Zhong Caiping Commentary on Macro Policy Direction - Plan to Secure Supply of Key Core AI Tech by 2027 - Wang Yi Visits Ethiopia - Diao Daming: 'America First = America Going it Alone'
Here are the key reports and articles from the People’s Daily’s edition on Friday, January 09, 2026.
Page 1: Let’s begin with the report on the PBSC meeting, where Xi heard work reports from the Party groups of the NPCSC, the State Council, the CPPCC NC, the Supreme People’s Court, and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, and the Central Secretariat.
The report calls this process an “important measure to uphold and improve the Party’s leadership system and implement the centralised and unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee in all fields, aspects, and links of national governance. During the 15th FYP period, China’s development environment faces profound and complex changes, and the tasks are arduous and demanding. It is necessary to uphold, utilize, and develop the greatest advantage of the Party’s leadership to provide a fundamental guarantee for the construction of Chinese-style modernisation.” 会议指出，党中央听取全国人大常委会、国务院、全国政协、最高人民法院、最高人民检察院党组工作汇报和中央书记处工作报告，是坚持和完善党的领导制度体系，把党中央集中统一领导落实到国家治理各领域各方面各环节的重要举措。“十五五”时期，我国发展环境面临深刻复杂变化，工作任务艰巨繁重，要坚持好、运用好、发展好党的领导这一最大优势，为中国式现代化建设提供根本保证.
“The meeting concluded that over the past year, Party groups of the NPCSC, the State Council, the CPPCC NC, the Supreme People’s Court, and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, have adhered to Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, resolutely upheld the authority and centralised, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, conscientiously implemented the spirit of the 20th Party Congress and its subsequent plenary sessions, closely focused on the overall situation of the Party and the state’s work in performing their duties and responsibilities effectively strengthened the building of their own Party leadership groups and achieved new results in all aspects of their work. 会议认为，过去一年，全国人大常委会、国务院、全国政协、最高人民法院、最高人民检察院党组坚持以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导，坚定维护党中央权威和集中统一领导，认真贯彻落实党的二十大和二十届历次全会精神，紧紧围绕党和国家工作大局履职尽责，切实加强党组自身建设，各方面工作取得了新成效.
The meeting also noted that over the past year, under the leadership of the Politburo and the PBSC, the Central Secretariat has conscientiously implemented the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee, actively performed its duties and responsibilities, and carried out a large amount of work in such areas as completing tasks assigned by the Party Central Committee, strengthening the building of intra-Party regulations and systems, guiding and promoting the work of mass organizations, and rectifying formalism to reduce burdens at the grassroots level. 会议认为，过去一年，在中央政治局、中央政治局常委会领导下，中央书记处认真贯彻党中央决策部署，积极履职尽责，在完成党中央交办任务、加强党内法规制度建设、指导推动群团工作、整治形式主义为基层减负等方面做了大量工作.
The meeting emphasised that this year marks the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China and the beginning of the 15th FYP period. The Party groups of the NPCSC, the State Council, the CPPCC NC, the Supreme People’s Court, and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate must be guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era; thoroughly implement the spirit of the 20th Party Congress and its subsequent plenary sessions; conscientiously implement the deployments of the Fourth Plenary Session; uphold the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee; deeply understand the decisive significance of the two establishments, enhance the four consciousnesses, strengthen the four self-confidences, and achieve the two safeguards; always maintain a high degree of alignment with the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core in thought, politics, and action; and ensure that all decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee are implemented without compromise. They must focus on the major strategic tasks of economic and social development during the 15th FYP period, unify their will, and form a synergy to jointly promote work in all fields and strive for a good start. They must establish and practice a correct view of political achievements, insisting on achieving political achievements for the people and through practical work. They must strengthen the self-construction of the Party groups, conscientiously fulfill the primary responsibility of comprehensively and strictly governing the Party, and effectively enhance the consciousness and firmness of self-revolution. 会议强调，今年是中国共产党成立105周年，是“十五五”开局之年。全国人大常委会、国务院、全国政协、最高人民法院、最高人民检察院党组要以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导，深入贯彻党的二十大和二十届历次全会精神，认真落实四中全会部署，坚持党中央集中统一领导，深刻领悟“两个确立”的决定性意义，增强“四个意识”、坚定“四个自信”、做到“两个维护”，始终在思想上政治上行动上同以习近平同志为核心的党中央保持高度一致，不折不扣把党中央各项决策部署落到实处。要锚定“十五五”时期经济社会发展的重大战略任务，统一意志、形成合力，共同推进各领域工作，努力实现良好开局。树立和践行正确政绩观，坚持为人民出政绩、以实干出政绩。加强党组自身建设，认真履行全面从严治党主体责任，切实增强自我革命的自觉性坚定性.
