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NEWS IN CHINA

• Xi Jinping congratulates Papua New Guinea on 50th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations: President Xi Jinping and Papua New Guinea Governor-General Bob Dadae exchanged congratulatory messages on Monday to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. President Xi described Papua New Guinea as a “good friend, good partner and good brother” in the Pacific island region and highlighted the development of political trust, economic cooperation and people-to-people exchanges over the past five decades. He stated that the achievements had benefited both peoples and contributed to building a China-Pacific Island countries community with a shared future. President Xi also expressed readiness to strengthen cooperation across various fields and elevate the comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level. In response, Dadae noted that bilateral relations had made significant progress and benefited both countries, reaffirming Papua New Guinea’s commitment to the one-China principle and its interest in further deepening ties with China. Premier Li Qiang also exchanged congratulations with Prime Minister James Marape, emphasising that China is willing to promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and advance the comprehensive strategic partnership. Marape praised China’s contributions to Papua New Guinea’s economic and social development and stated that his government would continue upholding the one-China principle while expanding mutually beneficial cooperation across various fields.
  
  
• Foreign Minister Wang Yi Meets Russian Presidential Aide and Maritime Board Chairman: Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Russian presidential aide and Maritime Board Chairman Nikolai Patrushev in Beijing to discuss bilateral relations and maritime cooperation. He conveyed President Xi Jinping’s greetings to Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating that close communication between the two leaders had elevated China-Russia relations to a higher level. He noted that strategic mutual trust had strengthened, cooperation across various sectors had become more resilient, and coordination on multilateral issues had expanded under their guidance. Wang highlighted that both countries bear significant responsibilities in international maritime affairs and have considerable potential for cooperation. He said China is willing to work with Russia to better align their maritime strategies. Wang also congratulated Russia on the State Duma elections held last month, stating that the results showed the will of the Russian people. Patrushev conveyed Putin’s greetings to Xi and emphasised that regular exchanges between the two leaders were essential to developing bilateral relations. He expressed Russia’s willingness to deepen cooperation with China in multilateral maritime governance and draw on Chinese expertise in shipbuilding, logistics and maritime trade.
  
  
• SAMR Releases 88 National Standard Samples for Manufacturing and Agriculture: The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) released 88 national standard samples to support quality control in manufacturing and agriculture. The samples, which serve as physical forms of national standards, are intended to support the implementation of written standards and provide technical assistance for improving product quality and promoting high-quality development. Of the 88 samples, 45 cover the manufacturing sector. These include 36 samples for heavy industry, supporting the testing of metals, ores, coal and related products, as well as the analysis of chemical components in petrochemicals and their derivatives. The remaining nine samples focus on light industry, covering the performance testing of electrical and electronic products and the evaluation of textile colour fastness and appearance. The other 43 samples focus on agriculture. Of these, 16 quantitative samples support the measurement of pesticide residues and specific components in agricultural products, while 27 qualitative samples help identify plant seeds, insects and disease-causing microorganisms. These samples are intended to strengthen agricultural safety and improve the quality and safety of agricultural products. According to the officials, SAMR would continue expanding the availability of standard samples and improving the national standard sample system. The initiative aims to support industrial upgrading, strengthen safety standards and promote green development.
  
  
• China Issues Guideline to Curb Food Safety Violations: China’s top Political and Legal Affairs Commission issued a guideline calling for stricter investigation and punishment of food safety violations. The guideline calls for heavier criminal penalties in serious cases and tighter restrictions on suspended sentences and exemptions from criminal punishment. The move comes amid growing concerns over organised food safety offences across supply chains, including incidents involving formaldehyde-treated cabbage, pesticide misuse and chemically treated bayberries. Authorities will strengthen enforcement across food production, processing, online sales, catering services and imports. The guideline also seeks to address gaps between administrative enforcement and criminal proceedings by clarifying case-transfer procedures, evidence requirements and coordination mechanisms. Additionally, the document calls for revising China’s Food Safety Law to address emerging online business models, including fresh food e-commerce, food delivery and livestreaming sales. Authorities will update prohibited-substance lists, improve information sharing and use big-data monitoring and public-interest litigation to identify risks earlier. The Supreme People’s Court, Supreme People’s Procuratorate, Ministry of Public Security and Ministry of Justice will coordinate implementation.
  
