cooperation with financial institutions. Platforms were instructed to regulate marketing, avoid misleading ads, clearly disclose lender names and loan details, and advise users to borrow responsibly. Companies are also required to maintain effective complaint channels, respond promptly to consumer disputes, improve service quality, and safeguard users’ legitimate rights. The move aims to ensure transparency, fair lending practices, and consumer protection in the rapidly growing travel and ride-hailing sectors.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Weibo Buzzes as Chinese AI Seedance 2.0 Sparks Discussion Over AI Filmmaking: ByteDance’s Seedance 2.0 has generated widespread attention and discussion on Weibo. The hashtag #Seedance2.0SpreadsToTheUS# began trending after claims that even Hollywood directors were left stunned by the AI video model. Seedance 2.0 is the latest AI video model developed by ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok. This AI can generate cinematic, logically connected shots from simple prompts. Netizens were largely enthusiastic about its creative potential. Many described the model as “incredibly impressive,” highlighting its smooth motion, coherent storytelling and built-in dialogue and background music. One user wrote that as long as the script is strong, the visuals can be “unexpected and amazing,” while another remarked humorously that by replacing the protagonist with yourself, “you instantly become a star.” A few users struck a cautious note, questioning whether it can truly “kill” the film industry, but agreed it could disrupt lower-quality productions.

INDIA WATCH

Guancha Analyzes PM Modi’s Economic Vision and Structural Constraints: An article in Guancha features an interview with Liu Zongyi,  who is the Director of the South Asia Research Center at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies. The article examined the foundations and feasibility of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s economic ambitions. It noted that Modi recently reiterated India aims to become the world’s third-largest economy and achieve developed-country status by 2047. Liu suggested that such high-profile economic messaging is partly aimed at stabilizing domestic sentiment amid recent pressures, including external tariff challenges, slowing growth and rising unemployment. He noted that while India has highlighted its global GDP ranking, sustaining developed-country aspirations would require maintaining growth above 8 percent annually for two decades, which he viewed as difficult under current conditions. Liu attributed the recent expansion partly to large-scale infrastructure spending and discounted Russian oil imports. He further stated that India prioritizes partnerships with Western economies for investment and technology transfer, while remaining cautious about deeper integration into China-centered supply chains. Policy uncertainty and market protection tendencies, he remarked, could complicate India’s long-term industrial upgrading goals.

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.