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NEWS IN CHINA

• Foreign Minister Wang Yi Holds Talks with Italian FM Tajani: Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Jean-Michel Tajani in Beijing, reaffirming the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Italy. Wang emphasized that both countries, as ancient civilizations, share complementary advantages and broad prospects for cooperation. He highlighted the success of last year’s China-Italy Governmental Committee Joint Meeting and called for implementing the leaders’ consensus, maintaining high-level exchanges, enhancing mutual trust, and driving stable bilateral relations. Wang noted that in the face of ongoing geopolitical conflicts and global security challenges, China and Italy should strengthen communication in multilateral platforms such as the United Nations, jointly upholding multilateralism and world peace. Tajani praised the smooth development of bilateral ties, reaffirmed Italy’s adherence to the one-China policy, and expressed willingness to expand cooperation and strengthen dialogue. He also acknowledged China’s significant role in resolving international and regional issues. The two sides also exchanged views on the Middle East crisis.
  
  
• Beijing Issues Policy to Integrate Urban-Rural Employment System: The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, together with the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, has released the “Opinions on the Integrated Urban-Rural Employment Policy System." The initiative aims to accelerate the creation of a two-way, interconnected employment pattern between urban and rural areas, ensuring balanced services, fair opportunities, and stronger vocational training by the end of the 15th Five-Year Plan period. The Opinions emphasize strengthening the employment-first policy, improving systems for entrepreneurship, rights protection, and social security, and promoting equal employment through better coordination between labor-importing and labor-exporting regions. According to the Opinions, employment opportunities will be expanded in counties and townships, tapping into consumer-driven sectors such as public services, tourism, and new industries, while creating grassroots jobs for youth and graduates. The plan also calls for balanced employment service outlets, cross-regional labor matching, and cultivating large-scale labor brands. Training resources will be integrated across urban and rural areas, with project-based models linking job demand, skills training, and employment services. 
  
  
• Shenzhou-21 Crew Completes Third Spacewalk, Extends Mission: The Shenzhou-21 crew aboard China’s space station successfully carried out their third extravehicular activity (EVA) on Friday, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA). Astronauts Zhang Lu, Wu Fei, and Zhang Hongzhang completed their tasks at 1:36 a.m. after 5.5 hours of coordinated work, assisted by the robotic arm and ground support. The team installed a space debris protection device, inspected exterior equipment, and performed additional maintenance tasks. Zhang Lu set a new record for Chinese astronauts, completing his seventh EVA. Since their second spacewalk on March 16, the crew has advanced experiments in space life sciences, human research, and microgravity physics, while conducting environmental monitoring, equipment checks, and emergency drills. The astronauts have been in orbit for over five months and remain in good condition. To further validate long-term spaceflight technologies and maximize the benefits of the Shenzhou-22 emergency resupply mission, their stay will be extended by about one month. During the extended mission, the crew will continue scientific experiments and technical tests and celebrate China’s Space Day and International Labor Day in orbit, marking another milestone in China’s space exploration program.
  
  
• China's FDI Share in the Scientific Research Sector Rises for Seven Straight Years: At a press conference on April 16, Ministry of Commerce spokesperson He Yadong announced that foreign investment in China’s scientific research and technical services sector will account for nearly 20% of total foreign investment by 2026. This marks seven consecutive years of growth, with the figure now 3.8 times higher than in 2018. He noted that many multinational companies are upgrading their China operations from “manufacturing bases” to “innovation hubs,” with R&D centers evolving into global innovation platforms. Firms such as Roche Diagnostics, AstraZeneca, Philips, Porsche, and Schneider Electric have already established R&D centers in China. By 2025, 14,000 new foreign-invested enterprises are expected in the sector, representing a 27.2% year-on-year increase. Policy support has also been strengthened, including an updated catalogue encouraging foreign investment in areas like new drug and digital technology research, along with tax exemptions for R&D centers. He emphasized that China will continue to attract multinational R&D activities by leveraging its complete industrial system, skilled talent pool, and diverse application scenarios, reinforcing its role in global green, digital, and intelligent transformation.
  
  
• China Launches Nationwide Campaign for Strengthening CCC Certification Supervision: China’s State Administration for Market Regulation has launched a nationwide campaign to reinforce oversight of the compulsory product certification system, known as CCC certification, aiming to ensure product safety and protect consumers. The CCC system serves as a market access mechanism, requiring products listed in its catalog to obtain certification before they can be manufactured, imported, or sold. The campaign focuses on tightening supervision across the entire certification chain with an emphasis on stricter enforcement. Authorities will conduct comprehensive inspections of designated certification bodies, particularly in key sectors such as power banks, electric bicycles, and gas-fired appliances, alongside spot checks to assess certification effectiveness. Efforts will also include advancing reforms of the CCC certification mark, cracking down on counterfeit labels, and strengthening product traceability to ensure accountability for quality issues. New conduct standards will be introduced for factory inspectors, while a “dual investigation” mechanism will target non-compliant certified products and related entities. Additionally, certified enterprises will undergo type test sampling, and online platforms will be required to strictly verify certification for products sold digitally.
  
  

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Reforms to Junior High School Entrance Examination Subjects Spark Debates on Weibo: A post with the hashtag #BiologyAndGeographyGoingInAndOutOfZhongkaoReforms# is going viral on Weibo after multiple regions adjusted subject-scoring policies. The post highlighted how cities like Xi’an recently removed biology, geography, and chemistry from the total Zhongkao score, reversing earlier reforms. It noted that since 2016, policies have repeatedly shifted, adding and then removing subjects, to reduce academic pressure. Online public reactions were mixed in support and skeptical of this policy. One user questioned whether reforms were moving toward “joyful education,” while another sarcastically suggested reducing exams to just “Chinese and mathematics." Some users criticized the inconsistency, with one commenting that “since the start of education reform, there has never been a decent model.” Others raised deeper concerns about structural issues, noting that “the stratification process itself is the real problem, and reforms cannot solve it alone.” A few users supported retaining exams, stating that “even if scores are reduced, testing is necessary for transitioning to high school.” Several comments debated subject priorities, with one stating that “biology and history are more important, while English could be optional.” Meanwhile, other users proposed alternative systems, including pass/fail models, while some emphasized holistic development, highlighting that students should not be judged solely by grades.

INDIA WATCH 

Guancha Analyses India’s Diplomatic Strain in the Indo-Pacific: An article in Guancha discussed India’s recent diplomatic challenges in the Indo-Pacific, highlighting setbacks in its role within the QUAD and shifting geopolitical dynamics. The article noted that India failed to host a QUAD leaders’ summit during its chairmanship and is now planning a foreign ministers’ meeting in May, potentially framing it as a “leaders’ level” engagement despite uncertainty over top leaders' attendance. The article pointed out that the Trump administration has increasingly downplayed the QUAD’s importance, with the US president declining to attend last year’s planned summit in India and unlikely to visit this year. Experts cited in the article underscored that packaging a ministerial meeting as a leaders’ summit exposes India’s limited influence within the QUAD. It further highlighted commentary suggesting the mechanism is undergoing “de-leadership,” signalling reduced US priority and weakening India’s strategic relevance. Guancha also noted that broader geopolitical shifts have compounded India’s position, including improving US ties with Pakistan, which has recently gained prominence through mediation efforts in Middle East diplomacy. The article concluded that India’s attempts to sustain its Indo-Pacific role face growing constraints amid evolving US priorities, regional competition, and unresolved trade tensions, raising questions about its current regional strategy.

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.