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News on China | No. 25

Tricon_CN — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 07:00:24 +0000

No. 25 | 6 June 2026

About 10 min read.

Brazilian Foreign Minister’s visit to China advances coordination on multilateralism and global governance reform

The fifth China–Brazil Comprehensive Strategic Dialogue was co-chaired in Beijing on 1 June 2026 by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira during Vieira’s visit to China. The meetings focused on coordination within the United Nations and BRICS, as well as discussions on reform of global governance. Both sides also addressed WTO reform, expanded trade now exceeding US$160 billion, and broader economic cooperation. The discussions reflected shared efforts to strengthen bilateral coordination and advance a more multipolar international order with greater participation from Global South countries.

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China Deploys Medical Expert Team to DR Congo to Support Ebola Response

A five-member Chinese medical expert team arrived in Kinshasa on 2 June for a three-month mission to support Ebola response efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo. According to the World Health Organization, the outbreak has recorded more than 300 confirmed cases and around 60 deaths. The team will work with local authorities on surveillance, diagnosis, and treatment. Beijing said the deployment is part of ongoing health cooperation with Africa and reflects support for global public health efforts. China added that it is closely monitoring the situation and stands ready to provide further assistance if needed.

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Revised Trade-Secret Rules Extend Protection to Data and Algorithms for Digital Economy

New rules issued by China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) on trade secrets took effect on 1 June, updating a framework first established in 1995 that predates cloud computing and artificial intelligence. The measures extend protection to data and algorithms in the digital economy, introduce confidentiality requirements for remote work and cross-border collaboration, and allow extraterritorial enforcement in cases affecting China’s domestic market. They also set fines of up to 5 million yuan (about US$725,000), strengthening the legal framework for the country’s digital economy.

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Unitree Becomes First Embodied-Intelligence Firm Listed on China’s STAR Market

Approval was granted by the Shanghai Stock Exchange on 1 June 2026 for Unitree’s listing on the STAR Market, making it the first embodied-intelligence firm to enter the exchange. The Hangzhou-based humanoid robotics company secured approval just 73 days after its 20 March filing, the fastest under the China Securities Regulatory Commission’s mid-2025 fast-track channel for hard-tech firms. It will raise about 4.2 billion yuan (US$620 million). The company reported 2025 revenue of 1.7 billion yuan (US$236 million) and net profit of 280 million yuan (US$39 million), reflecting strong growth in China’s robotics sector.

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Central Funding for Childcare Subsidies Rises 10.6% to US$14.65 Billion to Support Families

China’s Ministry of Finance has allocated 99.9 billion yuan (about US$14.65 billion) in central funds this year for childcare subsidies, with total spending expected to reach around 110 billion yuan (about US$16.1 billion) including local contributions. The policy supports a broader family assistance system that includes a universal 3,600-yuan (about US$510) annual allowance per child under three, phased free preschool education, expanded tax deductions, and reduced childbirth costs. The measures are part of efforts to build a more childbirth-friendly social policy framework.

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Second Teosinte Gene Lifts Maize Protein to 15%, Cutting Reliance on Imported Soybean Meal

A research team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences reported in Nature on 4 June 2026 the identification of a second gene from maize’s wild ancestor, teosinte, that enhances nitrogen metabolism. When combined with a gene identified in 2022, the allele raises kernel protein content from 10% to 15% in inbred lines and above 12% in widely cultivated hybrids, without reducing yield. The development could offer a domestic pathway to reduce reliance on imported soybean meal, potentially displacing around 30 million tonnes of imports annually.

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National Parks Quadruple a Sichuan Village’s Income While Turning Herders into Paid Rangers

China’s unified national parks system, launched in October 2021 and now covering 230,000 square kilometres, is designed to integrate local communities into conservation rather than displace them. In Fazhan village, beside the Giant Panda National Park, per capita income has quadrupled since a 2017 pilot, while guesthouses have doubled. A “one household, one ranger” scheme has turned more than 17,000 former herders into salaried ecological wardens, reflecting a model of social and environmental integration.

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Homegrown Rapeseed Gene Chip Ends Two-Decade Foreign Monopoly, Cutting Costs to One-Eighth

A “Zhongxinyou No.1” solid-state gene chip, jointly developed by the Jiangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University and Suzhou Laso Biotech, carries over 17,000 genome-wide markers and more than 1,500 functional loci. It enables breeders to assess oil content and disease resistance in seedlings immediately after germination, reducing rapeseed variety development from around ten years to as little as three. The technology ends nearly two decades of foreign dominance in solid-phase chip fabrication and cuts costs to one-eighth.

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Killing of Stolen Celebrity Dog Fuels Push for Animal-Protection Law

A border collie with over 1.5 million online followers was stolen in Henan and later sold for US$25 to a meat trader before being killed, triggering public outrage in China. The case has renewed calls for an animal-protection law, building on repeated legislative proposals and growing public support. A 2020 state-broadcaster poll found over 280,000 of 299,000 respondents in favour of such legislation, reflecting rising awareness of animal welfare across the country.

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Yangshao Petal Pottery, 6,000 Years Old, Reborn as Fashion in China’s Guochao Heritage Drive

Unveiled at the 22nd China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industries Fair, the “Blossoms of China” initiative brought together the Miaodigong Museum, designer Zhang Yichao and 24 specialists to translate 6,000-year-old Yangshao Culture (仰韶文化) petal motifs into contemporary apparel. The designs draw on Neolithic symbols linked to the character 华 (hua) in “Huaxia” (China), a foundational concept of Chinese civilisation dating to c. 5000–3000 BCE. The project highlights the cultural reinterpretation of heritage within China’s guochao drive, positioning the country’s garment industry as both global manufacturer and cultural producer capable of shaping international design narratives while drawing on deep historical continuity and identity today.

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China Daily, 29 May 2026
Petal motifs：

News on China | No. 24

Tricon_CN — Sat, 30 May 2026 07:00:48 +0000

No. 24 | 30 May 2026

About 10 min read.

China Expands Influence in the Balkans During Serbian President’s Visit to Beijing

China hosted Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić in Beijing from 24 to 28 May for talks on trade, infrastructure and political cooperation. More than 20 agreements were signed covering artificial intelligence, green energy, education and bilateral trade. Commerce between the two countries reached US$6.49 billion in 2025, reflecting growing economic ties. Xi Jinping described Serbia as an important partner in the Belt and Road Initiative, while Vučić reaffirmed Serbia’s independent foreign policy and commitment to cooperation in a multipolar world.

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China Launches Global Anti-Poverty Partnership with 53 Countries in Beijing Forum

China launched a new Global Partnership for Poverty Alleviation and Development during the Global Poverty Reduction and Development Forum held in Beijing on 27 May 2026, bringing together representatives from 53 countries and nine international organizations. The initiative aims to expand financing, policy exchange and technical cooperation on poverty reduction. Participants highlighted rural revitalization, agricultural modernization, digital infrastructure and “small yet smart projects” in developing countries. China presented its experience lifting around 800 million people out of poverty as a reference for South-South cooperation and collective efforts toward a more equitable multipolar order.

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Older Workers Win First National Rules Guaranteeing Minimum Wage and Injury Insurance

For decades, Chinese workers employed beyond the statutory retirement age were excluded from standard labor protections, often classified under civil service contracts rather than formal employment relationships. New regulations issued jointly by five government departments, effective from 1 July, now guarantee minimum wage standards and work-injury insurance for older employees. Officials estimate the measures could affect between 87 million and 120 million people as China responds to an aging population and rising elderly participation in the workforce.

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China Daily, 27 May 2026

Guangzhou State Enterprise Launches Pilot to Buy Second-Hand Homes for Affordable Housing

Owners of small, ageing flats priced at or below 3 million yuan (about US $440,000) and under 70 square metres within the city’s ring expressway may, until the end of 2026, sell to a municipal state-owned enterprise that escrows the proceeds for a mandatory new-home purchase within 180 days; acquired units become affordable and talent rental housing, making Guangzhou the second first-tier city after Shanghai to absorb resale stock.