The meeting emphasised that in the new year, the Central Secretariat must thoroughly implement the spirit of the 20th Party Congress and all plenary sessions of the 20th Central Committee, conscientiously implement the deployments of the Fourth Plenary Session, and based on its responsibilities and in accordance with the deployments and requirements of the Politburo and PBSC, effectively carry out key tasks such as guiding and conducting concentrated education within the Party, improving the construction of Party regulations and systems, strengthening and reforming mass organizations, and continuously addressing formalism to reduce burdens on grassroots levels, so as to successfully complete all tasks assigned by the Central Committee of the Party. 会议强调，新的一年里，中央书记处要深入贯彻党的二十大和二十届历次全会精神，认真落实四中全会部署，围绕中央政治局、中央政治局常委会部署要求，立足职责抓好指导开展党内集中教育、完善党内法规制度建设、群团组织建设和改革、持续整治形式主义为基层减负等重点任务落实，高质量完成党中央交办的各项任务.
Next, there’s a report on Xi congratulating Thongloun Sisoulith on his reelection as general secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee. Xinhua reports:
“In his congratulatory message, Xi said that since the convening of the 11th National Congress of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, the party’s Central Committee has united and led the Lao people in actively exploring a socialist development path suited to the country’s national conditions, overcoming difficulties and pressing ahead, and having scored a series of important accomplishments in advancing party building, developing the economy, improving people’s livelihoods and expanding external exchanges. The successful convening of the 12th National Congress of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party is highly significant for building on past achievements and opening up new prospects for the development of the party and the socialist cause in Laos, Xi said. Xi expressed the hope that, under the strong leadership of the central committee with Thongloun at its core, the party and people will remain united and continue their efforts to fulfill all goals and tasks set forth by the 12th national congress, continuously make new advances in Laos’ socialist cause, and press forward with resolve toward the party’s centenary goal in 2055. Xi noted that China and Laos are friendly socialist neighbors connected by shared mountains and rivers. In recent years, through joint efforts, China-Laos relations have entered their best period in history, with the endeavor to build the strategically significant China-Laos community with a shared future steadily deepening and becoming more tangible, yielding a series of fruitful results, he said. Xi said that in the new situation where the regional dynamics are deeply interconnected with global changes, he stands ready to work with the General Secretary to strengthen the strategic guidance for the development of China-Laos relations, promote the traditional friendship between China and Laos, deepen the exchange of experiences in party governance and state management, expand practical cooperation in various fields, and drive the China-Laos community with a shared future toward a high-standard, high-quality and high-level goal. This will bring greater benefits to the people of both countries, better serve the development of the socialist cause, and make new contributions to promoting peace, stability, development and prosperity in the region and the world, he added.”
Another report (English report) informs of Xi’s congratulatory letter to the opening ceremony of the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges.
Let’s now look at today’s Zhong Caiping commentary, which discusses fiscal and monetary policies. It says:
“In 2025, China implemented a more proactive fiscal policy for the first time, and a moderately loose monetary policy for the first time in 14 years. These played a vital role in promoting sustained economic recovery and improvement. According to the CEWC, the macroeconomic policy orientation in 2026 should adhere to the principle of seeking progress while maintaining stability and improving quality and efficiency, continue to implement more proactive and effective macroeconomic policies, leverage the integrated effects of existing policies and incremental policies, increase the intensity of counter-cyclical and cross-cyclical adjustment, and effectively enhance the effectiveness of macroeconomic governance.” 2025年我国首次实施更加积极的财政政策，时隔14年再次实施适度宽松的货币政策，为推动经济持续回升向好发挥了重要作用。根据中央经济工作会议部署，2026年宏观政策取向上要坚持稳中求进、提质增效，继续实施更加积极有为的宏观政策，发挥存量政策和增量政策集成效应，加大逆周期和跨周期调节力度，切实提升宏观经济治理效能.
