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NEWS IN CHINA

• Li Qiang Calls for Stronger Action on China’s 2026 Development Goals: Premier Li Qiang chaired the 11th plenary meeting of the State Council on March 16 to study and implement the key speeches delivered by Xi Jinping during the recent National People’s Congress (NPC) and Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) sessions while outlining key government tasks for 2026. Li emphasized the important speeches delivered by President Xi Jinping during the two sessions, which provided strategic guidance for China’s development, and stressed the need for government departments to align their work with the decisions of the Communist Party leadership. He called for solid efforts to advance “Chinese-style modernization” and ensure that policy goals are effectively carried out. Noting that this year marks the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan period, Li urged officials to maintain strategic focus amid a complex global environment and challenging domestic reform tasks. Li also highlighted several priority areas for the coming year, including building a unified national market, expanding and upgrading the service sector, accelerating next-generation intelligent manufacturing, improving major infrastructure networks and strengthening social welfare programs. He also called for strengthening governance discipline through education on correct performance evaluation, emphasizing scientific decision-making, pragmatic governance, and a strong focus on high-quality development.
  
  
• China Strengthens Natural Resource Guarantees for Key National Projects: China has announced new measures to strengthen natural resource support for 109 major projects planned under its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030). The Ministry of Natural Resources, together with the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, issued a notice aimed at optimizing territorial space, improving resource allocation policies and accelerating the early launch of key projects. The 109 projects span areas such as new quality productive forces, modern infrastructure, urban‑rural integration and improving people’s livelihoods. To ensure their smooth progress, the notice introduces 13 policy measures. These include optimizing spatial layouts, safeguarding mineral exploitation, balancing existing and new resources and coordinating land-sea use. Authorities emphasized the need to align spatial demands from transportation, energy, water conservancy, cultural heritage protection and mineral development to resolve conflicts.
  
  
• China-Cambodia Deepen Cooperation in Fight Against Online Scams: China provided materials to Cambodia’s Commission for Combating Online Scams (CCOS) on Monday to strengthen the country’s efforts to prevent and combat cyber fraud. The handover ceremony took place between the Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia, Wang Wenbin and the Cambodian Senior Minister, Chhay Sinarith, who heads the CCOS Secretariat. Sinarith described the donation from China’s Ministry of Public Security as a valuable contribution that will help Cambodian law enforcement officers detect and suppress online scam activities more effectively. He noted that cybercrime has become a complex regional and global challenge that requires strong international cooperation. According to Sinarith, Cambodia and China have already worked closely under their security cooperation framework to tackle various crimes, particularly online scams, achieving encouraging results. He expressed hope that bilateral cooperation would continue to deepen to ensure security, public order and social stability in both countries and across the region. Ambassador Wang Wenbin praised Cambodia’s recent progress in combating cyber scams and welcomed the government’s approval of a draft law targeting online fraud. 
  
  
• China Establishes Satellite Internet Standards Committee: China has approved the establishment of a national committee to develop standards for the rapidly expanding satellite internet sector, aiming to promote coordinated industry growth and technological innovation. The new body, the National Satellite Internet System and Service Standardization Technical Committee, was recently approved by the State Administration for Market Regulation, which will focus on creating and improving technical standards to support the development of China’s satellite internet industry. The decision comes as the construction of low-Earth orbit satellite constellations accelerates and continues to expand satellite internet applications. These services are increasingly used for direct mobile phone connectivity, emergency communications, marine fisheries, transportation and logistics, and communication support in remote areas. The committee will bring together government agencies, enterprises and research institutions to promote resource sharing and industry coordination. It will also accelerate the formulation of key standards, including those related to satellite internet terminology, on-orbit operation evaluation of satellite constellations and technical specifications for major system products.
  
  
• Beijing Unveils Five-Year Action Plan to Reduce Workplace Injuries: China has released a new five-year action plan (2026–2030) aimed at strengthening work injury prevention and improving workplace safety nationwide. The plan, jointly issued by nine departments including the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, seeks to ensure a continuous reduction in work-related accidents during the country’s 15th Five-Year Plan period. Under the plan, the incidence of workplace accidents in key industries is expected to fall by about 10 percent over five years. Authorities also aim to reduce injury rates among workers in emerging forms of employment, such as platform-based jobs, with major digital platform companies required to cut accident rates by more than 10 percent. The initiative also targets better working conditions and a decline in major occupational diseases, including Pneumoconiosis. The program will focus on high-risk sectors such as hazardous chemicals, mining, construction, transportation, machinery manufacturing and on-demand delivery services. It will also target key personnel, including company leaders, safety managers and frontline supervisors. Authorities plan to expand the use of AI-driven monitoring and training, strengthen cross-department coordination and improve accident monitoring systems.
  
  

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER 

Weibo Buzzes Over Proposal on Warship Escorts in Strait of Hormuz: A post with the hashtag #China Responds to Whether the US Requested Chinese Warships to Escort Ships# is going viral on Weibo after Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian addressed reports that the Donald Trump administration plans to form a multinational escort coalition for vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz. According to the post, Lin reiterated that maintaining stability in the region is in the common interest of the international community and stressed that the immediate challenge is to halt military operations. Online discussions are mainly focused on reactions to the broader geopolitical situation unfolding in West Asia. One user noted that deploying escort warships would not solve the core problem and could further escalate tensions. A few other users emphasized that a ceasefire alone could restore order in the region. Some users also blamed the current instability on the outbreak of conflict, with one comment calling for stakeholders to stop the war. Others criticized the proposed escort coalition as a superficial solution, emphasizing that “treating the symptoms without addressing the root cause will not solve the problem." One prominent comment questioned the idea of multinational escorts, suggesting that it is an attempt to “hide behind others” to avoid confrontation.

INDIA WATCH

China Energy Network Discusses India’s Energy Shock and Economic Fallout Amid the Supply Disruption: An article published by China Energy Network discusses the long-term consequences of the Strait of Hormuz disruption following US-Israeli strikes on Iran. The article notes that India is the world’s second-largest importer of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and fourth-largest buyer of liquefied natural gas (LNG), and it relies on imports for nearly 80–85 percent of its LPG consumption, much of which transits through the strait. In response, the Indian government imposed emergency rationing to ensure “fair distribution," guaranteeing 100 percent supply to households and transport, 70 percent to fertiliser plants, and around 80 percent to other industries. It argues that these measures have affected ‘non-priority’ sectors such as restaurants and the hotel industry, which are also reliant on LPG supply. The article also highlights that panic buying has driven a 30-fold surge in induction cooker sales, with retail inventories rapidly depleted and unofficial LPG prices reportedly reaching 1,500 rupees per cylinder. It further points out that the gas shortage is also affecting the fertilizer industry, which relies heavily on natural gas, threatening the upcoming sowing season. Additionally, food delivery orders have also been dropped by 50–60 percent in major cities, affecting gig workers’ incomes. The article concludes that prolonged disruption could reduce global LNG supply by over 11 million tons and significantly limit India’s growth. 

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.