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US Investment in China Rose 24.5% in Early 2026 Despite Overall 10.3% FDI Decline

Foreign direct investment in China showed a mixed trend in early 2026, with US investment rising 24.5% even as overall inflows fell 10.3%, according to figures released by the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) on 24 May. Total actually-used FDI reached 287.69 billion yuan (about US$42 billion). Officials attributed part of the increase from developed economies to capital routed through third regions, including free trade ports. High-technology sectors attracted 20.3% more investment, accounting for 40.4% of total inflows.

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Silk Road Expo Draws 64 Nations as Western China Becomes Belt and Road Frontier

The five-day Silk Road Expo concluded on 25 May in Xi’an, the eastern terminus of the historic trade route, bringing together participants from 64 countries and nearly 200 overseas firms. The event highlighted the growing role of China’s interior regions in Belt and Road cooperation, with western provinces accounting for 72% of the country’s territory but 27% of its population. Initiative funding reached US$124 billion in the first half of 2025, surpassing the total US$122 billion recorded in all of 2024.

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Green Shield Launches as China’s First Open-Source Crop-Protection AI Model for Farmers

Nanjing Agricultural University, with more than 30 partners, has launched Green Shield (绿盾), China’s first open-source AI model for crop protection. Trained on over 2.5 billion tokens, the system cross-checks pesticide recommendations against the national registration database to improve agricultural safety. It builds on the earlier Si Nong (司农) agricultural AI model released on ModelScope and GitHub in January. The initiative aims to expand accessible digital tools for farmers and support agricultural development across the Global South.

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Smart Greenhouse Technology Goes Global as Shouguang Expo Exhibits 2,600 Vegetable Varieties

In Shouguang, China’s major vegetable hub, intelligent equipment, internet-of-things systems and standardized production now exceed 85% in new greenhouses, while labor productivity has risen 30–50%, according to data presented at the city’s 27th vegetable science expo. The 40-day event showcased more than 2,600 vegetable varieties and highlighted how controlled-environment agriculture technologies are being exported abroad. Container-based systems have been deployed in desert regions above 50°C, while a plant factory in Abu Dhabi produces around 7,000 kg of vegetables daily.

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Shenzhou-23 Lifts Off with Hong Kong’s First Astronaut, Targeting a Year-Long Space Stay

China launched the Shenzhou-23 mission on 24 May, sending three astronauts into orbit aboard a Long March-2F rocket, including Hong Kong’s first astronaut. One crew member will remain aboard the Tiangong space station for 365 days, surpassing China’s previous 204-day record. More than 100 experiments in space life science, aerospace medicine and materials research will be conducted during the mission, generating key data to support future crewed lunar exploration planned before 2030.

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Brazil’s Lula Performs Remote Surgery on China’s Toumai Robot, Hailing Wider Health Access

Operating a console linked across 1,400 kilometres of Brazilian territory, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva carried out a simulated procedure on a Chinese-developed laparoscopic system during a 15 May visit to a Barretos cancer hospital. The initiative is embedded within the world’s largest tax-funded health service and advances South-South medical cooperation now reaching 13 countries, while lifting one centre’s annual robotic caseload from 400 to 680.

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State Council Launches Probe into Shanxi Mine Blast That Killed 82

On 22 May, a gas blast tore through the Liushenyu colliery, whose operator had handed rescuers inaccurate underground maps and never logged how many miners were on shift, ultimately leaving 82 dead and 128 injured and prompting central authorities to deploy national medical and rescue teams, detain the mine’s executives, and order a probe vowing strict, law-based accountability.

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Low-Budget Dialect Film ‘Dear You’ Tops US$146 Million, Revives Diaspora Letter Heritage

From the mid-19th century, impoverished Chaoshan villagers left to seek a living in Siam (present-day Thailand) and beyond, posting home combined letters and remittances that sustained their families for over a century and channelled patriotic donations during the resistance against Japan – a heritage that re-entered public memory after an audience-driven family drama crossed 1 billion yuan (about US$146 million), reviving interest in the UNESCO-listed correspondence.

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News on China | No. 22

Tricon_CN — Sat, 16 May 2026 07:00:33 +0000

No. 22 | 16 May 2026

About 10 min read.

Xi Warns Taiwan Could Trigger Conflict During Beijing Summit With Trump

During a summit held on 14 May 2026 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping warned U.S. President Donald Trump that the Taiwan question remains the most dangerous issue in bilateral relations and could lead to “clashes and even conflicts” if mishandled. While both sides expressed support for a more “constructive and strategically stable” relationship, major disagreements persisted over sanctions, military activity in the Asia-Pacific and restrictions targeting Chinese technology companies. The meeting also exposed tensions surrounding Iran and the Strait of Hormuz amid growing instability in the Middle East.

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US Sanctions Chinese Firms Days before Xi-Trump Summit

On May 8 and 9, days before U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to China from May 13 to 15, Washington announced new sanctions and export restrictions targeting Chinese companies, increasing pressure on the country’s technology sector. The measures affected firms linked to semiconductors, satellite technologies, and trade networks associated with sensitive exports, including operations related to Iran. Combined with existing U.S. technology restrictions, these actions intensified pressure on Chinese firms. Beijing criticized the sanctions as unilateral. The issue was one of the main topics discussed during the meeting between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump in Beijing.

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From Wenchuan to Xizang: BeiDou and Wing Loong UAVs Mark China’s Saturated-Rescue Era

Memorial ceremonies on 12 May 2026 at the Xuankou Middle School ruins in Sichuan marked 18 years since the 2008 Wenchuan disaster, with the intervening years transforming improvised mobilisation into a saturated, technology-enabled rescue posture: when a magnitude-6.8 quake struck Xizang in January 2025, the Wing Loong-2H drone surveyed the epicentre and helped pull 407 trapped people out within 24 hours, while a BeiDou satellite messaging service launched in February 2026 across the three Chinese telecoms and 60 smartphone models.

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Xi–Trump Summit Sees Boeing China Order Reduced to 200 Jets, Sending Shares Down 4%

Vice Premier He Lifeng and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent held around three hours of closed-door consultations in Seoul on 13 May ahead of the meeting between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump in Beijing. The talks addressed a potential managed-trade framework still under negotiation, with references to a reciprocal package of around US$30 billion in non-sensitive goods, alongside continued restrictions on advanced semiconductors and strategic sectors. Trump told Fox News that Xi had agreed to purchase 200 aircraft, below earlier reports of up to 500 jets, prompting Boeing shares to fall about 4% as investors reassessed expectations around the deal.

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CCTV Secures 2026 World Cup Rights with FIFA at US$60 Million, Below Asian Benchmarks

On 15 May, China Media Group (CMG), the state broadcaster controlling CCTV, and FIFA signed a broadcast rights deal for the 2026 World Cup worth US$60 million, below Japan’s level and the previously reported US$80 million ceiling cited by CCTV itself. The agreement comes as FIFA reviews its pricing strategy in China following the exit of major streaming platforms from premium sports distribution. The withdrawal of players such as Tencent and iQiyi has reduced domestic capacity to absorb sublicensed fees, weakening the market structure. Asian benchmarks show Japan paying up to US$200 million and Thailand around US$14 million.

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Solar-Drip System Triples Cotton Yields and Cuts Water Use by 30% in Uzbekistan’s Aral Sea Region

Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography (XIEG) have spent three years deploying photovoltaic-powered fertigation systems on cotton plots near Nukus in Uzbekistan’s Aral Sea region. The system combines solar panels with drip irrigation, using solar-generated electricity to pump and deliver water and fertilizer directly to plant roots, improving efficiency in arid conditions. The project has tripled yields to nearly five tonnes per hectare while reducing water use by around 30%. It also includes the transfer of more than 200 salt- and drought-resistant plant species to Uzbekistan. The cooperation began after a 2018 request following a severe salt-dust storm and is framed under the Global Development Initiative.

