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NEWS IN CHINA

• Premier Li Qiang Chairs State Council Executive Meeting: Premier Li Qiang chaired a State Council executive meeting to review audit rectification efforts and discuss key policy priorities covering science and technology, education, environmental protection, and road safety. The meeting emphasized the need to address issues identified in the 2025 central budget and fiscal audits through targeted rectification measures, clear accountability, and fixed timelines. Relevant departments were instructed to strengthen coordination, improve oversight, and use audit findings to enhance budget management, reinforce financial discipline, and improve governance. Officials also reviewed the implementation of decisions from the National Science and Technology Conference. The meeting called for stronger support for major research projects, more effective use of scientific resources, improved basic research mechanisms, and faster progress toward greater technological self-reliance. The State Council approved the 15th Five-Year Plan for Educational Development, which aims to improve education quality, promote equitable access, strengthen teacher development, and better align education with national talent and innovation needs. The meeting also approved the 15th Five-Year Plan for Building a Beautiful China, focusing on pollution control, ecological conservation, climate response, and greener development. 
  
  
• China and New Zealand to Advance Talks on Services Trade Negative List Under FTA: China and New Zealand have agreed to move forward with negotiations on the negative list for trade in services under their Free Trade Agreement, according to China’s Ministry of Commerce. The agreement came during the 34th meeting of the China–New Zealand Joint Trade and Economic Commission held in Beijing on June 5, where both sides reviewed progress in bilateral economic and trade cooperation and explored ways to deepen collaboration across regional and multilateral platforms. A ministry spokesperson stated that the two countries also pledged to strengthen coordination within frameworks such as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the World Trade Organization (WTO), and to support a rules-based global trading system. Both sides emphasized the importance of fully utilizing the joint commission mechanism to enhance practical cooperation and sustain momentum in economic ties. According to the spokesperson, China will continue working with New Zealand to expand trade and investment cooperation, improve institutional engagement, and advance shared regional and global economic goals.
  
  
• China Launches Nationwide Anti-Fraud Awareness Campaign: The Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and the Ministry of Public Security launched a nationwide anti-fraud publicity campaign  under the theme “Don’t Listen, Don’t Believe, Don’t Be Greedy: Building a Heart-to-Heart Defense Against Fraud.” The initiative aims to strengthen public awareness of telecommunications and online fraud and improve the public’s ability to identify and prevent scams. As part of the campaign, authorities will organize outreach activities in communities, rural areas, households, schools, and enterprises, integrating anti-fraud education into grassroots governance. Financial institutions, telecommunications operators, and internet service providers will also be encouraged to expand fraud-prevention awareness among employees and users. The Ministry of Public Security, together with relevant agencies, will release fraud-prevention materials, hold press briefings, and launch public education programs highlighting common scam tactics and prevention measures. Authorities also highlighted progress in anti-fraud efforts since 2025 cracking down 258,000 telecom and online fraud cases, while also blocking large volumes of fraudulent calls, messages, websites, apps, and online content.
  
  
• Market Regulators Summoned E-Commerce Platforms Over Promotional Irregularities: Market regulator in Beijing has summoned five leading e-commerce platforms including Taobao (Tmall), JD.com, Pinduoduo, Douyin, and Xiaohongshu after identifying multiple issues related to promotional activities and market competition ahead of the annual “618” online shopping festival. The regulator found issue with misleading advertising, insufficient disclosure of subsidy programs, incomplete seller information, and platform rules that lacked transparency. Several companies were unable to clearly explain the funding sources, subsidy amounts, or allocation arrangements behind their widely promoted “10 billion yuan subsidy” campaigns. Authorities also raised concerns about promotional policies that allowed platforms to modify rules without adequate public notice or consumer consultation. The Beijing Municipal Market Supervision Administration directed all five platforms to conduct immediate reviews of their “618” promotional campaigns and correct any non-compliant practices. Regulators emphasized the need to protect consumer rights, improve transparency, and ensure fair competition. Officials urged platforms to shift away from aggressive subsidy and price-war strategies and instead compete through better products, services, and innovation. Authorities stated that they will continue monitoring e-commerce activities to promote fair competition, safeguard consumer interests, and maintain an orderly market environment.
  
  
• Two Departments Call on Automakers to Comply with Pricing Rules and Fair Competition Standards: The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the State Administration for Market Regulation held talks with automobile manufacturers suspected of engaging in irrational competitive practices. During the meeting, regulators reminded companies to strictly comply with relevant laws and regulations, including the Price Law of the People’s Republic of China and regulations prohibiting predatory pricing. The authorities instructed automakers to strengthen compliance in pricing practices, improve product quality management, and better protect the legitimate rights and interests of consumers. Companies were also urged to follow the requirements outlined in the Guidelines for Price Behavior Compliance in the Automobile Industry. The meeting emphasized the importance of maintaining a market environment characterized by fair pricing, healthy competition, and high-quality development. Regulators called on automobile manufacturers to jointly uphold orderly market conditions and promote the sustainable development of the automotive industry.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Weibo Users React to Inspection of Apps Over Unnecessary Permission Requests: A post with the hashtag #4AppsFrequentlyRequestingUnnecessaryPermissions# is going viral on Weibo after the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) announced the results of an inspection into the collection and use of personal information by apps and mini-programs. The notice identified 30 apps that were found to have issues related to personal information collection and usage, prompting regulatory scrutiny and requiring rectification within a specified timeframe. Online reactions were largely supportive of the regulator’s actions. Many users welcomed the notification, expressing satisfaction that they did not use any of the apps identified in the notice. Some users called for stronger oversight and suggested establishing dedicated channels for reporting non-compliant applications. One user commented that apps such as “Blue Cat Cloud Commerce” and “Elephant Youpin” had repeatedly requested permissions, including location access, and welcomed the requirement that all 30 apps make corrections by the deadline. Some users also advised people to be cautious when installing apps and granting permissions. Another user remarked that they had reviewed the listed apps and found none of them useful, encouraging others to share the information more widely. Several other users expressed support for stricter action against offending applications, with one user stating that authorities should “seize it directly.”

INDIA WATCH 

Finance Sina Discusses Meta-Reliance AI Data Centre Partnership: An article in Finance Sina discussed Meta’s large-scale AI data centre partnership in India and the country’s accelerating push to attract global digital infrastructure investment. It noted that Meta has agreed to lease a 168-megawatt AI data centre from Reliance Industries, marking one of the largest such projects in India’s growing cloud and AI ecosystem. The facility, to be developed in Jamnagar, is expected to be delivered within two years with provisions for future expansion, reflecting long-term demand expectations from global technology firms. The article highlighted that the partnership builds on earlier collaborations between Meta and Reliance, including Meta’s investment in Jio Platforms and a joint venture aimed at expanding access to open-source AI tools for Indian developers. It also pointed to statements from Meta leadership describing the project as part of efforts to scale global AI infrastructure while deepening investment exposure in India. According to the article, India’s data centre sector has become a key destination for hyperscale cloud providers, supported by cost advantages, policy incentives such as long-term tax exemptions, and rapidly rising demand for computing capacity. It suggested that billions of dollars are flowing into India’s AI and data infrastructure ecosystem, with significant expansion expected over the coming decade. The article further noted that Meta is also investing in renewable energy capacity to power the facility, aligning with corporate sustainability goals.