A more proactive fiscal policy needs to be precise and effective.
Supporting the ‘two major/heavy’ projects with greater intensity, increasing strength to expand the scope of implementing ‘two new’ policies, substantially increasing investment in basic research, enriching policy tools for stabilising employment... In 2025, fiscal policy raised the deficit ratio, arranged a larger scale of government bonds, increased transfer payments to local governments, and promoted local implementation of implicit debt swap policies, providing strong support for stabilising growth, adjusting the structure, and preventing risks. In 2026, it is necessary to maintain the necessary fiscal deficit, total debt scale, and total expenditure volume, both eyeing the present by using the fiscal policy space well and to its full extent, and leaving leeway for responding to future risks to ensure fiscal sustainability. 更加积极的财政政策要精准增效。更大力度支持“两重”项目，加力扩围实施“两新”政策，大幅增加基础研究投入，充实稳就业政策工具……2025年，财政政策提高赤字率、安排更大规模政府债券，增加对地方转移支付，推动地方落实隐性债务置换政策，为稳增长、调结构、防风险提供了有力支撑。2026年，要保持必要的财政赤字、债务总规模和支出总量，既着眼当前，用好用足财政政策空间，也为应对未来风险留有余地，确保财政可持续。
It must be recognised that in recent years, the combination of increased external shocks and growing internal difficulties has had a significant impact on the fiscal revenue and expenditure of some local governments, resulting in a decrease in available financial resources coupled with continuous growth in rigid expenditures. It is necessary to address local government financial difficulties, establish and improve mechanisms for increasing revenue and reducing expenditure, enhance local governments’ independent financial capacity, and firmly secure the bottom line of the grassroots-level ‘three guarantees’. 必须看到，近年来，外部冲击加大、内部困难增多等因素交织，对一些地方财政收支造成很大影响，可用财力下降叠加刚性支出持续增长。要重视解决地方财政困难，建立健全增收节支机制，增强地方自主财力，兜牢基层“三保”底线.
Public funds must not be wasted. Currently, the scale of fiscal expenditure is very large; looking at the early 2025 budget, the national general public budget expenditure reached 29.7 trillion yuan, and central-to-local transfer payments reached 10.3 trillion yuan. At the same time, demands in all areas are also very large, and fiscal funds are very tight and extremely valuable. It is necessary to strengthen the scientific management of finance and improve the efficiency of fund utilisation. We must optimise the structure of fiscal expenditure, strengthen the financial guarantee for major national strategies, and promote more funds and resources to be invested in people, paying more attention to benefiting people’s livelihoods, promoting consumption, and enhancing long-term growth potential. We must coordinate the effective use of government bonds and other funds, proactively take action, and reasonably accelerate the allocation and disbursement of funds to promote the rapid formation of actual expenditures and tangible work. At the same time, strictly enforce financial and economic discipline, uphold the principle that Party and government organs ‘live a tight life’, plan expenditures carefully and calculate meticulously, and truly ensure that fiscal funds are used where they matter most.” 公帑不可靡费。现在财政支出规模很大，从2025年年初预算看，全国一般公共预算支出达到29.7万亿元，中央对地方转移支付10.3万亿元，但各方面需求也很大，财政资金很紧张、很宝贵。要加强财政科学管理，提高资金使用效益。优化财政支出结构，强化国家重大战略财力保障，推动更多资金资源投资于人，更加注重惠民生、促消费、增后劲。统筹用好政府债券等资金，主动靠前发力，合理加快资金下达拨付，推动尽快形成实际支出和实物工作量。同时，严肃财经纪律，坚持党政机关过紧日子，精打细算，切实把财政资金用在刀刃上.
