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NEWS IN CHINA

• China Condemns New U.S. Sanctions on Chinese Firms Over Xinjiang: The Ministry of Commerce has strongly criticised the United States for adding more than 40 Chinese companies to the entity list under the Uyghur Forced Labour Prevention Act, describing the move as politically motivated and lacking factual basis. The ministry argued that Washington is using allegations of "forced labour" and "human rights" to impose unilateral sanctions on Chinese enterprises, harming their legitimate interests and disrupting global industrial and supply chains. The ministry also highlighted the timing of the decision, noting that it came just one day after Chinese and U.S. trade negotiators held what it described as a constructive virtual meeting on maintaining stable bilateral economic and trade relations. According to the ministry, the U.S. action contradicts the understanding reached during recent high-level exchanges and undermines efforts to stabilise ties. Reiterating China's longstanding position, the ministry rejected allegations of forced labour in Xinjiang, stating that the region is socially stable and economically developing, and that claims of forced labour are unfounded. It urged the United States to stop using Xinjiang-related issues to target Chinese companies and to end what it called the politicisation of trade and human rights issues.
  
  
• China Unveils Five-Year Plan to Strengthen Agricultural Supply Network and Food Security: China has released a five-year development plan (2026–2030) for its national supply and marketing cooperative system, outlining measures to strengthen agricultural services and reinforce national food security. Issued by the All China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives, the plan identifies 18 priority tasks aimed at supporting food production and advancing rural revitalisation. A major focus is expanding agricultural supply infrastructure, with plans to build or upgrade more than 100 national-level strategic fertiliser depots and around 1,000 county-level distribution centres in key grain-producing regions by 2030. Authorities aim to complete or renovate about 20 national-level depots and over 200 county-level distribution centres this year to improve the distribution of agricultural inputs. The plan also calls for the construction or modernisation of 200 agricultural service centers in 2026, with emphasis on emergency grain drying and storage facilities to reduce post-harvest losses. It highlights the role of supply and marketing cooperatives in supporting agriculture, rural communities, and farmers by strengthening links between producers and consumers, and improving the distribution of agricultural products.
  
  
• Chinese Experts Say Multi-Dimensional Measures Strengthen Governance of Huangyan Dao: According to Chinese experts, Beijing's recent military exercises, coast guard operations, and environmental protection measures around Huangyan Dao show a coordinated strategy to strengthen governance and reinforce its claims in the South China Sea. The actions followed the Philippines' submission of an official nautical chart of Huangyan Dao and surrounding waters to the UN Secretariat, a move Beijing rejected as legally invalid. The People's Liberation Army Southern Theater Command conducted joint naval and air exercises focused on reconnaissance, deterrence patrols, air-sea control and joint strike operations, while the China Coast Guard carried out law enforcement drills, including boarding, interception and towing of vessels. According to experts, the joint exercises were designed to improve coordination in handling situations such as the interception and removal of vessels entering waters around Huangyan Dao. Chinese experts further noted that China's newly introduced management measures for the Huangyan Dao National Nature Reserve add an environmental and legal dimension to its governance approach. Additionally, they stated that combining military preparedness, maritime law enforcement, and ecological protection forms a comprehensive governance framework that strengthens China's administrative presence while supporting long-term conservation and management of the area.
  
  
• Housing Ministry Urges Stronger Measures to Prevent Gas Safety Accidents: The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development has summoned officials from relevant provincial and municipal authorities to address shortcomings in gas safety management following recent gas-related accidents. According to the ministry, the incidents exposed significant weaknesses in local safety oversight and highlighted the need for stronger preventive measures. Authorities were instructed to draw lessons from the accidents, identify similar risks, and adopt targeted actions to improve gas safety management in their respective regions. The ministry also called for the comprehensive implementation of the ongoing urban gas safety rectification campaign. It urged local governments to accelerate the rollout of household liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder delivery services and mandatory safety inspections during cylinder distribution. In addition, authorities were directed to speed up efforts to eliminate safety hazards involving household gas cylinders, pipelines, stoves, and valves. The ministry emphasized the importance of maintaining the dedicated task force overseeing urban gas safety and advancing a full-chain approach to risk management, covering all stages of gas supply and use. It also called for the establishment of a long-term gas safety management mechanism to strengthen supervision and reduce the risk of future accidents.
  
  
• China Unveils Five-Year Plan to Advance Energy Conservation in Public Institutions: The State Administration of Government Offices and the National Development and Reform Commission have jointly released the 15th Five-Year Plan for Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction in Public Institutions, outlining priorities for the 2026–2030 period. The plan focuses on advancing carbon peaking in public institutions, improving the efficient use of energy and water resources, and promoting greener production and consumption practices. It sets targets to reduce carbon emissions per unit of building area by 8.5%, energy consumption per unit of building area by 5%, and per capita water use by 3% by 2030, compared with 2025 levels. The carbon intensity and water consumption targets will be assessed annually as part of national evaluation mechanisms. To support implementation, the plan calls for updating regulations on energy conservation in public institutions, strengthening standards and management systems, improving energy metering and statistical capabilities, and upgrading the national information platform for energy and resource conservation. Authorities stated that additional supporting policy documents will be introduced to accelerate implementation and strengthen the role of public institutions in China's broader green transition.
  
  

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Weibo Users React to Launch of Nationwide Anti-Organized Crime Reporting Campaign: A post discussing the announcement of the national anti-organized crime campaign reporting channels is going viral on Weibo. According to the post, the official reporting channels for a year-long nationwide campaign against organized crime are set to begin in July. It encourages the public to report suspected criminal activities through the national "12337" online platform, reporting channels operated by the Ministry of Public Security, provincial anti-organized crime offices, and newly established local hotlines, email addresses, and online platforms. Several commenters welcomed the expanded reporting mechanisms and hoped the year-long operation would contribute to a safer social environment. Some users stressed that “adherence to the rule of law and effective law enforcement would be essential to the campaign's success.” Others noted that “financial fraud should remain one of the major priorities of the crackdown.” One user stated that "Justice is never late–with channels open, protection in place, and rewards delivered, the people naturally gain confidence," while another user noted that they “fully support the work!" Some users asked “whether being deceived into taking out a truck loan after a job scam could qualify as predatory lending or organized crime.” Others raised concerns about the safety of whistleblowers, questioning “whether reporting criminal activities could expose them to retaliation and asking how authorities would ensure the personal security of informants.”

INDIA WATCH 

Finance Sina Highlights India’s Foreign Capital Push to Support the Rupee: An article published in Finance Sina discussed India’s efforts to attract foreign capital to strengthen its foreign exchange reserves and support the rupee. According to the article, non-resident foreign currency deposits stood at US$367.2 billion as of July 31, and combined with inflows from overseas foreign currency loans and foreign commercial borrowings, India has attracted approximately US$41 billion since June. It noted that these inflows have provided the RBI with greater capacity to manage exchange rate volatility and reinforce investor confidence. The article also highlighted that the RBI’s reported US$7 billion intervention on July 24 to stabilize the rupee during a period of elevated crude oil prices and heightened tensions in the Middle East, describing it as one of the central bank’s largest recent market interventions. It cited RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra, who stated that the rupee's recent weakness was driven by external factors, including geopolitical conflicts, a stronger US dollar, and broader volatility across emerging markets, rather than any deterioration in India's macroeconomic fundamentals. The article further noted that major Indian banks are offering interest rates of up to 7.75 percent on five-year non-resident foreign currency deposits, with such deposits also eligible to be used as collateral for loans.