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Xining Launches Cold-Climate Vegetable Brand to Supply 200,000 Tonnes to Greater Bay Area

Xining, capital of Qinghai province on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau in western China, has launched a cold-climate vegetable brand aimed at supplying around 200,000 tonnes to China’s Greater Bay Area. The initiative marks a shift from raw-product exports to higher-value branded agricultural supply chains. In 2025, plateau cultivation reached 17,467 hectares, up 6.6% year-on-year, with output of 714,600 tonnes, an increase of 8.1%. The expansion was supported by more than 800 million yuan (US$111 million) invested in greenhouses, water-fertiliser systems and cold-chain logistics. The initiative was launched on 8 May with distribution hubs in Dongguan.

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China and UNESCO Launch Three-Year Plan to Train Global South Teachers in Digital Skills

China has launched a three-year plan aimed at strengthening the digital skills of Global South teachers in cooperation with UNESCO. The initiative was unveiled on the closing day of the 2026 World Digital Education Conference in Hangzhou by the Africa division of Zhejiang Normal University’s Institute of Global Teacher Development. It is aligned with UNESCO’s Global Teacher Campus and will be delivered through Confucius Institutes and Luban Workshops, with pilot “lighthouse schools” established in two to three host countries. The program is positioned as an initial response to UNESCO’s projection of a global shortage of 44 million teachers by 2030.

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Tianzhou-10 Launches First In-Orbit Study of Stem-Cell Embryo Models in Space

Tianzhou-10, a Chinese cargo spacecraft used to resupply the Tiangong space station, has begun what is described as the first in-orbit culture of stem-cell-derived human embryo-like models aboard China’s orbital laboratory. The experiment, led by Yu Leqian of the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Zoology, was launched from Wenchang on 11 May. It does not involve fertilised embryos, but stem-cell structures that mimic early human development stages between days 14 and 21 after fertilisation. Samples will be cryogenically returned after five days to study how microgravity and cosmic radiation affect early cellular development in space conditions and biological processes.

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Pang Dong Lai Worker Ballots Turn “Fairness” Into Operational Governance System

Pang Dong Lai, a privately owned retail chain based in Henan province in central China, has used worker ballots to redefine its internal governance by turning its stated principle of “justice” into an operational system. The retailer says the model allows frontline employees to continuously raise the thinking, competence and governance quality of their superiors. In the April 2026 appraisal cycle, anonymous ballots cast by 16,675 of 16,676 eligible workers resulted in the demotion of 19 out of 1,455 managers and the dismissal of one. Conducted twice a year, the process frames managerial authority as a continuously verified responsibility within the company’s internal accountability structure and governance framework.

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Sino-German Police Cooperation Helps Dismantle Telegram Abuse Network; Ringleader Jailed in Frankfurt

A Sino-German police cooperation channel helped dismantle a drug-facilitated sexual abuse network operating via Telegram, resulting in the sentencing of its ringleader to 14 years in prison in Frankfurt. Between 2020 and 2024, the group allegedly used fake rental listings on WeChat and Xiaohongshu to recruit Chinese women into a Telegram network with around 4,500 peripheral members. German investigators received verified leads in November 2024 through China’s Ministry of Public Security International Cooperation Bureau, following an alert from the Chinese Consulate in Frankfurt, which contributed to the subsequent arrest of the suspect.

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News on China | No. 21

Tricon_CN — Sat, 09 May 2026 07:00:04 +0000

No. 21 | 9 May 2026

About 10 min read.

China Delivers 650 Tons of Humanitarian Aid to Lebanon as Israeli Strikes Kill over 2,600 and Displace More Than 1 Million

China delivered 650 tons of humanitarian aid to Lebanon on 4 May 2026 through two shipments handed over at the Port of Beirut. The assistance includes tents, blankets, mattresses, food and medical supplies that will be distributed by Lebanon’s Higher Relief Committee to families displaced by Israeli attacks. Lebanese authorities report that Israeli operations have killed more than 2,700 people and injured over 8,300 since March, while more than one million people have been displaced across the country. Beijing’s aid arrives amid continuing attacks despite the ceasefire announced on 17 April.

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Beijing Calls US-Israel War on Iran ‘Illegitimate’ as Wang Yi and Araghchi Press for Comprehensive Ceasefire

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi held talks in the Chinese capital on 6 May 2026 during his first visit since the 28 February US-Israeli strikes triggered the war. Meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Araghchi secured Beijing’s renewed support for Iran’s sovereignty and endorsement of Xi Jinping’s four-point Middle East peace proposal. China also publicly called for a comprehensive ceasefire and the swift reopening of the Strait of Hormuz ahead of the 14–15 May Trump-Xi summit, warning that continued escalation threatens regional stability and global trade routes.

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Two Former Defence Ministers Sentenced to Death with Reprieve as Anti-Graft Drive Reaches Highest PLA Ranks

A Chinese military court on 7 May sentenced former defence ministers Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu to death with two-year reprieve for accepting bribes (Li also for offering them), with deprivation of political rights for life and confiscation of all personal property; the suspended sentences will convert to life imprisonment with no commutation or parole. The verdicts are the heaviest imposed on senior PLA officers since China’s 2012 anti-corruption campaign began, demonstrating the campaign’s reach into the highest military ranks and confirming death-with-reprieve as the standard alternative to immediate execution in senior graft convictions.

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China Advances Healthcare Security Reform, Extending Maternity Insurance to 200 Million Flexible Workers

The 22nd session of the Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress, held on 27 April 2026, reviewed in second reading a healthcare security law draft that merges the maternity insurance fund with the urban employee basic medical insurance system and further deepens provincial-level pooling. The proposal also encourages commercial health insurance, charitable donations, and mutual aid as complementary layers to public coverage. The reform aims to extend maternity insurance benefits to up to 200 million flexible workers within a system that already covers around 255 million people, strengthening protection for non-standard forms of employment.

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Communist Youth League of China Reaches 78.34 Million Members by End-2025, Reversing a Decade of Contraction

Annual organisational statistics released on 3 May 2026 show that the Communist Youth League of China reached 78.34 million members by the end of 2025, after adding 9.14 million new members during the year. Grassroots units expanded by approximately 753,000 to 5.15 million nationwide, while about 41.83 million members are concentrated in schools, colleges and universities. This represents a year-on-year increase of 3.02 million in the youth segment, marking a return to overall organisational growth after a period of contraction.

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Commerce Ministry Issues First-Ever Blocking Order Against US Sanctions on Five Petrochemical Refineries over Iran Oil

China’s Ministry of Commerce issued on 2 May 2026 its first blocking order under the Rules on Counteracting Unjustified Extraterritorial Application of Foreign Legislation and Other Measures, in force since January 2021. The move nullifies within Chinese jurisdiction US Treasury sanctions targeting Hengli Petrochemical (Dalian) and four Shandong-based independent refiners accused of purchasing Iranian crude. The decision represents the first operational use of China’s anti-foreign sanctions blocking mechanism, signaling Beijing’s readiness to deploy legal countermeasures against long-arm jurisdiction practices. Ahead of President Trump’s forthcoming Beijing visit.

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Indonesia–China Cross-Border QR Payments Go Live, Expanding Regional Local Currency Use

Indonesia and China have launched cross-border QR code payment interoperability, making China the sixth foreign partner connected to Indonesia’s QRIS system. The initiative allows payments in Indonesian rupiah and Chinese yuan under the Local Currency Transaction Framework between the People’s Bank of China and Bank Indonesia, upgraded in September 2025. Chinese visitors can now pay Indonesian merchants using domestic mobile apps, while Indonesian travellers can do the same in China. The system strengthens bilateral financial integration and supports broader ASEAN efforts to expand local-currency settlement and reduce reliance on third currencies in cross-border transactions.

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Q1 Electricity Demand Climbs 5.2% as Renewable Capacity Reaches 2.4 Billion kW, Approaching Half of Power Mix

The China Electricity Council reported on 30 April that China’s electricity demand rose 5.2% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, while total installed renewable energy capacity reached 2.4 billion kW, approaching half of the country’s power mix. Power-sector investment surged 33.4% to 313 billion yuan (US $45.6 billion), driven by rapid growth in EV charging and battery swapping (+53.8%), internet data services (+44%), and high-tech manufacturing (+8.6%). Non-fossil energy sources now account for around 62% of installed capacity, advancing the 15th Five-Year Plan’s dual-carbon transition goals.