A moderately loose monetary policy must be flexible and effective.
In 2025, monetary policy appropriately lowered reserve requirements and interest rates, and multiple targeted and supportive measures were introduced in terms of quantity, price, and structure, providing a suitable monetary and financial environment for promoting the recovery and improvement of the economy. The CEWC emphasised taking the promotion of stable economic growth and the reasonable recovery of prices as important considerations for monetary policy. This is a new formulation. In 2026, monetary policy must strengthen forward-looking and scientific adjustments, maintain abundant liquidity, promote the operation of comprehensive social financing costs at a low level, form a collective force with other policy measures, and strive to promote the achievement of goals such as economic growth and price recovery.
In recent years, in response to certain structural contradictions in economic operations, and in accordance with the principles of focusing on key areas, being reasonable and moderate, and advancing and withdrawing in a measured way, we has introduced multiple structural monetary policy tools in a timely manner, such as re-lending for scientific and technological innovation and technical transformation and re-lending for service consumption and elderly care. These have powerfully supported the key areas and weak links of economic and social development. At present, China’s monetary policy toolkit is relatively rich. It includes not only traditional aggregate tools, such as cuts to the reserve requirement ratio and interest rates, but also other liquidity provision tools and structural monetary policy tools. It is necessary to flexibly combine and efficiently utilise multiple monetary policy tools, coordinate the relationship between the short term and the long term, and between supporting the real economy and maintaining the financial system’s own soundness, keep social financing conditions relatively accommodative, and strengthen financial support for the real economy. 适度宽松的货币政策要灵活有效。2025年，货币政策适时降准降息，在数量、价格、结构等方面多次出台针对性强、支持力度较大的举措，为推动经济回升向好提供了适宜的货币金融环境。中央经济工作会议强调，把促进经济稳定增长、物价合理回升作为货币政策的重要考量。这是新提法。2026年，货币政策要加强前瞻性、科学性调节，保持流动性充裕，促进社会综合融资成本低位运行，与其他政策举措形成合力，努力推动实现经济增长、物价回升等目标。近年来，针对经济运行中存在的一些结构性矛盾，按照聚焦重点、合理适度、有进有退的原则，我国适时出台了多项结构性货币政策工具，如科技创新和技术改造再贷款、服务消费与养老再贷款等，有力支持了经济社会发展的重点领域和薄弱环节。当前，我国货币政策工具箱比较丰富，既包括降准降息等传统的总量工具，也包括其他流动性投放工具和结构性货币政策工具。要灵活搭配、高效运用多种货币政策工具，统筹短期与长期、支持实体经济与保持金融体系自身健康性的关系，保持社会融资条件相对宽松，加强对实体经济的金融支持。
Macroeconomic policies must be precise and effective.
It is necessary to focus on unblocking the transmission mechanism of monetary policy, improve new increments and invigorate existing stock, and make overall plans to do well on the ‘five major articles’ of finance. Step up support for key areas such as expanding domestic demand, scientific and technological innovation, and small, medium, and micro enterprises; and enhance the quality and effectiveness of financial services to the real economy. At the same time, facing an increasingly complex and challenging external environment, it is necessary to continue to balance internal and external relations, adhere to the decisive role of the market in exchange rate formation, strengthen expectation management, and maintain the basic stability of the RMB exchange rate at a reasonable and balanced level. Strengthening the consistency and effectiveness of macroeconomic policy direction requires a coordinated approach to macroeconomic regulation. At present, the environment facing China’s economic operations is becoming increasingly complex, with more and more dilemmas and even multiple challenges in economic work, leading to a growing demand for policies. The more policies there are, the greater the risk of them conflicting with each other. In past economic work, inconsistencies in policy direction have led to problems such as ‘composition fallacy’, which not only cancels out the effects of policies but also affects market expectations. As the toolbox of macroeconomic governance becomes increasingly well stocked, the requirement to strengthen policy coordination, enhance consistency of orientation, and prevent and resolve ‘composition fallacies’ or ‘decomposition fallacies’ has become more prominent.” 宏观政策贵在精准有效。要着力畅通货币政策传导机制，做优增量、盘活存量，统筹做好金融“五篇大文章”，加力支持扩大内需、科技创新、中小微企业等重点领域，提升金融服务实体经济的质效。同时，面对日益复杂严峻的外部形势，要继续平衡好内外部关系，坚持市场在汇率形成中的决定性作用，强化预期引导，保持人民币汇率在合理均衡水平上的基本稳定。增强宏观政策取向一致性和有效性，打好宏观调控“组合拳”。当前，我国经济运行面临的环境日趋复杂，经济工作中两难甚至多难问题越来越多，对政策的需求也越来越多。政策越多，越怕相互打架。在过往的经济工作实践中，也产生过政策取向不一致导致的“合成谬误”等问题，不仅使政策效果相互抵消，也影响市场预期。随着宏观经济治理的工具箱越来越充实，加强政策统筹协调、增强取向一致性，防范和解决“合成谬误”或“分解谬误”的要求更加凸显.
