NEWS / the week of Sept 20-26
Current news about China and the Chinese people
NOTE: The news reports below are not in chronological order. There is often a time lag in their reaching the US and in gaining our attention. These reports reflect the opinions of a variety of news sources.
🛢️ Geopolitics & Energy
China’s Space Ambitions / Sept 24, 2025
Commentary suggests the U.S. aims to dominate space with shuttle-like crafts, while China continues to develop its own capabilities.
China’s Expanding Influence in Southeast Asia / Sept 24, 2025
Chinese investors are pouring more funding into Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor than any other foreign country, signaling deepening regional ties.
SCO Summit in Tianjin / Sept 20, 2025
Xi Jinping met with leaders from India, Russia, and Pakistan. Notably, Indian PM Narendra Modi visited China for the first time in seven years, signaling a thaw in relations despite ongoing border tensions.
📱 Tech & Consumer Buzz
TikTok deal: for US-China investments / Sept 26, 2025
Following Trump’s executive order on TikTok, Beijing urges Washington to provide a level playing field for Chinese investors. Trump wrote in the Thursday order that divestiture of the influential platform under Chinese firm ByteDance would allow American users to continue using it, while also protecting national security.
Forum Rivalry: Xiangshan vs Shangri-La / Sept 20, 2025
China is positioning the Xiangshan Forum as its answer to the U.S.-favored Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. This year, China skipped Shangri-La entirely, while the U.S. sent only a low-level delegate to Xiangshan. Analysts describe this as “forum shopping”—each superpower cultivating its own diplomatic ecosystem.
🛰️ Military & Security
Typhoon Ragasa Hits Southern China / Sept 23, 2025
Super Typhoon Ragasa, the world’s most powerful tropical cyclone this year, made landfall in Guangdong province on September 24, 2025, killing at least 18 people across Asia, including in the Philippines, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Over 2 million people were evacuated in Guangdong, with $21 million allocated for disaster relief. The storm, with wind speeds up to 165 mph, caused significant damage, including flooded restaurants and damaged.
U.S.-China Relations and Congressional Visit / Sept 23, 2025
A bipartisan U.S. congressional delegation, led by Rep. Adam Smith, visited Beijing on September 23, 2025, marking the first House of Representatives visit to China since 2019. The visit aimed to increase dialogue amid tensions over trade, technology, and global conflicts. Smith noted concerns about U.S. and Chinese military forces coming too close operationally, citing incidents like a Chinese fighter jet approaching a U.S. bomber in 2023.
🎓 Education & Espionage Concerns
US-China Academic Tensions / Sept 24, 2025
A joint physics institute between NYU and East China Normal University is under scrutiny, reflecting growing concerns over academic collaborations that may aid China’s modernization efforts.
China Aid in Solomon Islands / Sept 25, 2025
Malaita province in the Solomon Islands, which banned Chinese investment five years ago, is now welcoming a China-funded road project. Local sentiment has shifted, with residents prioritizing development over the source of aid. This marks a significant change in the region’s approach to Chinese investment.
🌿 Crime & Controversy
Evil Unbound: The drowned past / Sept 23, 2025
Audiences of different nationalities gathered in Beijing to watch the film "Evil Unbound," hoping to share this deliberately buried history with more people. The atrocities of Japan's Unit 731 on screen weren't distant WWII memories, but a permanent scar on civilization: history must never be forgotten, and peace must be cherished.
🌏 Society & People
China in Bloom / Sept 26, 2025
In Beijing, vibrant three-dimensional flower beds along Chang’an Avenue were highlighted as a cultural attraction, reflecting major themes of the year.
Acrobats perform at Wuqiao Acrobatics World / Sept 25, 2025
Wuqiao Acrobatics World, an acrobatics themed park, is a bustling folklore attraction and multi-functional complex combining services including entertainment, cultural experiences, exhibitions, training, competitions and cultural exchanges.
Think tank report highlights China's Yangtze River governance in new era / Sept 26, 2025
Titled "A Mighty River That Nourishes a Great Nation -- Achievements, Insights, and Global Significance of Yangtze River Governance in the New Era," the report was released by Xinhua Institute, a think tank affiliated with Xinhua News Agency, at the ongoing 2025 Great Rivers Forum in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province.