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NEWS IN CHINA

• Chinese Expert Says Lula’s Reelection to Deepen Bilateral Cooperation: China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun congratulated Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and expressed readiness to advance the building of a China-Brazil community with a shared future. Chinese experts stated that Lula’s victory would provide continuity and predictability for bilateral relations while creating fresh opportunities for cooperation within BRICS and the broader Global South. Pan Deng, director of the Latin America and Caribbean Region Law Centre at China University of Political Science and Law, said sustained high-level exchanges and the political consensus reached during Lula’s 2023 visit to China had strengthened mutual trust. He argued that cooperation with China enjoys broad support across Brazil’s political spectrum despite potential constraints from a conservative Congress. Experts highlighted renewable energy, green development, artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, infrastructure and aerospace as promising areas for expanding bilateral cooperation. According to the article, China remains Brazil’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching a record $143.3 billion in the first nine months of 2026. Chinese analysts also expected continued coordination within BRICS and other multilateral frameworks on global governance reform, climate negotiations and debt restructuring. They said closer coordination could strengthen the Global South’s collective voice and promote a more inclusive international order.
  
  
• MOFCOM Drafts Stronger Rules to Protect Trade Secrets: The Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) has launched a public consultation on draft regulations aimed at strengthening the protection of Chinese trade secrets in cross-border economic activities. The draft proposes restrictions on trade, investment and entry for foreign entities whose infringement of Chinese trade secrets harms or poses a real threat to China’s sovereignty, security or development interests. MOFCOM could restrict or prohibit imports and exports, international services trade and new investment involving such entities, while also restricting personnel entry and work or residence permits. The ministry would have authority to investigate alleged violations, while companies and individuals could report infringements. Foreign entities could seek to modify or cancel restrictions after stopping violations, eliminating risks and compensating for losses. According to Chinese experts, the proposal represents a further step in developing China’s legal framework for cross-border trade secret protection, while distinguishing between ordinary commercial disputes and cases affecting national interests. The draft comes amid growing international tensions over intellectual property and advanced technologies, including recent US sanctions against Chinese companies over alleged trade-secret theft. Experts stated that stronger protection could support fair competition and provide greater certainty for both Chinese and foreign businesses engaged in lawful trade and investment.
  
  
• Fifth Plenum Reviews Measures to Strengthen Party Self-Governance: The fifth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) began in Beijing, with General Secretary Xi Jinping delivering a work report on behalf of the Political Bureau. Xi also explained a draft decision on major issues concerning strengthening full and rigorous Party self-governance. The draft reviews the CPC’s achievements and experience in exercising full and rigorous Party self-governance since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012. It also assesses current and emerging challenges facing Party building and outlines strategic measures to further strengthen Party self-supervision and governance. According to earlier Political Bureau meetings, sustained efforts since 2012 have advanced the Party’s self-reform and contributed to what the CPC describes as historic achievements and transformations in the Party and the country. At the same time, the leadership has highlighted new challenges arising from changes in the international environment, China’s development and conditions within the Party. The draft calls for higher standards and more concrete measures to address prominent problems in Party building, uphold the experience gained in the new era and consolidate the political environment created through strengthened Party self-supervision and self-governance.
  
  
• Premier Li Qiang signs regulations on public institution registration and management: Premier Li Qiang has signed a State Council decree promulgating the “Regulations on the Registration and Management of Public Institutions”, which will take effect on December 1, 2026. Comprising six chapters and 34 articles, the regulations aim to strengthen the Communist Party of China’s (CPC) leadership over public institutions, clarify their public service responsibilities, standardise registration procedures and improve regulatory oversight. The regulations require public institutions to uphold the CPC’s leadership, implement its policies and use Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to guide their work. They also call for strengthening Party organisations, improving decision-making mechanisms and combating corruption and misconduct. The rules emphasise public welfare, requiring institutions to prioritise social benefits, improve service quality and efficiency, and operate within their legally defined responsibilities. They prohibit the illegal establishment of enterprises, violations of non-profit legal entity requirements and false advertising. The regulations further clarify the supervisory responsibilities of competent authorities, sponsoring units and industry regulators, including oversight of professional ethics in education, healthcare and scientific research.
  