To enhance the consistency and effectiveness of macro policy orientation, it is necessary to strengthen a systemic perspective, incorporating economic and non-economic policies, as well as existing and new policies, into the assessment of macroeconomic policy consistency. This requires strengthening the coordination between fiscal and monetary policies, and between reform measures and macroeconomic policies, to ensure that all types of policies work in the same direction and form a synergistic force. Since the convening of the Politburo meeting on September 26, 2024, the Party Central Committee has successively deployed a series of policy measures, which are currently continuing to play a role. In 2026, incremental policies will also be introduced and implemented according to changes in the situation. It is necessary to synergistically exert the integrated effect of existing and incremental policies to promote the economy to be stable and move toward the better. A market economy is, to a large extent, also an economy of expectations. It is necessary to perfect the expectation management mechanism, enhance narrative capability, do a good job in economic publicity and public opinion guidance, respond to market concerns in a timely manner, and effectively boost social confidence. 增强宏观政策取向一致性和有效性，就要强化系统观念，将经济政策和非经济政策、存量政策和增量政策纳入宏观政策取向一致性评估，加强财政政策与金融政策协同、改革举措与宏观政策协同，确保各类政策措施同向发力、形成合力。2024年9月26日中央政治局会议召开以来，党中央先后部署一系列政策措施，目前还在继续发挥作用，2026年还将根据形势变化出台实施增量政策。要协同发挥存量政策和增量政策的集成效应，推动经济稳中向好。市场经济很大程度上也是预期经济，要健全预期管理机制，增强叙事能力，做好经济宣传和舆论引导，及时回应市场关切，有效提振社会信心.
Page 2: There’s a report on the new AI+ Manufacturing plan.
The document makes it clear that:
“By 2027, China will achieve a secure and reliable supply of key core AI technologies, and that the scale of the industry and its empowerment capabilities will steadily rank among the world’s forefront.
It will promote the deep application of 3–5 general-purpose large models in manufacturing, roll out 1,000 high-level industrial intelligent agents, build 100 high-quality datasets in industrial fields, and popularise 500 typical application scenarios.
It will cultivate 2–3 ecosystem-leading enterprises with global influence as well as a group of ‘specialised, refined, distinctive, and innovative’ SMEs; build a group of empowerment-oriented application service providers that ‘understand intelligence and are well versed in industry’; and select and establish 1,000 benchmark enterprises.
It will build a globally leading open-source and open ecosystem, comprehensively enhance security governance capabilities, and contribute Chinese solutions to the development of AI.” 实施意见明确：到2027年，我国人工智能关键核心技术实现安全可靠供给，产业规模和赋能水平稳居世界前列。推动3—5个通用大模型在制造业深度应用，推出1000个高水平工业智能体，打造100个工业领域高质量数据集，推广500个典型应用场景。培育2—3家具有全球影响力的生态主导型企业和一批专精特新中小企业，打造一批“懂智能、熟行业”的赋能应用服务商，选树1000家标杆企业。建成全球领先的开源开放生态，安全治理能力全面提升，为人工智能发展贡献中国方案.