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Xi Calls for ‘Greater Efforts’ on Basic Research as Top Priority of 15th Five-Year Plan

Convening eight leading scientists at a symposium in Shanghai on 30 April, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for intensified efforts on basic research as a central priority in the implementation of the 15th Five-Year Plan. The agenda outlines reforms including failure-tolerant evaluation mechanisms, greater support for younger researchers, diversified funding channels, expansion of major scientific infrastructure, and enhanced international cooperation. The initiative builds on a 2025 baseline in which basic science accounted for 7.08% of total research and development expenditure, a continued push to strengthen China’s innovation capacity and scientific self-reliance.

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Digital China Summit Reports National AI Compute Reaches 1.88 Million PFLOPS as Inference Data Overtakes Training for First Time

Held in Fuzhou from 29 April to 1 May, the National Data Administration’s keynote presented 2025 figures showing China’s total data output reaching 52.26 zettabytes, up 27.28% year on year and accounting for 27.44% of global volume. AI-related workloads totaled 199.48 exabytes, while daily AI token processing rose from over 1 trillion at the start of 2025 to around 140 trillion by March 2026. The report also indicated that national AI computing capacity reached 1.88 million PFLOPS, with inference workloads surpassing training for the first time, reflecting a structural shift in China’s AI deployment ecosystem.

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Hangzhou Court Voids AI-Based Layoffs as Beijing Expands Injury Insurance to 31 Provinces for Platform Workers

A quality-assurance employee – formerly earning 25,000 yuan (US $3,571) a month before his role was automated and a reassignment cut his pay 40% – won wrongful-dismissal compensation after judges held that adopting AI is a strategic management choice that cannot satisfy Article 40 of the Labor Contract Law’s ‘major change in objective circumstances’ test, dovetailing with the labour ministry’s 28 April rollout of pay-per-order injury insurance to all 31 provincial-level regions, a judicial-administrative pairing easing tech-driven displacement anxiety.

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Shenzhen’s Outdoor Smoke-Free Regime, Backed by Citizen-Reporting App, Faces National Pushback After Bus-Stop Fine Goes Viral

On 24 April a 33-year-old smoker was penalised and reconciled the same night after a Guangming-district dispute, reopening debate over the city’s strictest-in-China rules extending bans to outdoor queueing areas and a WeChat tool letting any citizen photograph offenders, splitting opinion between non-smokers cheering progress toward the Healthy China 2030 goal of a 20% adult smoking rate and critics warning of one-size-fits-all enforcement, even as 24 provincial-level units and 254 cities now adopt similar regimes.

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News on China | No. 20

Tricon_CN — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 07:00:12 +0000

No. 20 | 25 April 2026

About 10 min read.

Wang Yi Opens Five-Day Visit to Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar with First China-Cambodia Defence-Diplomatic Dialogue

Co-chaired on 22 April by the foreign and defence ministers of both sides, the newly operational joint strategic dialogue – initially agreed during President Xi Jinping’s April 2025 state visit to Cambodia – held its debut session before Wang Yi continued to Thailand and Myanmar, where regional governments seek stable Chinese partnership and expanded agricultural and investment ties amid Trump administration tariff pressures on mainland Southeast Asia.

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Tiangong to Receive First Foreign Astronaut as Two Pakistani Pilots Begin Training for Shenzhou-24 Late-2026 Mission

A February 2025 bilateral agreement between the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) and Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) has moved to its operational phase with the naming of Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud – two former military pilots – as candidates, one of whom will fly as payload specialist on a Shenzhou-24 flight in late 2026, becoming the first non-Chinese astronaut aboard the station.

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Three Ministries Launch Urban-Rural Employment Integration Plan Targeting Two-Way Labour Mobility by 2030

Published on 15 April 2026 by the human resources, development-planning and agriculture ministries, the document targets the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026–2030) with measures expanding housing provident fund coverage and public-school access for migrant workers’ children, relaxing age limits at vocational technical schools, and channelling county- and township-level jobs through cultural tourism, the debut economy, the ice-and-snow economy and inbound tourism.

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Y-20B’s Maiden Overseas Mission Brings Home Remains of 12 Korean War Martyrs in 13th Consecutive Annual Handover

Following the two Xi Jinping–Lee Jae Myung summits of November 2025 and January 2026, Seoul on 22 April repatriated 12 sets of Chinese People’s Volunteers remains and 146 personal effects to Shenyang in the first vice-ministerial-level public ceremony since 2023, bringing the cumulative total returned under the 2013 bilateral agreement to 1,023 sets.

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Installed Power Capacity Approaches 4 Billion Kilowatts in Q1 2026, Reaching 30% of Global Total and Three Times the US

Reaching the latest milestone took roughly two years – down from about eight for the initial billion and under five for the second – with Q1 buildout supported by RMB 167.5 billion (USD 24.5 billion) in fixed-asset investment by State Grid and China Southern Power Grid, spending on new-energy grid connections up more than 50% year-on-year, while clean-energy generation accounted for 33.2% of large-scale industrial power output.

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Industrial Value Added Grows 6.1% in Q1 as Robot and Integrated-Circuit Output Surges on China’s Upgrading Push

All 31 provincial-level regions recorded positive industrial growth in January-March, with more than 80% of industries expanding, as the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on 21 April pointed to 33.2% growth in robotics, 24.3% in chip making and 4.958 million 5G base stations nationwide to underline the ‘new quality productive forces’ agenda at the opening of the 15th Five-Year Plan.

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South-South Agricultural Partnership in Uganda Closes 14-Year Run with 100,000 Smallholders Trained and Four New Crops Released

A high-level review workshop convened in Kampala on 16 April 2026 marked the formal conclusion of Phase III (2022–2026) of a tripartite programme launched in 2012 that deployed more than 60 Chinese agricultural experts and introduced over 200 crop varieties – with Uganda becoming the first developing country to co-finance such an initiative through a Unilateral Trust Fund arrangement.

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China Certifies 5,500-Plus Green Mines as Revised Mineral Resources Law Sets 2028 Coverage Targets

The Ministry of Natural Resources of the People’s Republic of China announced on the eve of World Earth Day that more than 1,000 national-level and 4,500 provincial-level operations now meet green-mining standards, with the revised law in force since July 2025 requiring 90% of large and 80% of medium-sized mines to comply by 2028 and all new mines to operate to the standard from inception.

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CATL Unveils Third-Generation Shenxing LFP Battery Charging from 10% to 98% in 6 Minutes 27 Seconds

Announced at the company’s debut Super Tech Day in Beijing on 21 April 2026, the new cell headlines a broader refresh that also includes the third-generation Qilin, the ultra-long-range Qilin Condensed, and a second-generation Freevoy super-hybrid pack, paired with a plan to build 4,000 integrated charge-and-swap stations across roughly 190 Chinese cities by the end of 2026.

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Esophageal Cancer Incidence Drops 4.5% a Year as National Registries Cover 98.6% of Counties and Districts

Under the 2023–2030 national action plan for cancer prevention and control, the five-year survival rate has risen from 40.5 percent in 2015 to 43.7 percent in 2022, on track for the plan’s 46.6 percent 2030 target, while county-level cervical and breast cancer screening for rural women has reached 98 percent and cancer registries now cover 98.6 percent of counties and districts.

