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NEWS IN CHINA

• China Welcomes South Korea’s Reaffirmation of One-China Position on Taiwan: China has expressed appreciation for recent remarks from South Korean officials reaffirming Seoul’s position on Taiwan in line with the 1992 China–ROK Joint Communiqué. A spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry stated that Beijing views the comments positively as they restate long-standing diplomatic commitments. South Korea’s Director-General for Northeast Asian and Central Asian Affairs Nam Jin told local media that Seoul’s position on Taiwan as part of China has remained unchanged. He referenced the 1992 agreement establishing diplomatic relations, which states that South Korea recognizes the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal government of China and respects the One-China principle, with Taiwan regarded as an inalienable part of Chinese territory. The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson also cited earlier remarks by South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, who said in interviews and during his visit to China that the foundational principles of China–ROK relations have not changed and that Seoul respects China’s core concerns, including the Taiwan question. The spokesperson also stated that China expects South Korea to continue honoring the political commitments made at the time of diplomatic normalization and to uphold the One-China principle as the basis for stable bilateral relations.
  
  
• China Calls for Stronger Global Humanitarian Cooperation: China urged the international community to intensify humanitarian efforts as conflicts, climate-related disasters, and growing displacement continue to strain global resources. Speaking during a United Nations debate on humanitarian affairs, China's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Sun Lei, warned that humanitarian needs are expanding faster than the resources available to address them. Sun highlighted the worsening impact of armed conflicts, which have led to significant loss of life and mass displacement, while climate change and natural disasters are deepening vulnerabilities in many regions. He stressed the need for a coordinated international response to bridge the widening gap between humanitarian demands and funding. Sun called on all parties to uphold humanitarian principles, respect national sovereignty, and avoid politicizing aid efforts. He also urged donor countries to fulfill their financial commitments and advocated for a fairer distribution of humanitarian funding, particularly for long-running and underfunded crises. Emphasizing that underdevelopment often fuels humanitarian emergencies, Sun called for closer alignment between humanitarian and development assistance. He reaffirmed China's commitment to supporting developing nations through relief, recovery, and continued contributions to UN humanitarian agencies.
  
  
• CPPCC Delegation Inspects County High School Education in Shanxi: From June 15 to 18, Zhu Yongxin, Vice Chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, led a delegation to Jinzhong and Changzhi to assess progress under the initiative “Accelerating the Construction of Ordinary High Schools in Counties.” During the visit, provincial leaders, including top officials of Shanxi, met with the research team in Taiyuan. The delegation visited multiple schools across urban, rural, and vocational levels, engaging with educators, experts, and local officials to understand ongoing reforms in school development and resource distribution. The team emphasized that improving county-level high schools is essential for educational equity and rural development, as these institutions serve as a key link between urban and rural education systems. Local reforms highlighted during the inspection include Jinzhong’s long-term policy of allocating all high-quality high school admission quotas to junior schools within counties, as well as strict controls on cross-county enrollment. The city has also expanded teacher recruitment through targeted hiring programs to improve staffing quality. Changzhi has strengthened its teacher workforce and had introduced transparent, unified online admissions and significantly reduced cross-county enrollment quotas.
  
  
• Datengxia Hydropower Project Completes Acceptance, Enters Full Operation Phase: The Ministry of Water Resources has formally announced that the Datengxia Hydropower Project passed its completion acceptance, marking the end of construction and its transition into full operational use. Officials including the Vice Minister of Water Resources Sun Zhiyu, representatives from Guangxi authorities, Guangdong provincial government, and the Pearl River Water Resources Commission attended the review meeting. The project is a key part of China’s national water network and plays a strategic role in flood control, navigation improvement, power generation, irrigation, water supply, and salinity management. Built over nine years with a total investment of 35.7 billion yuan, it features a reservoir capacity of 3.479 billion cubic meters and significant flood-control storage. Authorities noted that the project has already proven its effectiveness by managing multiple major floods on the Xijiang River, reducing peak flood pressure and improving regional safety. In addition, it has supported emergency water replenishment for the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area and improved irrigation and drinking water security for over a million residents. Officials confirmed that all construction, environmental, and safety standards were met, with the project delivering integrated benefits for regional development.
  
  
• China Rail Network Sees Surge in Dragon Boat Festival Holiday Travel Demand: China’s railway system recorded a sharp rise in passenger traffic on June 19, the first day of the Dragon Boat Festival holiday period, with an estimated 19.73 million trips made nationwide. The rail operator stated that an additional 1,028 train services were deployed to manage the heavy travel demand and ensure smooth operations across major routes. On June 18, railways across the country handled about 16.74 million passenger journeys, with authorities confirming that services remained safe, stable, and well-organized. Pre-sale data showed strong demand, with over 51.5 million tickets already booked for the holiday travel window as of the morning of June 19. Major departure hubs included Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Zhengzhou, Wuhan, Xi’an, and Nanjing. Key routes such as Beijing–Jinan, Beijing–Shenyang, Hong Kong–Shenzhen, Guangzhou–Nanning, and Beijing–Qingdao saw particularly heavy passenger flows. Beyond transport operations, railway authorities organized a range of Dragon Boat Festival cultural activities onboard trains and at stations. Passengers participated in zongzi-making, poetry sessions, quizzes, and folk culture events, adding a festive atmosphere to the peak travel period and enhancing the overall journey experience.
  
  

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Weibo Users React to Viral School Bullying Incident in Anhui: A post is going viral on Weibo after reports emerged of a bullying incident involving a student in Lujiang County, Anhui Province. The discussion follows the circulation of footage showing a student in Lujiang County, Anhui Province, allegedly being targeted by a group of peers in a bullying incident. According to local authorities, police have launched an investigation and are continuing to monitor the case. One user called for “iron fist education,” while another questioned why “juvenile detention centres should not be reinstated.” Some users stressed that “parents must take greater responsibility in educating children,” noting that minors should be encouraged to report bullying immediately to teachers and family members. Several other users expressed concern over rising youth violence, with one user commenting that “incidents of this nature around them are increasingly alarming and require urgent intervention." Another user argued that “bullying must be strictly punished and included more clearly in criminal law.” Some users also called for greater legal education in schools and stronger accountability for parents, stating that “guardians should not be exempt from responsibility in such cases.” Others called for stronger legal measures, greater police involvement, and more comprehensive legal education in schools to prevent similar incidents in the future.

INDIA WATCH

Finance Sina Discusses Reliance’s AI Push with Jio Call Agent and Telecom-Driven AI Expansion: An article in Finance Sina discussed Reliance Industries’ unveiling of its AI-driven Jio Call Agent and broader push to position itself at the center of India’s emerging artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem. The article noted that at its annual general meeting, chaired by Mukesh Ambani, Reliance announced an AI-powered call assistant capable of joining live phone calls, transcribing conversations, generating summaries, and executing user requests such as booking rides, ordering food, and scheduling services through simple voice prompts like “Hey Jio.” It highlighted that, unlike standalone applications, the assistant will be embedded directly into the Jio telecom network, giving Reliance a distribution advantage across its massive subscriber base of over 500 million users. The article further pointed to the launch of an AI-enabled MyJio platform, allowing users to perform telecom and utility functions through natural language commands, as well as TeleFrame, a smart-home device designed to display contextual alerts, reminders, and weather updates. It added that Reliance launched Reliance Intelligence last year to build AI infrastructure and services for consumers, businesses, and governments, with a focus on developing applications that support 22 Indian languages. The article also quoted Ambani, who emphasized that India must move beyond consuming AI developed elsewhere and become a creator, adopter, and global leader in the field.