China Daily’s report adds:
“A key priority will be enhancing AI computing power, including promoting the coordinated development of software and hardware for AI chips. Support will be given to breakthroughs in high-end training chips, edge-side inference chips, AI servers, high-speed interconnection and intelligent computing cloud operating systems…In addition, the initiative highlights accelerated industrialisation and commercialisation of new terminals such as AR and VR wearables and brain-computer interfaces, focusing on key scenarios like industrial inspection and telemedicine. It also promotes innovation in embodied intelligent products, including the construction of pilot bases and training grounds for humanoid robots, the establishment of benchmark production lines, and their early application in typical manufacturing environments.”
Page 3: There’s a report on Wang Yi’s meetings with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. The report says:
Abiy said that “Ethiopia regards China as a trustworthy, close brother and strategic partner. The two countries have long supported each other and that their bilateral relations are developing with strong momentum. Ethiopia expressed its gratitude to China for its long-term support and assistance to Ethiopia’s economic and social development, and highly appreciated China’s efforts in implementing the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. Ethiopia adheres to the one-China principle and is willing to maintain close high-level exchanges with China, deepen pragmatic cooperation, strengthen mutual support in regional and international affairs, and promote the continuous development of bilateral relations.
Wang called Abiy “an old friend of the Chinese people”. He added that China is “willing to work with Ethiopia to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, firmly support each other, strengthen the alignment of development strategies, deepen exchanges of experience in governance, and continuously elevate the all-weather strategic partnership between China and Ethiopia to new heights.”
“Ethiopia is leading the way in China-Africa cooperation, and both sides should work together to implement the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit, Wang said. He called for making full use of China’s zero-tariff policy for all African countries with which it has diplomatic relations, accelerating the upgrading of trade and economic cooperation, strengthening cooperation in infrastructure, green industries, and the digital economy, and advancing high-quality Belt and Road cooperation between China and Africa. He expressed hope that Ethiopia will provide a sound environment for Chinese enterprises to invest and conduct business, and said China looks forward to Ethiopia, as a major African country, playing an important role in regional and international affairs. China is willing to continue promoting the implementation of the Outlook on Peace and Development in the Horn of Africa and to play a constructive role in advancing regional peace, stability, and win-win cooperation.”
Wang also met with Minister of Foreign Affairs Gedion Timothewos. After the visit, the two sides issued a joint statement (English report). Some key points from that:
Both sides pledged to deepen cooperation in traditional areas, including economy, trade, infrastructure, energy, transportation, and justice, tap the potential for collaboration in emerging areas such as e-commerce, digital economy, artificial intelligence, and green energy, and expand cooperation in culture, tourism, media, education, and think tanks. Both sides highlighted their willingness to take the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges as an opportunity to promote people-to-people exchanges for closer bonds through culture and art.
Ethiopia reiterated its steadfast adherence to the one-China principle, reaffirming that there is but one China in the world, Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory, and the government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. The East African country opposes all forms of ‘Taiwan independence’, supports all efforts by the Chinese government to achieve national reunification, and resolutely defends the authority of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly Resolution 2758.
China attaches great importance to Ethiopia’s role in the Horn of Africa, and the Ethiopian side commends the results achieved under China’s Outlook on Peace and Development in the Horn of Africa.
The Ethiopian side highly appreciates the series of major initiatives put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping and is ready to work with the Chinese side for their implementation.
Both sides reaffirmed that all countries should abide by the basic principles established by the UN Charter and international law, respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, and oppose the use or threat of use of force in international relations.
While in Addis Ababa, Wang also met the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, for the 9th China–African Union Strategic Dialogue at the African Union Headquarters. The dialogue ended with a joint statement (Chinese text). Key excerpts:
The African Union side reaffirmed its firm commitment to the One-China principle, and reaffirmed that there is but one China in the world, Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory and the Government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, and firmly supported all efforts by the Chinese government to achieve national reunification.
Both sides expressed concerns on the recent developments in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and reaffirmed that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected, and the fundamental principles of the Charter of the United Nations and international law must be adhered to.
