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NEWS IN CHINA

• Xi Calls for Stronger Agricultural Development and Rural Revitalization During Shandong Visit: President Xi Jinping has emphasized the importance of advancing agricultural and rural modernization during an inspection tour in Dezhou, Shandong Province. He stated that improving agricultural productivity and rural development is essential to China's broader modernization goals and long-term food security. During his visit, Xi reviewed summer farming activities, including wheat harvesting and corn planting. He highlighted the need to ensure a stable supply of grain and other key agricultural products through stronger policy support, improved agricultural infrastructure, and wider adoption of advanced farming technologies. He also called for better disaster prevention capabilities, enhanced weather monitoring, and more efficient use of water resources in agriculture. Xi visited local villages to assess rural revitalization efforts and community development initiatives. He encouraged grassroots Party organizations to play a stronger leadership role in improving public services and promoting rural prosperity. He also stressed the importance of reducing administrative burdens on village officials so they can focus more on serving residents and supporting local development. During meetings with villagers, Xi discussed household incomes, employment, education, and healthcare. He urged officials to prioritize people's well-being and ensure that rural policies deliver tangible benefits.
  
  
• Li Qiang Attends Summer Davos in Dalian: Premier Li Qiang attended the 17th Annual Meeting of New Champions also called Summer Davos in Dalian, Liaoning Province. Li emphasized that openness and cooperation are inevitable as countries are striving to expand their development and China will continue to follow openness and cooperation to promote interconnectivity and integration of the Chinese market to the global market. He stressed that China is willing to produce more quality products in all countries to promote balanced growth of trade. Li stated that China's industrial competitiveness emerges from comprehensive advantages formed by the industrial system, large markets and robust innovation ecosystem and China’s  industrial subsidies policy strictly comply with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules. He further noted that upgrades to China’s market, manufacturing sector and infrastructure will open up new growth space and improve overall conditions, creating abundant investment opportunities. Li highlighted that China will provide quality services to the global firms and expand the opening of the service sector, while fully granting national treatment to foreign-invested enterprises. In response, business representatives stressed that China is a reliable and long-term partner and also expressed optimism in China's development prospects and their commitment to expanding investment in China. 
  
  
• CPPCC Members Outline Priorities for High-Quality Development: The 17th meeting of the Standing Committee of the 14th National Committee of the CPPCC was held on June 24, focusing on advancing high-quality development and promoting long-term economic and social progress. Chaired by Vice Chairman Qin Boyong, the session was attended by CPPCC Chairman Wang Huning and other senior leaders. Fourteen Standing Committee members presented proposals covering diverse priorities. Li Heping emphasized technological innovation as the driver of a modern industrial system, while Zhang Xinghai called for strengthening the real economy and cultivating new productive forces. Liu Jiaqiang proposed building a multi-governance framework for artificial intelligence, and Li Zhongping highlighted deeper integration of technology and industry. Cheng Hong stressed advancing Belt and Road connectivity, while Li Xiaopeng focused on improving transportation and logistics networks. Xu Xiaolan proposed expanding capital market support, and He Zhimin advocated stronger intellectual property protection in emerging fields. Other recommendations included rural revitalization, regional integration, workers’ rights protection, grassroots governance, green construction, and building a unified national market for green energy.
  
  
• China Launches Pilot for Industrial 5G Private Networks: The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, alongside five other departments, has rolled out a pilot program to accelerate the adoption of industrial 5G private networks. Unlike hybrid models that rely partly on public infrastructure, these standalone networks are fully owned and operated by enterprises, ensuring production data remains within factories and network resources are dedicated to specific industrial needs. The initiative targets large enterprises in sectors such as equipment manufacturing, energy, transportation, and defense technology. By building independent 5G systems, companies can strengthen data security, improve efficiency, and accelerate the integration of “5G + Industrial Internet.” China has already established over 25,000 virtual or hybrid private networks and 1,260 smart factories, placing it among global leaders in industrial 5G deployment. According to the GSMA’s 2026 China Mobile Economy Report, mobile communication contributed $1.5 trillion to China’s economy in 2025, and is projected to rise to $2.1 trillion by 2030. With 5G-A commercially deployed in more than 330 cities and over 10 million users, the technology is now the backbone of emerging fields like artificial intelligence.
  
  
• MOFCOM Issues Measures to Safeguard Industrial and Supply Chains: The Ministry of Commerce announced the implementation of the newly issued Measures for Investigating the Security of Industrial and Supply Chains. The regulation, consisting of 22 articles, sets clear rules for investigation objects, procedures, and handling measures, aiming to strengthen both domestic and global supply chain stability. The measures provide a legal framework for conducting industrial and supply chain security investigations, ensuring that risks are identified and addressed promptly. By clarifying responsibilities and processes, the Ministry seeks to protect the legitimate rights of Chinese enterprises while maintaining the smooth operation of global supply networks. This initiative follows the State Council’s regulations on supply chain security and reflects China’s growing emphasis on safeguarding critical industries amid global uncertainties. The Ministry highlighted that investigations will be carried out in accordance with the law, reinforcing resilience and long-term stability in industrial and supply chains.
  
  

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Weibo Users React to Ingredient Tampering at ALittle-Tea: Discussions about tampering of ingredient expiration dates at an outlet of the popular milk tea store, ALittle-Tea is going viral on Weibo. A post uncovered that the tea leaves used for the drinks were without manufacturer's name, dates and expiration information, and employees preparing the drink were doing so without using masks or gloves. Many users stated that the concerned manufacturers are simply “ripping off the consumers”. One user stated that “big stores do not have this problem as there are always long queues” while another commented that “wearing gloves does not guarantee cleanliness and hygiene”. Some users noted that the taste of drinks was of low quality and several customers did not even recognise the problem. Several users emphasized that the structural problem associated with the company resulted in insufficient oversight issues and closing one store will not solve the problem as issues extended across the supply chain. A few users also commented that “not every store is the same so there is no need to generalize the issue”, while others called the tampering of food safety information as “unethical” and argued that “nothing is safe”.

INDIA WATCH 

The Paper Discusses the Final Phase of India-US Trade Negotiations: An article in The Paper discussed the ongoing efforts by India and the United States to finalize an interim trade agreement ahead of a key July deadline. It noted that US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer’s visit followed renewed political momentum generated by discussions between PM Modi and US President Donald Trump at the G7 summit, where both sides reportedly acknowledged significant progress toward a commercially meaningful agreement. According to the article, India’s primary objective is to secure preferential tariff treatment and protection from future US tariff hikes, particularly after changes in US trade policy reduced the competitive advantages New Delhi expected to gain over export rivals such as Vietnam. The article highlighted that India has offered tariff reductions on a range of American industrial and agricultural products and is considering substantial purchases of US energy resources, aircraft, technology products, and raw materials as part of a broader effort to expand bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030. It also emphasized that the negotiations have led to resistance from farmers’ organizations, labor unions, opposition leaders, and state-level officials, who have argued that increased access for subsidized US agricultural products could threaten Indian producers and rural livelihoods. The article further linked the trade talks to broader strains in India-US relations, including tariff disputes and regional security concerns, arguing that the agreement has become a key test of an increasingly pragmatic partnership in which New Delhi seeks economic gains while preserving strategic autonomy and safeguarding domestic interests.