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NEWS IN CHINA

• NPC Standing Committee Concludes Session, Adopts Key Laws: The 16^th session of the 14^th National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee concluded on Friday in Beijing, chaired by Zhao Leji. Lawmakers at the closing meeting passed key legislation: a revised Law on Penalties for Administration of Public Security and a revised Anti-Unfair Competition Law, both promulgated by President Xi Jinping. The session also ratified the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation and approved the central government's final accounts for 2024. In terms of personnel affairs, Miao Hua was removed from his position as a member of the Central Military Commission, and passed a deputy qualification report. Zhao Leji emphasized that lawmakers must earnestly implement the Party's "eight-point decision" to improve work conduct, aiming for high-quality development in people's congress work. He also urged them to practice whole-process people's democracy, accept public oversight and maintain close ties with citizens. Zhao stressed the importance of fostering a strong awareness of the rule of law, remaining loyal to the Constitution, adhering to legal procedures and faithfully performing their duties.

• China Promotes Strategic Partnerships with Ecuador and Senegal: Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted both Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa and Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko in Beijing on Friday. Both leaders were attending the 2025 Summer Davos forum, and their meetings underscored China's push to deepen comprehensive strategic partnerships and initiate new development collaborations. During his meeting with President Noboa, commemorating 45 years of diplomatic relations, Xi emphasized fostering mutual support on core interests and boosting exchanges on state governance. The leaders also oversaw the signing of a cooperation plan to advance the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), building upon existing successes in energy, mining, power and infrastructure. During discussions with Prime Minister Sonko, President Xi highlighted a new phase in China-Africa relations, aiming to forge an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future. He stressed enhancing their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership for the benefit of both peoples and to invigorate Global South cooperation. He specifically encouraged Chinese investment in Senegal's new energy and digital infrastructure. Looking ahead to the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, Xi emphasized boosting cultural, educational and youth ties. Prime Minister Sonko affirmed Senegal's willingness to deepen the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, and enhance collaboration in trade, investment and energy to bolster Senegal's economic development.

• China Accelerates Legislation to Boost Low-Altitude Economy: Chinese lawmakers are fast-tracking legislation to promote its low-altitude economy, a sector encompassing activities like drone delivery and aerial sightseeing below 1,000 meters. A draft revision to the 30-year-old Civil Aviation Law now includes provisions to support this industry, effectively granting it legal recognition as a strategic emerging sector. Since 2024, deemed the "inaugural year" for this economy, the sector has expanded rapidly, with projections placing its market size at 1.5 trillion yuan (about $210 billion) by 2025. Experts emphasize that robust laws and regulations are crucial to sustain this growth and establish the low-altitude economy as a new economic engine. Despite its swift rise, the sector faces hurdles like underdeveloped regulations, technological limitations and insufficient infrastructure. To counter this, the draft mandates optimizing low-altitude airspace allocation and promoting service platforms for civil flights, aiming to streamline approvals and enhance safety and efficiency. The draft also outlines the creation of airworthiness certification process and flight management standards.

• State Council Prioritizes Technology Development and Public Service Efficiency: Chinese Premier Li Qiang chaired a State Council executive meeting on Friday, focusing on bolstering China’s technological capabilities and significantly improving public services. The meeting reviewed the substantial progress made since the National Science and Technology Conference a year ago. The meeting acknowledged that authorities have diligently implemented sci-tech reforms, leading to ‘remarkable progress’ in strengthening China's technological capabilities. Looking forward, the emphasis is now on accelerating breakthroughs in core technologies, effectively translating technological achievements into productivity and solidifying the role of enterprises in pioneering innovation. In a move to enhance public services, the meeting called for the integration of banking, healthcare and telecommunication services. It also urged the widespread application of digital technology to establish a unified national platform for administrative services. Additionally, a draft regulation on rural road development was approved, underscoring the commitment to high-quality rural infrastructure and the swift upgrading of sub-standard roads.

• China's Foreign Debt Rises Partially in 2025: In the first quarter of 2025, China’s foreign debt witnessed a moderate uptick, marking a reversal from the contraction observed in 2024. According to data released by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE), the total outstanding foreign debt stood at RMB 1.76 trillion (approximately USD 245.14 billion), representing a 1.3 percent increase from the end of 2024. SAFE emphasized that key debt indicators remain well within internationally recognized safety margins, suggesting that risk levels are currently contained. Deputy Director Li Bin attributed the modest increase to complex external dynamics and sustained domestic economic recovery, which enhanced external interest in RMB-denominated bond assets. This was reflected in a shift in currency composition as local currency liabilities now account for 52 percent of total foreign debt, up 2 percent from the previous quarter. However, there was a slight decline in the share of medium and long-term debt, suggesting a preference for shorter maturities. In contrast, 2024 witnessed a decline of USD 27.7 billion in foreign debt, largely due to global volatility and currency market shifts. Looking forward, SAFE anticipates relative stability in external debt levels, underpinned by the resilience of domestic financial markets and ongoing efforts to liberalize cross-border financing mechanisms while enhancing the appeal of RMB assets in international markets.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

• Chinese Netizens Discuss The US Spacecraft Mishap: A US spacecraft, the Nyx, carrying the cremated remains and DNA samples of over 150 individuals, recently experienced a critical malfunction during re-entry, resulting in the ashes being scattered across the Pacific Ocean. Launched on June 23 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, the "space burial" mission by Celestis, a company specializing in memorial spaceflights, aimed to orbit Earth before returning the precious cargo. However, the Nyx, developed by a German startup, suffered a parachute system failure, preventing a controlled return. Celestis has since apologized, stating that while the spacecraft cannot be recovered, they believe the deceased were part of a "historic journey" and are contacting affected families to discuss next steps. The unfortunate incident has quickly become a trending topic on China's social media platform Weibo. Reactions range from solemn respect, with netizens expressing condolences for the loss of life to outright frustration. Some people expressed their surprise over this new type of burial method. Others highlighted the waste of finances stating that people spent a lot of money to send their relatives’ ashes to space, but ended up scattering their ashes in the Pacific Ocean. A few netizens also criticized ‘foreigners’ for engaging in these unsuccessful activities and ‘making a fool of themselves’.

INDIA WATCH

• Chinese Media Analyses Hurdles in US-India Trade Deal: According to an article published by Guancha, trade negotiations between the United States and India remain in a complex state. The article notes that despite US President Trump's optimistic announcement on June 26 of a "very big deal" nearing completion that would open the Indian market, Indian officials offer a more cautious perspective. It also cites Reuters which claimed that the trade talks are not optimistic due to unresolved differences on import tariffs for auto parts, steel and agricultural products. The article argues that this impasse could prevent an agreement before the July 9 deadline for increased US tariffs. Further, it claims that Indian officials are not in a rush to sign a deal before the deadline. The article mentions key disagreements between India and the US that include the US demand for reduced Indian tariffs on agricultural products, automobiles and alcoholic beverages, and India seeking the removal of a 26 percent reciprocal tariff as well as lowering duties on its steel and auto parts. Thus, it argues that despite earlier claims that India would be among the first to reach a deal with the US, optimism has waned. The article also expresses the possibility of direct intervention by President Trump or Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to push a last-minute agreement. It argues that Indian officials have expressed confidence that India can manage the impact of reciprocal tariffs as these tariffs are still competitive compared to its peers.   

Prepared By

Maheshwar S Chhaunkar

Maheshwar S Chhaunkar has completed his Bachelor's degree in Political Science and History from Sri Aurobindo College, University of Delhi. He is currently working as an IT Assistant at CENJOWS. His areas of interest include India-China relations, Indo-Pacific affairs and Asian politics.