Both sides agreed to enhance communication, coordination and mutual support in their respective major initiatives, including Agenda 2063 as well as its flagship projects on Silencing the Guns by 2030, and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) on the African side, as well as the Global Security Initiative, the Global Governance Initiative and the International Organization for Mediation on the Chinese side.
Also on the page is a Zhong Sheng commentary, lashing out at the Japanese right for seeking to revive “militarism.” The piece begins by talking about history and the losses that the Japanese state and society suffered. Then the article says:
“Historical lessons are not that distant, yet the Japanese right wing is resorting to its old tricks. They are concocting the so-called ‘national normalisation’ discourse, under the banner of strengthening ‘independent defense’ and building a ‘nation capable of war’, to create momentum for promoting ‘neo-militarism’. They deny their history of aggression, revise history textbooks, and attempt to shed their ‘historical burden’, brainwashing and poisoning the minds of the younger generation. They are actively exaggerating ‘external threats’ and ‘existential crises,’ plotting to revise the ‘three non-nuclear principles’, and seeking to completely break free from the ‘Peace Constitution’ and the constraints of being a defeated nation. Externally, they fan flames and provoke confrontation, intending to profit from chaos and seize opportunities for expansion. In essence, Japan’s right wing seeks to completely discard the peace-oriented path that has underpinned Japan’s postwar development and to remake Japan according to its obsession with ‘neo-militarism’.” 历史殷鉴不远，日本右翼故伎重施。他们炮制所谓“国家正常化”话术，打着加强“自主防卫”、建设“能战国家”的旗号，为推行“新型军国主义”造势。他们否定侵略历史，篡改历史教科书，意图甩掉“历史包袱”，洗脑毒化年轻一代。他们极力渲染“外部威胁”“存亡危机”，图谋修改“无核三原则”，想要彻底挣脱“和平宪法”，摆脱战败国束缚。他们对外煽风点火、挑动对立，意图趁乱牟利，伺机扩张。一言以蔽之，日本右翼就是要将支撑战后日本发展的和平路线彻底抛弃，就是要按照自己的“新型军国主义”执念改造日本.
The Japanese right wing is pushing the country further and further down the wrong path of militarism, and it is the Japanese citizens who will ultimately bear the price. Japan’s defense budget for the 2026 fiscal year has reached 9.04 trillion yen, hitting a record high and triggering a large amount of opposition within Japan. Currently, Japan’s economy faces multiple pressures, such as weak growth and narrowing fiscal space; the people generally hope the government can prioritise resources for urgent issues such as revitalizing the economy and improving social welfare. The country’s renewed pursuit of military expansion has filled people of insight in Japan with deep anxiety. ‘The so-called “Three Security Documents” only talk about preparing for war, not about avoiding war’; ‘Sanae Takaichi’s remarks are harmful and serve no purpose, and do not conform to Japan’s national interests’; ‘the direction of Japan’s diplomacy should be to maintain stable and normal foreign relations’ ... Voices opposing militarism are constantly emerging within Japan, reflecting deep unease regarding the country’s strategic direction. 日本右翼推动国家在穷兵黩武错误道路上越走越远，承受代价的终将是日本国民。日本2026财年防卫预算达到了9.04万亿日元，创下历史新高，在日本国内引发大量反对。当前，日本经济面临增长乏力、财政空间收窄等多重压力，民众普遍希望政府能将资源优先用于振兴经济、改善社会福利等紧迫议题。国家重新走向军事扩张，更是让日本有识之士充满忧虑。“所谓‘安保三文件’只谈准备战争，不谈避免战争”“高市早苗的言论有百害而无一利，不符合日本国家利益”“日本外交的方向应是维持稳定、正常的对外关系”……反对穷兵黩武的声音在日本国内不断涌现，反映的是对国家战略走向的深重不安.