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Sanyuesan Festival Honours Tang-Dynasty Song Fairy Liu Sanjie in Multi-Ethnic Celebrations Across Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan and Jiangsu

Held on 19 April 2026 – the third day of the third lunar month – Zhuang, Miao, Dong, Bouyei and Li communities across four provinces observed the festival with antiphonal mountain-song fairs (gexu 歌圩), bamboo-pole dances, embroidered-ball tosses and shared platters of five-colour glutinous rice dyed black, red, yellow, purple and white with maple leaves, turmeric and red-blue grass. The song fairs commemorate Liu Sanjie (刘三姐), a Tang-era Zhuang peasant singer whose verses mocking landlords made her a folk hero until their retainers cut the vines she held while gathering firewood, causing her fall and apotheosis as the Song Fairy – a story retold in the 1962 film Third Sister Liu (《刘三姐》), the PRC’s first musical.

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News on China | No. 19

Tricon_CN — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 07:00:38 +0000

No. 19 | 18 April 2026

The Old Summer Palace in Beijing, China

About 10 min read.

Spain Signs 19 Agreements with China and Establishes Strategic Dialogue Mechanism Despite US Trade Threats

Concluding his fourth visit to Beijing in four years – weeks after closing Spanish airspace and denying the US use of military bases for operations against Iran, a move that drew direct trade threats from Washington – Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and President Xi Jinping called for upholding multilateralism against ‘the law of the jungle’, while the two countries elevated bilateral relations through a new foreign minister-led dialogue framework and agreements spanning trade, agri-food, sustainable transport, education, and scientific cooperation.

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Vietnam’s Leader in Beijing as ‘Brothers and Comrades’ Deepen Communist Party Ties

Tô Lâm, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, arrived in Beijing for a state visit where he met with Xi Jinping, President of China, to strengthen political coordination and bilateral cooperation. The visit reflects the long-standing party-to-party relationship between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Communist Party of China, framed as traditional friendship based on mutual trust. During the four-day visit (14–17 April), both sides signed cooperation documents across ten areas, including inter-party exchanges, public security, economy, industrial chains, science and technology, infrastructure connectivity and railway projects. They also launched the China–Vietnam Tourism Cooperation Year 2026–2027 and reaffirmed a shared future.

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Beijing’s Diplomatic Week Draws World Leaders as Xi Proposes Middle East Peace Plan and Deepens Russia Ties

Meeting Russia’s Foreign Minister Lavrov and UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled in successive days at the Great Hall of the People, President Xi called China–Russia relations ‘particularly precious’ amid global turbulence, proposed a four-point framework for Middle East peace emphasising sovereignty and international rule of law, while the UAE visit yielded 24 bilateral agreements and a Russian pledge to offset energy disruptions caused by the Strait of Hormuz blockade.

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State Council Issues 20-Article Regulation to Counter Foreign Extraterritorial Jurisdiction, Establishing Malicious Entity List

Signed by Premier Li Qiang and taking effect immediately on 13 April, Decree No. 835 elevates China’s counter-sanctions architecture from ministry-level to cabinet authority, introducing blocking orders, a private right of action for harmed entities, and criminal liability for violations – a significant institutional escalation following 67 Unreliable Entity List designations in 2025 compared with three in 2024, amid intensifying extraterritorial use of sanctions and export controls.

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Supreme Court and Procuratorate Target Bribery Intermediaries in New ‘Full-Chain’ Anti-Corruption Judicial Interpretation

Corruption networks that rely on middlemen to broker illicit exchanges between officials and petitioners face new prosecution criteria effective 1 May 2026, with thresholds set at 100,000 yuan (US $14,300) for individual and 500,000 yuan (US $71,400) for organisational bribery introductions punishable by up to three years’ imprisonment; the interpretation also extends equal prosecution standards to private-sector bribery, reflecting a shift from ‘two-end’ to ‘full-chain’ enforcement.

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Railway Fixed-Asset Investment Rises 5.1% in First Quarter as Major High-Speed Projects Advance Under 15th Five-Year Plan

Completing 137.9 billion yuan (approximately US $20.1 billion) in the opening quarter of 2026, national railways handled a record 1.13 billion passenger trips and 1.28 billion tonnes of freight, while the network – already exceeding 50,000 km of high-speed track, over 70% of the global total – targets 60,000 km by 2030.

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Tianjin Zero-Carbon Factory Demonstrates Decarbonisation Pathway for China’s Energy-Intensive Heavy Industry

Under five-ministry guidelines issued in January 2026, a 20,000-square-metre oil casing pipe workshop operated by CNOOC Energy Technology & Services has been certified as a zero-carbon facility, deploying digital twin monitoring, rooftop photovoltaics, and intelligent climate control that cuts energy consumption by roughly 30%, while purchasing certified voluntary emission reductions to offset residual emissions as part of the 15th Five-Year Plan’s target of a 17% carbon intensity reduction by 2030.

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Water Conservancy Investment Hits US $30 Billion in Q1 as Fifteen Major Projects Break Ground

Accelerating infrastructure spending at the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the Ministry of Water Resources reported that first-quarter completed investment rose 4.1 per cent year-on-year to 207 billion yuan (approximately US $30 billion), with 24,231 projects under construction generating 670,000 jobs and social capital input hitting a record high of 43.4 billion yuan (US $6.2 billion) – up 16.4 per cent – reflecting growing private participation through equity investment and franchising.

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Xinhua, 10 April 2026

Five Ministries Launch ‘AI Plus Education’ Action Plan to Build Comprehensive AI Curriculum Across All Education Stages by 2030

Mandating artificial intelligence as a foundational course for all university students regardless of discipline and incorporating AI competency into teacher qualification examinations, the joint action plan targets a vertically integrated education system spanning primary schooling through lifelong learning, addressing workforce needs amid a core AI sector projected to surpass 1.2 trillion yuan (US $174 billion) and intensifying global competition.

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Chinese Researchers Publish First Full-Chain Framework for Industrial-Scale Seawater Hydrogen Production in Nature Reviews

Bridging microscopic reaction mechanisms with macroscopic system operations across five dimensions – from material performance and interfacial processes to device configuration and renewable energy adaptability – the landmark review by academician Xie Heping’s team provides quantifiable benchmarks for scaling direct seawater electrolysis from laboratory demonstrations to commercial deployment, as China’s 15th Five-Year Plan designates green hydrogen a strategic future industry.

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Xinhua, 12 April 2026

National Museum of China Unveils 390 Artefacts from Undisturbed Tomb of Sui Dynasty Princess

Showcasing 390 artefacts from the undisturbed tomb of nine-year-old princess Li Jingxun (600–608 CE), the exhibition illuminates the Northern and Southern Dynasties (420–589) and Sui Dynasty (581–618) – a period of fragmentation and reunification bridging the fall of the Han and the rise of the Tang, one of the most consequential transitions in China’s dynastic history – with gold jewellery and funerary objects reflecting Silk Road exchange with Central Asian and Iranian-steppe cultures.

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CGTN, 12 April 2026

France Streamlines Colonial-Era Restitution Process, Easing Path for Return of Artefacts Looted from China

Fulfilling a 2017 pledge by President Macron in Burkina Faso, France’s National Assembly passed a bill replacing case-by-case parliamentary legislation with a streamlined administrative process for items ‘illicitly appropriated’ between 1815 and 1972; yet with military artefacts explicitly excluded and the bill still awaiting final reconciliation between the two chambers, the more than 1,000 Old Summer Palace objects held at the Palace of Fontainebleau – many seized during the Second Opium War (1860) – remain largely out of reach, showing that cultural repatriation, a cause amplified in China by the 2023 viral series ‘Escape from the British Museum’, remains a work in progress.

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News on China | No. 18

Tricon_CN — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 07:00:24 +0000

No. 18 | 11 April 2026

About 10 min read.

China Vetoes UN Hormuz Resolution, Citing US-Israel Attacks as the Root Cause, Beijing Also Help in Ceasefire Agreement

On 7 April 2026, China and Russia vetoed a Bahrain-led UN Security Council resolution on the Strait of Hormuz, arguing it reflected a biased approach that ignored the root causes of the crisis, the US-Israeli military actions against Iran. Beijing rejected attempts to militarise maritime security and defended a political solution based on dialogue and de-escalation. The vote exposed deep divisions within the Security Council, as China positioned itself against Western-led security frameworks in the Gulf. A ceasefire was announced shortly after the vote amid ongoing diplomatic engagement, with China reported to have played a key role in facilitating the process.

