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NEWS IN CHINA

• China Warns of AI Threats from False Data and Urges Stronger Safeguards: China's Ministry of State Security has issued a serious warning about the growing risks associated with artificial intelligence due to polluted training data. In a statement published on its official WeChat account, the ministry emphasized that low-quality and false content in AI datasets is a fundamental threat to national security and high-quality development. It also noted that even minimal contamination as little as 0.01 percent can raise harmful outputs by over 11 percent. Experts highlighted dangers such as recursive pollution, where AI-generated false content is reused in future training datasets, creating a cycle of error. Real-world risks include financial manipulation, misinformation-driven panic, and fatal medical misdiagnoses. The ministry urged stricter data source supervision and stronger national data platforms. Zhang Xi of the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications cited the shortage of high-quality Chinese datasets as a major vulnerability, causing reliance on machine-translated content. He urged greater investment in domestic data platforms and legal accountability for data contamination. Shen Yang of Tsinghua University emphasized the need for public awareness and AI literacy.
  
  
• China Launches Major Rural Roads Upgrade Plan to Boost Revitalization: China has unveiled a comprehensive action plan to upgrade its rural road network, aiming to enhance rural infrastructure and support agricultural modernization. Released by the Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Natural Resources, the plan sets ambitious goals for road construction, maintenance and public transport expansion. The initiative targets the construction or upgrade of 300,000 kilometers of rural roads and restorative maintenance of another 300,000 kilometers. Over 70 percent of these roads are to be maintained in “good condition”, while public bus coverage should reach at least 55 percent of villages. Central government funding will support the project, with provincial authorities responsible for coordination and resource management. The plan strictly prohibits irregular debt financing and hidden government debt, emphasizing strengthened budget supervision across all administrative levels. To ensure sustainability, the plan encourages innovation in financing, calling for compliant participation by financial institutions and private companies. Medium-to-long-term credit models and market-based loan mechanisms will also be piloted to secure long-term investment in rural transportation.
  
  
• New Regulations Aim to Cut Formalism and Ease Grassroots Burden: On August 6, the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council released the “Regulations on Rectifying Formalism to Reduce the Burden on Grassroots Units,” calling on all departments and regions to strictly implement the newly issued guidelines. The regulations aim to combat long-standing bureaucratic inefficiencies that hinder grassroots governance. Emphasizing the need to streamline documents, meetings, inspections, and digital tools, the new rules promote more practical, concise and efficient governance at the local level. Measures include capping the number and length of official documents, limiting meetings and attendance, and ending repetitive inspections and excessive secondment of staff. The regulations also address the overuse of government mobile apps, informal delegation of responsibilities and excessive demonstration projects. Townships and communities are no longer to bear unwarranted administrative burdens. Oversight, accountability and political responsibility are emphasized throughout, with Party committees, disciplinary agencies, and leading officials made responsible for its implementation. The provisions seek to create a more efficient, less burdensome administrative environment, enabling cadres to focus on substantive governance and effective policy delivery.
  
  
• Heilongjiang Launches 100-Day Tourism Law Enforcement Campaign: Heilongjiang Province has launched a 100-day special campaign to strengthen transportation law enforcement and protect tourists during the summer tourism season. Coordinated by the Provincial Transportation Comprehensive Administrative Law Enforcement Bureau, the campaign focuses on ten premium tourism routes to ensure safe and smooth travel for visitors. The Harbin Branch is targeting highway entrances and exits, while conducting digital monitoring systems and chartered bus management tools to trace the movement of inter-provincial and inter-city chartered vehicles. Enforcement efforts target unlicensed operations, inspecting 377 vehicles since July 1. The Daqing Branch introduced a new “inspection + stationing + readiness” model across major expressways like Harbin-Dalian and Harbin-Zhaoqing. Dedicated teams conduct round-the-clock patrols and rapid emergency responses.
  
  
• China Urges Immediate Ceasefire and Two-State Solution at UN Security Council: At a UN Security Council meeting on the Palestine-Israel conflict, China’s Deputy Permanent Representative Geng Shuang called for an immediate and lasting ceasefire, implementation of the two-state solution, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. Geng expressed deep concern over the two-year-long Gaza conflict, which has resulted in over 60,000 civilian deaths and widespread suffering. He criticized the breakdown of the January ceasefire agreement and stressed that military means cannot resolve the crisis. Geng urged Israel to halt plans for a full occupation of Gaza, calling such actions dangerous and destabilizing. He appealed to major countries to act responsibly and support a binding ceasefire. Geng also emphasized the urgent need to address Gaza’s worsening humanitarian crisis. Reaffirming China's support for a two-state solution, Geng pledged Beijing’s continued efforts to help achieve a peaceful and just resolution for both Palestinians and Israelis.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Beijing’s “Bulldozer Hero” Rescued 100+ Flood Victims: A 35-year-old man named Wang Tianyu has captured the hearts of millions across China after he heroically used his bulldozer to rescue over 100 people during devastating floods in Beijing and nearby areas. Videos of his efforts became trending on Chinese social media platforms like Weibo and Douyin on August 6, 2025, as the country grappled with the aftermath of heavy rainfall. Wang responded to an emergency phone call from a friend and drove his bulldozer into submerged areas, lifting stranded residents including elderly people and children into safety using the vehicle’s bucket. The rainfall, which lasted for over 147 hours, amounted for over 40 percent of Beijing’s annual precipitation and claimed at least 30 lives. Chinese netizens flooded social media with praise, calling him a “real-life hero” and an “ordinary man doing extraordinary things”. Many compared him to action movie stars, while calls for his public recognition grew rapidly. Popular hashtags like #BulldozerHero, #WangTianyuRescue, and #BeijingFloodRescue trended nationwide, with millions engaging in posts celebrating his bravery.

INDIA WATCH

Chinese Media Comments on India’s Strategic Balancing Amidst India-US Trade Tensions: Global Times reported on Washington’s decision to further increase Tariffs on India over continued oil imports from Russia, and stated India’s subsequent response, calling these measures as ‘unjustified and unreasonable’. The article argues that this escalating rift reflects a tussle between “unilateral hegemony” and India’s strategic autonomy. The article also highlights that India-US relations witnessed a rapid shift in the past few months. It speculates that India’s reluctance to open agricultural markets and ongoing energy ties with Moscow have hindered the progress on the India-US trade deal. Moreover, as per the article, the US is aiming to punish India for purchasing Russian oil and at the same time, trying to curb Russia. The article assesses that these tariff pressures on India reveal the nature of US diplomacy which supports countries as long as they meet its strategic objectives. It further notes that as India has sought to maintain strategic autonomy by joining BRICS and the SCO while also engaging with US-led Indo-Pacific initiatives, this strategy faces severe challenges due to the US. The article concludes that opportunities for India lie in a multipolar world order, supported by principles like mutual respect, common benefits and win-win cooperation. 

Prepared By

Lipun Kumar Sanbad

Lipun Kumar Sanbad, a postgraduate student of Politics and International Relations from Pondicherry University and a History and Political science graduate from University of Delhi. From the past three years working as a freelance researcher in the domain of global peace, conflict and security studies, and defence studies.