“More than 80 years ago, what the Japanese people were promised was an empty promise that ‘war can be won’, but what they received was untold suffering and devastation. More than 80 years later, the Japanese right wing has not changed its obsession, attempting to pull the citizens once again into the abyss of ‘neo-militarism’, repeating the same old mistake of harming others and oneself. Regarding this, the peace-loving Japanese people must maintain high vigilance. Japan’s future does not lie in the dangerous illusions painted by the right wing, but in a thorough reckoning with its history of aggression, in friendly relations with its Asian neighbours, and in the firm safeguarding of regional peace and development.” 80多年前，日本人民被许诺的是一张“战争能够胜利”的空头支票，得到的却是生灵涂炭、断壁残垣。80多年后，日本右翼执念不改，企图再次将国民拉入“新型军国主义”深渊，重蹈害人又害己的覆辙。对此，爱好和平的日本人民必须保持高度警惕。日本的未来，不在右翼描绘的危险幻梦中，而在对侵略历史的彻底清算中，在与亚洲邻国的友好相处中，在对地区和平发展的坚定守护中.
Finally, there’s a brief report on the page informing that ILD chief Liu Haixing met with a delegation led by Ali Agha Mohammadi, a member of the Expediency Discernment Council of Iran and an advisor on Economic Affairs to Iran’s Supreme Leader, in Beijing. This is important to note given the reporting of protests across Iran.
Page 15: There’s an article by Diao Daming from Renmin University of China, criticising the US for withdrawing from 66 global organisations.
Diao argues that the decision “signals a comprehensive escalation of its unilateral foreign policy, revealing that US diplomacy is now entirely guided by the ‘America First’ principle, driven by self-interest and a ‘if there’s no benefit, one won’t even get up early’ (won’t lift a finger unless there’s something in it/无利不起早) mentality.” 美国政府此次大规模“退群”，预示着美国单边主义外交政策的全面升级，暴露出美国外交已完全以所谓“美国优先”为原则，驶入了“无利不起早”的自利轨道.
The international organizations that the United States is withdrawing from cover several global governance fields, such as climate governance, public health, human rights, education and culture, refugee assistance, and sustainable development. These withdrawals are driven by the US government’s self-serving calculations. First, the US is increasingly pursuing the maximisation of its own interests in foreign affairs, and providing public goods to the world does not accord with its private interests. Second, with the rise of the Global South, emerging market countries and developing countries have gained more discourse power in international organizations, leading the United States to believe that participation is ‘not worth it’, and even to develop a so-called mentality of ‘suffering losses.’ Third, facing the pressure of the midterm elections, the Trump administration is more urgently pushing forward extreme internal and external agendas, either to shift domestic contradiction points or to retain conservative voters. It can be said that the US’s withdrawal from these organizations is not outright isolationism, but rather a new variant of selective hegemony driven by profit. 美国将要退出的这些国际组织，涉及气候治理、公共卫生、人权、教育文化、难民援助以及可持续发展等众多全球治理领域，均被美国政府的自利盘算排除在外。一是，美国在对外事务上愈发追求自身利益最大化，给世界提供公共产品不符合其私利。二是，随着“全球南方”崛起，新兴市场国家和发展中国家在国际组织获得更多话语权，导致美国自认为“不划算”，甚至有了所谓“吃亏”心理。三是，面对中期选举压力，特朗普政府更急迫地要推进内外极端议程，或转移国内矛盾点，或留住保守派选民。可以说，美国“退群”并非彻底的孤立主义，而是一种获利导向的选择性霸权新变体.
The US’s withdrawal again will bring challenges to global governance, not only further hindering efforts to respond to global issues such as climate change but also directly weakening multilateral mechanisms that coordinate issues such as economic, trade, and social development. But facts will ultimately prove that what ‘America First’ brings will be ‘America going it alone’, and the US will be isolated from the whole world. Facing changes, the international community must accelerate the formation of a collective force, jointly and continuously promote the forward development of various issues and fields of global governance, and join hands to construct a more just and reasonable global governance system. 美国再次“退群”将给全球治理带来挑战，不仅进一步阻碍全球应对气候变化等全球性议题的努力，还直接弱化协调经贸社会发展等议题的多边机制。但事实终将证明，“美国优先”带来的将是“美国独行”，美国将孤立于全世界。面对变局，国际社会唯有加速形成合力，共同持续推动全球治理各议题、各领域向前发展，携手构建更加公正合理的全球治理体系.