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China Leads Pakistan-Afghanistan Peace Talks as Both Sides Advance Toward a Solution

Cross-departmental delegations from China, Afghanistan, and Pakistan – including foreign affairs, defence, and security officials – met for a week of informal consultations in Xinjiang to de-escalate the most severe military confrontation since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, with all parties agreeing to refrain from escalatory actions and explore a ‘comprehensive solution’ while Pakistan’s military operations continue and concrete breakthroughs on cross-border militant threats remain elusive.

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“We Are All Chinese,” Says Xi Jinping to Taiwan Opposition Leader in Beijing Meeting

Leading a fourteen-member delegation through Shanghai, Nanjing, and Beijing on a six-day visit dubbed the “2026 Journey of Peace,” the trip – made at the invitation of the Communist Party of China – is widely seen as a revival of party-to-party dialogue that had been largely suspended since 2016. In Beijing on 10 April, Xi Jinping held talks with Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of Taiwan’s Kuomintang (KMT), at the Great Hall of the People. Xi said that “compatriots on both sides of the strait are all Chinese,” emphasising peace, development, and cooperation across the Taiwan Strait. The talks focused on stability, political communication, and expanding exchanges between both sides.

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Six Departments Issue Guidelines Steering E-Commerce Toward Quality Growth and Global Expansion

Six Chinese government departments jointly issued guidelines on 6 April aimed at steering the country’s e-commerce sector toward high-quality growth, deeper integration with the real economy, and global expansion. Covering 26 million domestic businesses in the world’s largest online retail market for thirteen consecutive years, the framework focuses on digital-real economy integration, SME and rural empowerment, AI-driven innovation, and cross-border expansion through Silk Road E-Commerce partnerships with 36 countries. It also strengthens platform governance and regulatory compliance, reflecting broader efforts to align China’s digital economy with international trade frameworks such as CPTPP and DEPA standards.

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Zero-Tariff Access for 53 African Countries Signals New Phase in China-Africa Economic Partnership

Set to take effect on 1 May 2026, the removal of import duties across all tariff lines for African countries with diplomatic ties to Beijing builds on the China-Africa Economic Partnership Agreement signed in February. Bilateral trade reached US $348 billion in 2025, while Africa’s US $102 billion trade deficit with China underscores the structural challenge of shifting exports beyond raw commodities and into higher-value-added sectors, according to trade data and analysts.

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Goods Trade Surges 18.3% in Early 2026 as Diversification Strategy Outlasts US Tariff Pressures

Goods trade rose 18.3% in the first two months of 2026, reaching 7.73 trillion yuan, according to customs data. Exports climbed 19.2% year-on-year, driven by expanding trade with ASEAN (+20.3%), Africa (+34.2%), and the European Union (+19.9%). By contrast, China-US trade fell 16.9% over the same period, amid broader shifts in global trade patterns and following a US Supreme Court ruling in February that struck down emergency tariff powers.

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Taklimakan Desert Afforestation Confirmed as Carbon Sink by PNAS Study as Spring Planting Scales Up

Targeting the rehabilitation of 2.23 million mu (148,700 hectares) of desertified land in Hotan Prefecture, the spring 2026 planting campaign employs BeiDou Navigation Satellite System-guided autonomous machines that set over 13,000 saplings per day – ten times the manual rate – alongside photovoltaic sand stabilisation panels, while a January 2026 study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences confirmed the afforested desert margins have transformed a ‘biological void’ into a carbon sink with atmospheric CO2 1–2 ppm lower.

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Chengdu’s 20-Layer Vertical Farm Achieves 120 Times Conventional Yield on Just 100 Square Metres

Operating 16 robots across an 8.8-metre-tall soilless cultivation system, the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences’ Institute of Urban Agriculture produces 50 tonnes of pesticide-free lettuce annually in Chengdu – with a 30-to-35-day growth cycle half the duration of traditional open-field farming – while its production cost of 10–15 yuan (US $1.4–2.1) per kilogram highlights the ongoing challenge of electricity expenses, which account for roughly 70% of operating costs.

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China Daily, 2 April 2026

First National Service Industry Conference Signals Strategic Shift Toward ‘China Service’ Brand and Technology-Led Growth

With the service sector now accounting for 57.7% of GDP and employing roughly half the national workforce, the two-day televised conference – the first national-level meeting on services in the new era – outlined four strategic pillars including demand-driven expansion and technological enhancement, while directing producer services toward greater specialisation, higher value chains, and expanded opening to foreign investment.

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China Caps Fuel Price Rises at Half the Market Rate to Shield Consumers from Hormuz Oil Crisis

Invoking emergency provisions dormant since 2013 for the second time in three weeks, the National Development and Reform Commission limited gasoline and diesel increases to 420 and 400 yuan per ton – roughly half the market-determined levels – saving private car owners some 15 yuan per tank and heavy truck drivers 150–200 yuan, while strategic petroleum reserves of 1.3 billion barrels and electric vehicle sales comprising half of new purchases provide structural resilience against the global energy shock.

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Police Investigate Organised Cyberbullying of Olympic Diving Champion Quan Hongchan as Authorities Pledge Zero Tolerance

Revelations that relentless online abuse had driven the 19-year-old three-time gold medallist to consider retirement and suffer insomnia prompted Guangdong’s Ersha Sports Training Centre to file a formal police report on 8 April 2026 after a dedicated WeChat group was found to have orchestrated systematic personal attacks, while the General Administration of Sport condemned the harassment and called for criminal accountability under dedicated cyberviolence regulations enacted in August 2024.

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News on China | No. 17

Tricon_CN — Sat, 04 Apr 2026 07:00:53 +0000

No. 17 | 4 April 2026

About 10 min read.

New Global Data Organization Launched in Beijing to Confront Digital Divide in the Global South

The World Data Organisation (WDO), the first international body dedicated to data governance, was officially launched on 30 March in Beijing. Bringing together over 200 members from more than 40 countries across 14 sectors, the WDO aims to confront stark global digital inequalities. While digitally deliverable services account for over 60% of exports in advanced economies, they represent only 15% in least developed countries. Through voluntary standards, capacity building, and cross-border cooperation, the organization seeks to expand access to data infrastructure and governance, strengthening the Global South’s digital sovereignty.

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China Warns Lebanon Must Be Protected from Israeli Invasion to ‘Not Become Another Gaza’

The killing of three Indonesian UN peacekeepers in separate incidents on 29–30 March prompted an emergency UN Security Council session on 31 March. China’s deputy permanent representative demanded Israel’s immediate withdrawal and condemned the attacks as violations of international humanitarian law. Beijing warned that Lebanon risks becoming ‘another Gaza’ amid escalating military aggression that has already claimed over 1,200 lives since 2 March, leaving thousands injured and displaced. The session highlighted the urgent need for international protection of civilians and peacekeepers and reinforced calls for diplomatic solutions.

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New Judicial Directive Unifies Legal Aid for Women, Migrant Workers, and Other Vulnerable Groups

Issued on 28 March by the Supreme People’s Court and Supreme People’s Procuratorate, the 16-article directive formalises the ‘civil support prosecution’ mechanism – under which prosecutors may assist individuals unable to pursue litigation independently, covering unpaid wage claims, protection orders, and disability rights cases – replacing a previously fragmented landscape where labour unions and women’s federations handled cases in isolation.

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Hainan Free Trade Port Posts 32.9% Trade Growth in First 100 Days of Customs Operations

Since 18 December 2025, Hainan Free Trade Port has recorded strong momentum. Total import and export value exceeded 80 billion yuan (US $11.6 billion), while offshore duty-free sales reached 15.62 billion yuan (US $2.3 billion). Registration of 7,503 new foreign trade enterprises – a 65.7% year-on-year surge – and 85,000 new market entities highlights investor confidence. Air connectivity expanded to 92 overseas passenger routes serving 45 cities in 23 countries. These results underscore Hainan’s growing role as the world’s largest free trade port, boosting trade, tourism, and global integration.

