Daily Conversations Daily Conversations

NEWS IN CHINA

• China Urges France and Germany to Uphold Free Trade: A spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Commerce urged France and Germany to uphold openness, cooperation and free trade, follow World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules and refrain from encouraging the European Union (EU) to adopt protectionist measures. The remarks came after reports that France and Germany had submitted an informal document to the European Commission calling for stronger use of trade defence measures and the introduction of new protectionist tools. The spokesperson said China had taken note of the reports and that interdependence should not be viewed as a risk and closer economic ties should not be considered a threat. Additionally, the spokesperson called openness and cooperation the appropriate path for development and urged France and Germany not to politicise economic and trade issues. They further cautioned that protectionism cannot improve competitiveness and that economic decoupling and supply chain disruptions would ultimately harm others without benefiting those pursuing such measures.
  
  
• China Rebukes Western Countries Over Human Rights Criticism: China has rejected criticism of its human rights record from several Western countries during the general debate of the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee. Sun Lei, China’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, stated that countries including the UK, Australia, Japan, Ireland, the Czech Republic and Lithuania had made groundless accusations and maliciously smeared China’s human rights situation. Sun said these countries had their own human rights problems and were in no position to lecture China. He highlighted China’s efforts to improve people’s well-being, including the elimination of absolute poverty and the expansion of its middle-income population. Sun also contrasted China’s political system and record on ethnic rights with conditions in several Western countries, noting that China had advanced whole-process people’s democracy and protected the rights of ethnic groups in Xinjiang and Xizang. He accused countries including the UK, Australia and Ireland of continuing to face problems related to racism, ethnic divisions and the legacy of colonialism. Sun further criticised these countries for using human rights issues for political purposes and interfering in other countries’ internal affairs. He called for greater solidarity and cooperation on human rights and said China would oppose the politicisation of human rights while pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions.
  
  
• China’s Transport Network Handles Record Holiday Travel: China’s transport network recorded strong passenger and cargo activity during the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holiday. Ministry of Transport data showed that cross-regional passenger trips exceeded 300 million on each of the first three days of the holiday. China’s railways handled more than 25.2 million passenger trips. By the end of 2025, China’s comprehensive transport network had exceeded 6 million km, including the world’s largest high-speed rail network. On Sept. 28, more than 1,100 km of new high-speed railway sections opened across northern, northwestern, central and northeastern China. China now has more than 24 million EV charging facilities, including about 89,000 at highway service areas. Meanwhile, Qunar data showed that nearly 30 per cent of travellers booked hotels in at least two cities, while bookings covering four or more cities rose 53 per cent year on year. Cargo transport also remained active. The newly opened 134.2-km Pinglu Canal is handling an additional 20,000 tonnes of cargo daily, strengthening links between southwest China and international markets. 
  
  
• China Upgrades Infrastructure to Meet Rising AI Computing Demand: China is upgrading computing, telecommunications and power infrastructure in Ningxia as the rapid growth of AI increases demand for computing capacity. Ningxia, one of China’s eight national computing hubs, has already completed infrastructure planned for the entire 2026–2030 period, while the latest plan calls for 60 new data centres, triple the original target. To address data transmission bottlenecks, engineers are deploying hollow-core fibre, which uses an air-filled core to transmit light. The technology can reduce transmission loss and latency by more than 30 per cent compared with conventional fibre, supporting faster AI model training and connections between computing centres. The rapid expansion of data centres is also increasing pressure on electricity infrastructure. Ningxia has accelerated the construction of four substations and introduced tiered power supplies that allow data centres to increase their electricity capacity as demand grows. Renewable energy accounts for 87.6 per cent of electricity consumption at the region’s data centres. Ningxia is also integrating computing, communications and power networks to coordinate infrastructure planning and resource allocation, aiming to build a green and reliable national computing hub.
  
  
• China’s 2026 National Day Holiday Sees Strong Consumer Activity: China’s consumer market showed strong supply and demand during the 2026 National Day holiday, with cultural and tourism activities, sporting events, the revival of physical shopping districts and policy support contributing to increased consumption. Service consumption in catering, accommodation and entertainment continued to recover. The offline consumer market remained active. From October 1 to 3, foot traffic and sales revenue at 78 key monitored pedestrian streets and business districts increased 3.4% and 5.3% year on year, respectively. Beijing introduced exhibitions, food markets, outdoor performances and nighttime leisure activities, while Shanghai’s major commercial districts upgraded shopping experiences through light and shadow art and other immersive activities. Policy support also played a major role in boosting consumption. Before the holiday, 62.5 billion yuan in ultra-long-term special treasury bonds and consumer goods trade-in support funds were allocated to local governments. During the first three days of the holiday, the national consumer goods trade-in programme generated 19.63 billion yuan in sales and benefited 3.483 million people. Tianjin introduced additional measures as it issued more than 80 million yuan in consumption vouchers, combining government subsidies with platform discounts and business promotions to encourage holiday spending. 
  
  

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER 

Weibo Users Warn Against Evolving Telecom Fraud Tactics: A post about a documentary on telecom fraud in northern Myanmar is going viral on Weibo, sparking discussion about the brutality of scam networks and the importance of vigilance. Many users described the documentary as “disturbing” and stated it exposed the harsh reality behind fraud operations. One user said the documentary’s analysis was “very thorough”, while another urged everyone to remain vigilant and “not give scammers a chance”. Several commenters expressed shock at the cruelty involved, with one describing the perpetrators as “inhuman”. Another user welcomed the dismantling of the scam operations, stating they had “harmed so many people”. One commentator said scams had become “very sophisticated now” and stressed the need for greater vigilance. Another user cautioned against trusting people simply because they were acquaintances or relatives, as such relationships could also be used to deceive victims. Others warned “people not to be tempted by high salaries or promises of quick money” and urged them to “stay away from fraud-related schemes in northern Myanmar”.  A few users also commented that “local officials treat telecom fraud as an economic pillar, and instead of stopping it, they provide it with protection”.

INDIA WATCH 

Guancha Examines India’s Potential to Fill China’s Refined Fuel Export Gap: An article in Guancha examined India’s potential to expand refined petroleum exports after Chinese refiners suspended exports outside Hong Kong and Macau in October. Citing a Reuters analysis, the article noted that the move comes amid already tight global fuel supplies caused by disruptions to Middle Eastern oil supplies and transportation, as well as attacks on Russian refining facilities. It highlighted India’s large refining capacity and export orientation, noting that India exported around 47 million tonnes of diesel, gasoline and aviation fuel in 2025, compared with China’s 25.4 million tonnes. Although Indian exports fell by around 23% in the first nine months of 2026, Guancha pointed to two reductions in India’s fuel export tax and increased crude imports from the Middle East as signs of renewed export potential. The article stated that India imported more than 11.3 million tonnes of Middle Eastern crude in September, the highest level since February. It suggested that Singapore and Australia could be among the first destinations for additional Indian exports, while Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines may also turn to India as Chinese supplies decline. The article concluded that India could assume a more important marginal supply role in Asian fuel markets if China remains withdrawn from export markets.

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.