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NEWS IN CHINA

• Wang Yi’s Denmark Visit Reinforces China-Denmark Bilateral Relations: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Denmark’s King Frederik X in Copenhagen, where both sides expressed their commitment to strengthening China-Denmark relations and deepening people-to-people exchanges. China expressed its willingness to increase cooperation with Denmark in key emerging sectors such as the green economy, innovation, and artificial intelligence. Wang said the Danish royal family has played an important role in maintaining friendly relations with China. He noted that former Queen Margrethe II, during her reign, made two state visits to China and was the first incumbent foreign head of state to visit the Memorial Hall of the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre, which he described as a reflection of respect for history and justice. King Frederik stated that  Denmark and China share a long history of exchanges and currently enjoy strong momentum in bilateral relations, supported by active trade and close cultural ties. He also expressed readiness to further promote the friendship between the two countries. During the visit, Wang Yi also held talks with Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen.
  
  
• China Urges Greater Use of AI to Promote Accessibility at the UNHRC: During the 62nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), held in Geneva, China called for the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve accessibility and support the protection of human rights. China’s permanent representative to the UN office at Geneva, Jia Guide, delivered a joint statement at the council’s biennial panel on technical cooperation. The statement emphasised that accessibility is important for the equal and effective enjoyment of human rights, particularly for persons with disabilities, older individuals, and other vulnerable groups. The statement proposed four key measures, including adopting a development-oriented approach to accessibility, promoting “AI for good and for all,” ensuring fairness and equal access across countries and social groups, and bridging digital and developmental divides through inclusive technological cooperation. He further stressed that AI-driven accessibility initiatives should remain people-centred and benefit all sections of society. The proposal received support from several countries, including Russia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Venezuela, Sudan, and Cambodia, alongside backing from multiple developing nations.
  
  
• China Unveils ‘Beautiful China’ Plan to Advance Green Development Goals by 2030: The State Council of China has released the “15th Five-Year Plan” for the making of a “Beautiful China,” outlining major environmental and ecological goals to be achieved by 2030. The plan aims to improve ecological governance, accelerate green transformation, and strengthen pollution control to align with Beijing’s long-term sustainable development strategy. The document emphasised the implementation of President Xi Jinping’s vision of ecological civilisation and reiterated the concept that green mountains and clear waters are invaluable assets. Authorities also pledged to coordinate industrial restructuring, pollution reduction, ecological protection, and climate change response while advancing China’s carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals. According to the plan, China aims to significantly improve environmental quality, reduce major pollutant emissions, enhance solid waste management, and strengthen biodiversity and ecosystem stability by 2030. It also outlined seven major areas of focus, including air, water, and soil pollution control, climate action, ecological restoration, and green lifestyle promotion. The plan further called for stronger coordination between central and local governments, with regular monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to ensure better implementation across provinces and municipalities.
  
  
• Vehicle Tax Incentives for Energy-Saving Cars to End in China from 2027: According to a joint announcement by the Ministry of Finance, the State Administration of Taxation, and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, China has decided to end tax incentives for most energy-saving and new energy commercial vehicles. The revised policy will come into effect from January 1, 2027, allowing the government to cancel the 50 per cent reduction in vehicle and vessel tax currently being given to qualifying energy-saving vehicles. Exemptions for pure electric commercial vehicles, plug-in hybrid commercial vehicles, and fuel-cell commercial vehicles will also be withdrawn, requiring the owners to pay taxes according to the existing regulations. China initially introduced these incentives in 2012 to support the development of the new energy vehicle (NEV) industry, encourage energy conservation and reduce emissions. Authorities said that the rapid expansion of China’s NEV sector had reduced the necessity of required tax support, while concerns over tax fairness have become more prominent. However, the policy adjustment will not affect pure electric passenger cars and fuel-cell passenger cars; these remain outside the scope of taxation under China’s Vehicle and Vessel Tax Law due to the absence of engine displacement. According to industry analysts, vehicle and vessel taxes remain relatively low, and these amendments could help promote fairer taxation and healthier long-term development of the NEV industry.
  
  
• China Moves to Recognise New AI and Digital-Economy Occupations: China proposed a plan to officially recognise twelve new occupations, including digital twin engineers, embodied intelligence robot technicians, and sports data analysts, under its efforts to align its workforce with rapidly evolving economic and technological requirements. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security announced that the new additions also include new specialisations under existing professions, such as artificial intelligence (AI) agent developers, low-altitude logistics operators, new energy vehicle inspectors, and age-friendly renovation designers. Chinese authorities said that the move reflects the country's push to adapt to the growth of emerging industries, digital technologies, and service-oriented sectors while creating new employment opportunities. Since 2019, China has introduced seven batches of new occupations, bringing the total number to 110. More than 20 of the 72 newly recognised occupations over the past five years have been AI-related, indicating the growing influence of technology on the labour market. China’s core AI industry has reportedly surpassed 1.2 trillion yuan in value. Under the country’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030), Beijing aims to further expand employment in the digital, green, and silver economies.
  
  

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Weibo Users React Over the Latest CCP’s Online Promotional Film: A post discussing the latest online promotional film of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is going viral on Weibo.  The post stated that China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the People's Daily have jointly released a multilingual online promotional film titled “Answer to the World” to mark the 105th anniversary of the founding of the CCP. According to the post, the film has been launched in collaboration with Shanghai Foreign Studies University and translated into the six official languages of the United Nations to reach a broader international audience. The post further added that the initiative is introduced in response to growing interest from domestic and overseas internet users. Many users expressed their appreciation and support for the initiative by saying, "Bless the great party" and “Bless the motherland." Others added that the film reflected themes of national rejuvenation, civilisational progress, and shared prosperity and called it “an answer to the original intention of a hundred years," while a few more extended congratulations to the Communist Party on the occasion of its 105th anniversary.​

INDIA WATCH

Guancha Discusses India’s First Bullet Train Project: An article on Guancha discussed India’s first high-speed railway project, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train corridor. According to the article, it is expected to partially begin operations in 2027 after years of delays caused by land acquisition hurdles, construction setbacks, and escalating costs. The article noted that the project was initially projected to be completed by 2023 and regarded it as a flagship symbol of Japan-India strategic cooperation. Additionally, it stated that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to the project during her recent state visit to India. The article highlighted that the project will use Japan’s Shinkansen technology to connect the corridor, which will help to reduce travel time. It further mentioned that the project was formalised in 2015 during former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to India, with Japan offering loans at an exceptionally low interest rate. Despite these favourable terms, the article argued, the project has faced repeated obstacles, including pandemic disruptions, disputes over design modifications, and growing Indian interest in using domestic or non-Japanese train systems, all of which have contributed to the delays.