  
• China Unveils Railway Science and Technology Innovation Plan for 2030: China’s National Railway Administration (NRA) issued its 15th Five-Year Plan for Railway Science and Technology Innovation, outlining priorities in basic research, advanced equipment, digitalisation, intelligent transportation, safety and low-carbon development. The plan aims to establish a science and technology innovation system supporting railway modernisation by 2030. During the 2026–2030 period, China plans to establish around 30 railway science and technology innovation bases, develop at least 100 key core technologies and achieve 500 major scientific and technological breakthroughs. It also aims to launch at least 20 demonstration projects, including those involving 400 km/h train operations and railway construction at extremely high altitudes. The plan prioritises developing the CR450 high-speed train series for commercial operations at 400 km/h and advancing research and testing of domestic technologies for 600 km/h high-speed maglev systems. It also proposes upgrading the 12306 passenger ticketing platform into an integrated travel service and expanding intelligent freight services. Additionally, China will develop railway-specific artificial intelligence infrastructure, including at least 20 high-quality datasets and more than 20 AI application scenarios. Research will also focus on cross-sea railway projects, emergency repairs and disaster response. To support its climate goals, China plans to promote low-emission locomotives and improve railway carbon management, aiming to peak railway carbon emissions before 2030.
  
  

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Weibo Users Debate Mandatory Social Security Contributions: A post discussing the inclusion of social security contributions in tax-related penalties is going viral on Weibo over workers’ rights, fair competition, and the financial burden on companies. The post argued that mandatory contributions would protect employees’ benefits and create a more level playing field by preventing companies from gaining price advantages through non-compliance. Many users supported the measure, with some stating that “all companies should comply with social security regulations to ensure fair competition and protect workers’ rights”. Several users argued that companies that follow the rules are disadvantaged when competitors avoid contributions, with one user noting that “a nationwide coordinated approach is needed, otherwise companies that comply with regulations will be punished”. Some users questioned the impact on workers’ take-home salaries. A few users pointed out that “companies may shift the additional costs onto employees by reducing wages”, while others noted that “low-paid workers could struggle to meet basic expenses after social security deductions”. One user commented that “if a company offers 3,500 yuan with social security while another offers 5,000 yuan without it, many workers may choose the higher salary”. Several users also raised concerns about the distribution of pension funds, arguing that “retirees from government institutions receive higher pensions than private-sector workers and farmers”. Others expressed apprehension over the “sustainability of the social security system amid an ageing population and rising contribution bases”.

INDIA WATCH 

Finance Sina Discusses RBI Measures to Stabilise the Indian Rupee: An article in Finance Sina discusses the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) recent measures to stabilise the rupee following its depreciation of more than 6% against the US dollar in 2026. The rupee gained 1% on October 12, marking its largest daily increase in six months, after the RBI introduced measures to curb speculative trading and support the currency. These included establishing a special window to meet the dollar requirements of state-owned oil companies and imposing reserve requirements on certain foreign exchange derivative transactions. The article noted that the measures provided short-term relief, but sustaining the recovery remains challenging due to elevated oil prices, continued foreign capital outflows and a widening balance of payments deficit. It cited Emkay Global Financial Services Chief Economist Madhavi Arora, who described the measures as temporary interventions that could restrict speculative positions and increase the cost of arbitrage. The article also highlighted that India’s foreign exchange reserves had declined by $51 billion over four weeks as the central bank intervened to defend the rupee, despite previously reaching nearly $800 billion. The article also cited RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra who stated that the rupee is undervalued based on certain indicators and that short-term market fluctuations may be unpredictable. It concluded that persistent external pressures could continue to weigh on the currency despite the RBI’s intervention.

Prepared By

Neha Maurya

Neha Maurya is a Project Assistant at Organisation for Research on China and Asia (ORCA). A recent graduate of FLAME University with a major in International Studies and a minor in Public Policy, her research interests include strategic studies, governance, and education policy. She is interested in contributing to research that informs effective policy design and implementation.