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China Launches Smart Shipping Plan for 100 Autonomous Vessels and AI Ports by 2027

China has unveiled a joint Smart Shipping Plan led by four ministries, aiming for 100 autonomous vessels and AI-integrated ports by 2027. Building on the Zhifei container ship’s world-first fully autonomous operation at Qingdao and 60 automated terminals nationwide, the plan sets 11 key tasks covering technology breakthroughs, pilot applications, infrastructure upgrades, and regulatory governance. Near-term goals include three pilot zones and five demonstration routes, while by 2030 China aims to master core maritime technologies at internationally advanced levels.

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Carbon Market and Green Finance Reforms Pledge Support for Private Sector’s Low-Carbon Transition

On 21 March, China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment convened financial regulators, major banks, and private enterprise representatives to announce eight coordinated measures promoting the private sector’s low-carbon transition. Addressing an imbalance where state-owned enterprises account for 84.53% of green bond issuance, the reforms introduce carbon allowance monetisation, environment-oriented development models, and interagency data-sharing. The goal is to channel green credit toward private firms within a 43.51 trillion yuan (US $6.2 trillion) green lending market.

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Zhongguancun Forum Showcases Chip Breakthrough, 6G Roadmap, and Open Science Cooperation

China’s annual Zhongguancun Forum, held in late March, highlighted the 15th Five-Year Plan’s technology self-reliance agenda. The conference focused on the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Xiangshan open-source RISC-V processor, achieving 16.5 points per gigahertz on international benchmarks. Eleven of 23 premier RISC-V International members are now Chinese entities, demonstrating a coordinated effort to develop alternatives to proprietary chip architectures. Participants also outlined national 6G roadmaps and initiatives for expanded open science cooperation.

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China Launches World-First Automated Humanoid Robot Production Line, Supported by Giant Training Hub

China has launched the world’s first fully automated humanoid robot production line in Foshan, part of the third phase of its national robotics program. The line can produce 10,000 units annually, generating one robot every 30 minutes with 50% higher efficiency than traditional methods. Supporting this phase, Beijing’s giant 10,000 m² training hub provides 16 scenario-based environments that generate six million data entries annually, addressing AI and data bottlenecks. Together, these initiatives mark the shift from experimentation to industrial-scale deployment under the 15th Five-Year Plan.

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Qingming Festival: A 2,500-Year Tradition of Honouring Ancestors and Welcoming Spring

Qingming traces its origins to Jie Zitui, a loyal minister who perished in a mountain fire after refusing rewards for his service, inspiring the Cold Food Festival. Over centuries, it merged with agricultural rites and became an imperial holiday under the Tang dynasty. Falling fifteen days after the Spring Equinox, families visit ancestral graves to sweep tombs, burn incense, and offer food and paper. At the same time, the festival celebrates spring through outings, kite-flying, planting willow branches, and eating qingtuan (green mugwort rice balls) – blending solemn remembrance with joyful renewal and reflecting a distinctive Chinese view of life, death, and the seasons.

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12,900 Intangible Heritage Workshops Empower 1.2 Million Through Village Home-Based Production

China’s intangible cultural heritage programme now spans 2,138 county-level areas, including 693 formerly impoverished counties, with over 4,300 workshops operating directly in villages. Using flexible home-based production models, elderly residents, women, and people with disabilities can earn income from traditional crafts without leaving their communities. Elevated to a core component of national rural revitalisation strategy by the 2026 No. 1 Central Document, the initiative supports skill development, preserves cultural traditions, and strengthens local economies, demonstrating a scalable model for inclusive rural development.

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News on China | No. 16

Tricon_CN — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 07:00:20 +0000

No. 16 | 28 March 2026

About 10 min read.

Middle East Nations Call for Ceasefire, Respect for Sovereignty and Dialogue with Iran, Says Chinese Envoy

After wartime shuttle diplomacy across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Egypt, where closed airports and missile interceptions forced overland travel, China’s special envoy Zhai Jun reported that regional countries support a ceasefire and dialogue with Iran. At a March 23 press briefing in Beijing, Zhai presented China’s six-point plan, condemned unauthorized U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, and highlighted that the conflict has already caused over 21,000 casualties, threatening the Strait of Hormuz and global energy security. Negotiation remains the only viable path.

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China Drives Asia’s Leadership in Innovation, Sustainability, and Global Cooperation at Boao Forum amid Middle East Crisis

The 25th Boao Forum for Asia, held from 24–27 March 2026 in Boao, Hainan, China, gathered over 2,000 delegates from 60 countries, reaffirming its role as a strategic global platform amid geopolitical tensions, including the Middle East crisis. Zhang Jun, the forum’s secretary-general, stressed the event’s significance in promoting dialogue and cooperation. Key participants included Zhao Leji, chairman of China’s NPC Standing Committee, and Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. Reports show Asia accounts for 48% of global GDP in purchasing power terms and leads 70% of annual new clean energy installations, cementing its role as a driver of growth, innovation, and multilateral cooperation.

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Xi Jinping Charts Xiongan’s Pivot from Construction to Innovation During Fourth Inspection of New Area

Accompanied by three Politburo Standing Committee members – signalling the highest-level political commitment – the presidential visit to the purpose-built city, comparable in size to Greater London, marked a strategic shift from basic infrastructure construction toward cultivating emerging industries and ‘new quality productive forces’, nearly nine years after ground was broken on a project designated alongside Shenzhen and Pudong as a zone of national significance.

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Long-Term Care Insurance Becomes China’s Sixth Social Security Pillar After Decade-Long Pilot Covering 310 Million

The Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and State Council jointly issued guidelines establishing a unified national care insurance system – covering 36 standardised service items for those unable to care for themselves – after pilot programmes across 49 cities enrolled nearly 310 million people, provided benefits to over 3.3 million recipients, and reduced caregiving costs by more than 100 billion yuan (US $14.5 billion), with full urban-rural implementation targeted by end of 2028.

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China Launches Ninth Batch of Foreign-Invested Projects Worth US $13.4 Billion, Totaling US $108 Billion

China’s National Development and Reform Commission announced its ninth batch of 13 major foreign-invested projects, valued at US $13.4 billion, raising the cumulative total to US $108 billion. Backed by firms from the UK, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, and Turkey, the projects span electronics, chemicals, automobiles, and logistics, demonstrating sustained appeal of China’s advanced manufacturing sector. Despite three years of declining FDI, a 19.1% rise in new foreign-invested enterprises in 2025 (70,392) shows investors are prioritizing market presence and long-term growth in the Chinese economy.

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China Extends Rural Land Contracts in 29 Provinces for 30 Years Amid Expiring Agreements

On 18 March, China’s Communist Party (CPC) Central Committee and State Council General Offices issued a 15-measure guideline standardizing procedures for extending household land contracts – first allocated in the 1990s – by another 30 years. Province-wide trials begin this year, explicitly protecting women affected by marriage or divorce, safeguarding urbanized farmers’ contractual rights, and addressing landless households through collective revenue distribution, ensuring continuity and legal clarity for rural families.

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China Invests US $800 Billion in Water Infrastructure Over Five Years, Covering More Than 80% of Territory

China’s five-year investment of over US $800 billion has built the world’s largest water infrastructure network, covering 80.3% of the country. The system includes roughly 95,000 reservoirs with over 1 trillion cubic metres of storage, the South-to-North Water Diversion Project – which transferred 87 billion cubic metres to benefit 195 million people – and 82,900 rural supply projects completed during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021–2025), raising tap water coverage to 96% for 495 million rural residents.

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Eight-Year Study Identifies ‘Longevity Gene’ in Wild Rice, Enabling Perennial Growth and Repeated Harvests from Single Planting

Published on the cover of Science on 20 March, research by the Chinese Academy of Sciences reveals that two microRNA genes – designated Endless Branches and Tillers 1 (EBT1) – act as an ‘aging switch’ in wild rice, reverting plants from reproductive to vegetative growth every three to four months; field trials confirmed a modified variety survived more than two years in Hainan, with researchers targeting 4,500–6,000 kg per hectare to reduce seed costs across the Global South.

