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NEWS IN CHINA

• Chinese Premier Meets Slovak President: Chinese Premier Li Qiang met Slovak President Peter Pellegrini in Beijing, where both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and expanding cooperation across multiple sectors. Li said China is willing to deepen strategic mutual trust, respect each other's core interests, and broaden mutually beneficial cooperation. He called for greater collaboration under mechanisms such as the inter-governmental cooperation committee, high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and emerging fields including artificial intelligence. Li also encouraged Chinese enterprises to invest in Slovakia and expressed hope that the country would continue to provide an open, transparent, and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies. He added that China and Europe share significant potential for cooperation and expressed hope that Slovakia would support a constructive approach to EU-China relations. Pellegrini said Slovakia remains committed to the long-term development of ties with China and is prepared to expand cooperation in investment, science and technology, transport, logistics, artificial intelligence, education, and cultural exchanges. He also welcomed increased Chinese investment and said Slovakia would continue participating in Belt and Road cooperation while supporting constructive dialogue and practical cooperation between Europe and China.
  
  
• CPC Politburo Schedules Fifth Plenum and Unveils Economic Policy Priorities: The Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee convened on July 30 and announced that the fifth plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee will take place in Beijing in October. The upcoming session will review the Politburo’s work report and consider measures to further strengthen comprehensive and strict Party governance. The meeting underscored the importance of reinforcing Party discipline, political leadership, and institutional governance while acknowledging that evolving domestic and international conditions have created new governance challenges. It reaffirmed the commitment to implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and improving the Party’s governance framework. The Politburo also stated that China’s economy has demonstrated renewed momentum despite external pressures and internal challenges. It pledged to pursue a more proactive fiscal policy, maintain a moderately loose monetary policy, and enhance countercyclical adjustments to support growth. Priorities for the second half of the year include expanding domestic consumption, advancing infrastructure, artificial intelligence, and emerging industries, supporting private businesses and the platform economy, stabilising the property sector and financial risks, deepening international economic cooperation, and strengthening employment, social welfare, rural development, and disaster prevention initiatives.
  
  
• China Introduces New Data Initiative to Strengthen Science and Technology Finance: China’s central bank, together with nine government departments, has issued a new policy aimed at strengthening the development and use of data in science and technology finance to support innovation and high-quality economic growth. The notice promotes greater data sharing and integrated application across government agencies, with the objective of providing stronger financial support for scientific and technological advancement and enhancing self-reliance in key technologies. As part of the initiative, authorities released the National Data Development And Utilization Catalog 1.0 for Science and Technology Finance, which includes eight categories and 26 indicators covering areas such as enterprise innovation, research and development, intellectual property, financing, operations, imports and exports, and business needs. The policy also encourages provinces to establish regional data platforms and improve information-sharing infrastructure. The framework also supports pilot projects for trusted data-sharing systems, greater use of enterprise financial data where appropriate, and closer coordination between financial institutions and government agencies to improve resource allocation and support innovation-driven industrial development.
  
  
• China Seeks Public Feedback on Draft Anti-Cyber Violence Law: China's Cyberspace Administration has released a draft Anti-Cyber Violence Law for public consultation. The proposed legislation aims to prevent, curb, and punish cyber violence while protecting the lawful rights and interests of individuals and organisations, as well as safeguarding national security and public interests. The draft contains seven chapters and 60 articles, outlining the definition of cyber violence, governance principles, institutional mechanisms, platform responsibilities, government oversight, judicial protection, and legal liabilities. It would require internet service providers to strengthen monitoring systems, improve complaint channels, establish mechanisms to counter online rumours, and introduce features such as rapid evidence preservation for victims. Platforms would also be required to identify and respond to the misuse of artificial intelligence in creating or spreading cyber violence-related content. The proposal calls for greater coordination among government agencies, enhanced protection of sensitive personal information, and timely clarification of false or misleading information. It also expands judicial safeguards by allowing victims to seek court injunctions, requiring authorities to investigate reported cases, and enabling prosecutors to support vulnerable groups, including minors and persons with disabilities, in legal proceedings.
  
  
• China Protests New Zealand Minister’s Remarks Amid Diplomatic Tensions: China has lodged a formal diplomatic protest with New Zealand following comments made by Foreign Minister Winston Peters during a parliamentary debate, in which he told Chinese-born Green Party lawmaker Lawrence Xu-Nan to "go back to your own country." The Chinese embassy in Wellington urged New Zealand to protect the rights of the Chinese community and foster an inclusive, non-discriminatory environment. At the same time, China's Foreign Ministry called on New Zealand politicians not to use China in domestic political debates. Peters defended his remarks, describing them as a reflection of democratic values, while later criticising Xu-Nan personally. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon distanced himself from the comments, calling them inappropriate, and Xu-Nan accused Peters of targeting migrant communities to divert attention from government policies. The exchange comes amid broader strains in China-New Zealand relations despite longstanding economic ties. Recent points of tension include New Zealand's concerns over China's military activities in the Pacific and Beijing's travel bans on four New Zealand lawmakers following a visit to Taiwan. 
  
  

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

​Weibo Users React to Drone Incident Near Chinese Naval Vessel: A post circulating on Weibo has attracted significant attention that highlighted remarks made by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning during a regular press conference. According to the post, responding to a question about reports of drones operating near Chinese naval vessels, Mao said the Chinese military conducts its activities in accordance with international law and international practice. It also noted that she urged relevant parties to avoid approaching Chinese warships in a manner that could increase the risk of maritime or aerial incidents. The post prompted a range of reactions on Weibo. Some users questioned whether warnings alone would be effective, with one writing, “If the warning is useful, it will not approach.” Another commented, “It’s reasonable and legal to shoot down.” Other users suggested using technology to disable or capture drones, argued that China could respond with similar capabilities, and expressed confidence in the country’s drone production capacity. A few more users voiced concern over reports that a drone had flown only a few dozen metres from a Chinese Type 052 destroyer, describing such proximity as a potential security risk.

INDIA WATCH

​Guancha Discusses U.S. Lawmaker’s Call For Stronger U.S.-India Cooperation to Address China: A Guancha article discussed remarks by Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, who called for closer cooperation between the United States and India. It highlighted artificial intelligence, quantum technology, clean energy, and security as key areas for collaboration to address what he described as the "China challenge." Guancha mentioned that Krishnamoorthi described strategic competition with China as a defining issue and said both countries should work together to maintain technological and economic competitiveness. The article noted that he also called for greater collaboration in emerging sectors, including fusion energy, solar energy, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence, while advocating stronger democratic institutions and efforts to reduce social divisions. It further discussed his comments on China's alleged influence activities, stating that although he acknowledged there was no evidence of Chinese interference in U.S. vote counting, he said influence efforts on social media and in local communities warranted attention. It also underscored Krishnamoorthi's support for faster green card processing for H-1B visa holders, arguing that skilled Indian professionals could contribute to the U.S. economy through innovation and job creation.