  
• China Targets 6G Rollout Under New Digital Development Plan: China has unveiled its “National Informatisation 15th Five-Year Plan”, targeting significant progress in digital development by 2030 and strengthening its role in Chinese-style modernisation. The plan outlines the development of an integrated land, sea, air and space network, next-generation communications infrastructure, a national blockchain network and an intelligent internet. It also calls for accelerating 6G research, standardisation and application testing, with commercial deployment planned at an appropriate time. The strategy focuses on strengthening cybersecurity, advancing core technologies, expanding the digital economy and improving digital public services. It identifies 10 priority tasks covering infrastructure, technological innovation, industrial development, governance, accessibility, green digital transformation, regional coordination, international cooperation, security and legal standards. The plan outlines seven special initiatives that will support infrastructure innovation, technological breakthroughs, industrial ecosystem development, smart society governance, regional cooperation, overseas business expansion and cross-border data flows. Dong Yu, executive vice president of Tsinghua University's Institute for China Development Planning, stated that China's focus would shift toward integrating computing power, systems, models and applications. He added that the coordinated approach is expected to accelerate technological self-reliance, strengthen industrial capabilities and enhance China's competitiveness in the global digital economy.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER 

Weibo Users Discuss How to Tell China’s Story to the World: A post by the Global Times discussing an online debate between Chinese and Turkish netizens is going viral on Weibo, highlighting the role of grassroots online exchanges in telling China’s story to international audiences. According to the post, Chinese netizens are increasingly using historical research, factual explanations, personal experiences and humour to challenge what they view as misleading narratives about China, particularly concerning Xinjiang. It emphasised that telling China’s story requires breaking through information bubbles and encouraging direct engagement with overseas audiences. Several users supported the importance of knowledge and evidence in online discussions, noting “well-reasoned and evidence-based historical popularisation is always the highest level of online debate.” One user highlighted “Chinese netizens’ enthusiasm for understanding international affairs”, while another user shared “translated posts and screenshots to follow the exchanges across platforms”. Some users also raised concerns about barriers to participating in international online discussions, including “difficulties accessing foreign websites and the removal of videos.” Others questioned whether “the exchanges were genuinely rational or primarily focused on winning arguments”. Few users also stressed that “in a war of words between two nations, magnanimity is essential”, reflecting the view that dialogue should go beyond confrontation. Others stated that, under the “Clean Internet campaign, Chinese youth should have more opportunities to express their views on international platforms so that the world could hear the voices of the Chinese people.”

INDIA WATCH 

Guancha Discusses Volkswagen’s Investment Challenges in India: An article in Guancha examined the difficulties facing Volkswagen’s planned electric vehicle investment in India, highlighting rising competition, localisation costs and unresolved tax and partnership issues. The article noted that the company currently sells only one electric passenger vehicle in India, competing with Tata Motors, Mahindra, MG India, BYD, VinFast and Tesla. It stated that India’s pure electric passenger vehicle registrations nearly doubled year-on-year in September to more than 35,000 units, increasing pressure on Volkswagen to finalise its investment and product plans quickly. The article highlighted negotiations with JSW, noting that a potential $1.4 billion Indian tax liability linked to Volkswagen’s import of vehicle assembly kits has emerged as a major obstacle. It noted that Indian authorities have accused Volkswagen of misclassifying and under-declaring imported components between 2012 and 2024, while the company has denied any wrongdoing. The article argued that Volkswagen’s experience illustrates broader risks for multinational automakers entering emerging markets, where market growth does not automatically translate into commercial returns. It concluded that companies need to establish clear arrangements regarding assets, technology, taxation, costs and decision-making with local partners to reduce risks and avoid delays that could result in missed market opportunities.

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.