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Dongbi Index Classifies 7,091 Medical and Life Sciences Journals in Push to Rebalance Global Academic Evaluation

Compiled by a consortium of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and a Shenzhen-based data analytics firm, the four-tier list released on 21–22 March in Shanghai covers 4,027 medical and 3,064 life sciences publications, advancing an effort to establish an independent research evaluation voice at a time when Chinese researchers contribute a growing share of global scientific output yet remain underrepresented in editorial positions and the evaluation infrastructure controlled by Western commercial publishers.

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People’s Daily, 22 March 2026

Guangzhou Police Arrest ‘Aunt Mei’, Key Suspect in Two-Decade Child Trafficking Case Involving Nine Abducted Boys

The arrest of the long-fugitive suspect known as ‘Aunt Mei’ (梅姨) has brought closure to one of China’s most high-profile child trafficking cases – nine boys abducted from Guangzhou and Huizhou between 2003 and 2005 were all recovered and reunited with their biological families between 2019 and 2024, thanks to over two decades of persistent efforts by law enforcement and civil society, a testament to China’s unwavering resolve in combating child trafficking.

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Death of Education Influencer Zhang Xuefeng at 41 Reignites National Debate on Overwork and Sleep Deprivation Crisis

Zhang Xuefeng, one of China’s most prominent education influencers known for his career guidance, died of sudden cardiac arrest on 24 March at the age of 41, reigniting public discussion around overwork culture among young professionals – meanwhile, a ‘2026 China Sleep Health White Paper’ released on World Sleep Day found that over 300 million Chinese suffer from sleep disorders with average nightly rest at just 6.97 hours, underscoring the urgent need for younger generations to prioritise their health and well-being.

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News on China | No. 15

Tricon_CN — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 07:00:54 +0000

No. 15 | 21 March 2026

About 10 min read.

China and Vietnam Strengthen Socialist Alliance at World’s First Triministerial Meeting

On 16 March 2026, China and Vietnam held the inaugural ‘3+3’ triministerial meeting in Hanoi, as part of a three-day visit (15–17 March). The meeting brought together the foreign affairs, defence, and public security ministers of both countries to deepen strategic coordination and strengthen their socialist alliance. The dialogue, the first of its kind globally, reflects growing political trust and long-term cooperation. Both sides agreed to hold the second ministerial meeting in China. Simultaneously, Vietnamese naval frigates arrived in Guangxi for joint exercises in the Beibu Gulf, marking the 40th patrol with live-fire drills included.

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Cross-Border Train and Flight Travel Between China and North Korea Restored Since the Pandemic

On 12 March 2026, cross-border train travel between China and North Korea resumed, restoring connectivity suspended for six years since the pandemic. Following this, Air China announced weekly Beijing–Pyongyang flights starting 30 March, reopening transport links. The resumption follows Chinese premier Li Qiang’s visit to Pyongyang in October 2025, where he attended the 80th anniversary of the Workers’ Party of Korea and reinforced bilateral ties. These moves strengthen friendship and solidarity between the two socialist nations, facilitate trade and people-to-people exchanges.

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China Puts Children at the Centre of Public Policy and Social Development

Amid a record-low birth rate of 5.6 per 1,000 in 2025, China issued Opinions on Promoting the Construction of a Child-Friendly Society, establishing permanent nationwide standards for child development across urban and rural areas. Building on 116 pilot cities, which benefited over 110 million children, the policy now targets all 240 million children nationwide. Aligned with the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030), it covers social policy, public services, rights protection, living spaces, and development environments, introducing measures such as free HPV vaccinations for girls aged 13 and above. The initiative integrates legal protection, learning, and recreation, placing children at the heart of social development.

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China Condemns Section 301 Investigations and Accuses U.S. of Disrupting Global Trade with Tariff Threats to 60 Countries

On 12 March 2026, the U.S. launched a Section 301 investigation targeting 16 economies over alleged industrial overcapacity, and approximately 60 economies over alleged forced labor in imports. On 17 March 2026, China responded. Gao Feng, spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce, stated that China firmly opposes all forms of forced labor and that U.S. accusations are unfounded, politically motivated, and unsupported by evidence. China has ratified 28 conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO), while the U.S. has not ratified the 1930 Forced Labour Convention. Previous U.S. Section 301 measures were ruled illegal by the World Trade Organization (WTO).

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15th Five-Year Plan Prioritises Advanced Manufacturing with Three-Tier Industrial Strategy to Drive High-Quality Development

Adopted on 12 March 2026 at the National People’s Congress, the 2026–2030 blueprint designates 109 major projects across six priority areas while targeting annual R&D spending growth of at least 7% and raising the digital economy’s share of GDP from 10.5% to 12.5%, as traditional industries undergo green upgrading alongside the cultivation of emerging and future-oriented sectors – including AI, quantum technology, and robotics – to accelerate what Beijing terms ‘new quality productive forces’.

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Eight Billion Yuan Hydrogen Pilot Programme Expands Beyond Vehicles to Target Industrial Decarbonisation Nationwide

Five city clusters will be selected through competitive bidding to deploy a ‘1+N+X’ framework spanning six application categories – from fuel cells and green ammonia to hydrogen metallurgy – with each cluster eligible for up to 1.6 billion yuan (US $229 million) in central government rewards over four years, while setting national targets of 100,000 hydrogen-powered vehicles and end-user prices below 25 yuan (US $3.6) per kilogramme by 2030.

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CHN Energy Opens 10,000-Tonne Recycling Facility in Zhangjiakou to Process Retired Wind and Solar Equipment

With decommissioned photovoltaic modules projected to reach approximately 20 million tonnes by 2050 and turbine blade waste expected to hit 3 million tonnes by 2035, the state-owned energy giant’s Longyuan Environmental Protection subsidiary has launched a facility capable of recovering silver, silicon, glass fibre, and carbon fibre from the country’s earliest-generation clean energy infrastructure.

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World’s First Invasive Brain-Computer Interface Wins Commercial Approval as China Leads Global Neurotechnology Race

Developed by Tsinghua University spin-off Neuracle Medical Technology, the coin-sized epidural implant – which decodes brain signals to control a pneumatic glove restoring grasping function in tetraplegia patients – secured Class III registration from the National Medical Products Administration on 13 March, making it the first invasive brain-computer interface cleared for commercial use globally, ahead of Elon Musk’s Neuralink which remains in clinical trials.

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Three Flagship Science Facilities Mark New Development Phase as 15th Five-Year Plan Boosts R&D Spending by 10%

Announced during the 2026 ‘two sessions’, a strategic shift from standalone research projects to collaborative clusters with lifecycle management encompasses the FAST radio telescope’s Core Array upgrade – adding 24 antennas to increase capability 30-fold by 2027 – the JUNO neutrino observatory’s world-leading first results after just 59 days of operation, and the Meridian Project Phase II’s completion as the world’s most comprehensive ground-based space weather monitoring network.

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Pang Donglai Founder Retains Only 5% as Regional Supermarket Chain Distributes US $580 Million to Staff

Formalising a profit-sharing model practised for over two decades, the Henan-based retailer’s plan converts roughly 4 billion yuan (US $573 million) in company assets into equity – splitting 50% of annual profits as employee bonuses and 50% as shareholder returns – while the chain’s 2025 revenue surged 38.7% to 23.53 billion yuan (US $3.4 billion), with analysts noting that employee ownership boosts creativity, loyalty, and operational efficiency.

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Three Agencies Issue 14-Measure Guideline to Channel Medical Insurance Resources Toward Primary Healthcare

Aiming to ease the financial burden on elderly and chronic disease patients who disproportionately rely on overcrowded urban hospitals, the 16 March policy sets outpatient reimbursement at primary-level facilities at no less than 50%, extends long-term prescriptions to 12 weeks, and designates approximately 15 pilot regions for per-capita payment reforms – a coordinated push to build accessible, affordable community-based care across the country.

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