This edition brings you recent high-level diplomacy, key developments in China, and updates on China-EU relations. Enjoy reading!

Top News 

President Xi Jinping Holds Talks with President of Slovakia Peter Pellegrini

On the morning of July 28, 2026, President Xi Jinping held talks with President of Slovakia Peter Pellegrini, who is on a state visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

President Xi noted that Slovakia was among the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with New China, and the two countries enjoy profound and robust friendship. China is ready to work with Slovakia to develop a strategic partnership that features mutual respect, mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, stability and resilience, so as to deliver more benefits to both peoples.

President Xi pointed out that as transformations unseen in a century are accelerating across the world, the relations between China and Europe are facing both new, important opportunities and many challenges. The key to turning challenges into opportunities lies in conducting equal consultation and seeking commonality while resolving differences. China always sees the EU as a partner, and develops relations with the EU with sincerity and goodwill. It is hoped that Slovakia would play a constructive role in encouraging the EU to focus on consensus and properly handle disagreements with China, and in promoting the sound and steady development of China-EU relations.

President Pellegrini noted that as a member of the EU, Slovakia is ready to actively promote EU-China cooperation and encourage handling differences properly through dialogue and consultation. Slovakia highly values and appreciates China’s international standing and influence, and is ready to work with China to uphold multilateralism, safeguard the purposes of the U.N. Charter and international law, and promote peace and stability of the region and the world.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Zhao Leji also met with President of Slovakia on July 29, 2026.

President Xi Jinping Speaks with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on the Phone

On the morning of July 27, President Xi Jinping took a phone call from Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

President Xi stressed that facing new circumstances and new challenges, China and Brazil, as important members of the Global South, should firmly stand on the right side of history and the progress of human civilization, and play a more constructive role in reforming and improving the global governance system and upholding international fairness and justice. The two sides should jointly advance the high-quality development of greater BRICS cooperation, steer it in the right direction, maintain BRICS solidarity, produce more outcomes, and write a new chapter of uniting for strength within the Global South.

High-Level Events 

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng Attended and Addressed the Opening Ceremony of the 2026 APEC Ministerial Meeting on Forestry 

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng attended and addressed the opening ceremony of the 2026 APEC Ministerial Meeting on Forestry on Tuesday in Shenzhen.

He noted that China has undergone historic, transformative and comprehensive changes in ecological conservation, both in understanding and in practices. In the face of the current ecological situation in the Asia-Pacific region, China will accelerate its green transformation of economic and social development, he said, adding that the country stands ready to work with all parties to jointly promote high-quality forestry development in the region. 

Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing Attends the Opening Ceremony of the 2026 APEC Digital and AI Ministerial Meeting

Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing said Thursday that China stands ready to work with all parties to deepen digital and artificial intelligence (AI) practical cooperation with a view to generating stronger momentum for the building of the Asia-Pacific community.

Meanwhile, China will strengthen coordination on development strategies, governance rules and technical standards, and work together to build a fair and equitable global AI governance system, Zhang said.

Wang Yi Attends the High-Level Meeting on the Global Development Initiative

On July 28, 2026, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended and addressed the High-level Meeting on the Global Development Initiative (GDI) in Beijing.

He stressed that a thriving world lifts China, and a prosperous China empowers the world. No matter how the international landscape may evolve, China will continue to honor its responsibilities as a major country, align its growth with the common good of the world to promote and contribute to global development.

• First, we should enhance solidarity and cooperation to foster a peaceful environment for development.
• Second, we should combine our efforts to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 
• Third, we should champion openness and mutual learning to boost innovation as the engine for development.
• Fourth, we should practice multilateralism to help improve the global governance system.

China in Brief

The Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee Holds Meeting to Make Arrangements for Economic Work in the Second Half of this year

The Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee analyzed and studied the current economic situation and made arrangements for economic work in the second half (H2) of this year at a meeting held here on Thursday.

The meeting noted that since the beginning of this year, China's economy has shown a trend characterized by new growth drivers and improving economic structure.

It emphasized the need to attach great importance to the challenges in economic operations, maintain confidence, meet difficulties head-on, and make good use of various opportunities and advantages to promote steady and sustained high-quality development.

China's Ministry of Commerce Released a Document Titled "China's Position on the So-called Excess Capacity Issue"

On July 28, China's Ministry of Commerce released a document titled  "China's Position on the So-called Excess Capacity Issue" to clarify relevant facts and elaborate on China's policy stance on the so-called excess capacity issue.

The document said that the rapid development of China's modern industries is driven by innovation and that stable and healthy operation of Chinese industries relies on the continuous deepening of reforms.

Full text

China's 'Next New Three' Create Open Platform for Global Innovation

Just as China's "new trio" products are sweeping across global markets and winning over consumers, another wave is already arriving - a "next new three" of artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and innovative medicines.

Much like the "new trio" products before, China's "next new three" are bringing "accessible intelligence" to the world; they ensure that cutting-edge technologies are no longer "limited-edition luxuries," rather enable more developing nations to gain access to smart, automated, and advanced medical capabilities at an affordable cost. The "next new three" may represent some of the most fiercely competitive arenas globally; while China does not lead in every aspect, experience shows that a philosophy of openness and inclusiveness has fueled a systemic leap in the country's capacity for indigenous innovation.

China-EU Interactions

China, EU to Hold Second Trade Consultation Mechanism Meeting This Autumn

China and the European Union (EU) have agreed to hold the second meeting of the China-EU trade and investment consultation mechanism this autumn, the spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commercel He Yadong said on Thursday.

China is willing to continue maintaining high-frequency communication with the EU, respect each other and work in the same direction to explore practical and feasible solutions to trade and economic issues of mutual concern, promote balanced and positive development of bilateral trade, and maintain the stability and balance of the China-EU key trading partnership, he said.

China-Europe Freight Train Trips Exceed 130,000

As a flagship project and a landmark brand of the Belt and Road Initiative, the China-Europe freight train service, also referred to as the "steel camel caravans," has established a comprehensive logistics network across Eurasia. This June marks the 10th anniversary of the China-Europe freight train service adopting the unified brand of China Railway Express.

China-Europe freight trains have made more than 130,000 trips and transported goods with a total value exceeding $520 billion, latest official data showed Tuesday.

Spokesperson's Remarks

Polish Press Agency: According to an announcement of the Commerce Ministry on July 24, China put restrictions on a company and a polytechnic university of Poland. China always opposes politicizing technology, education and trade exchanges. Isn’t the above-mentioned announcement politicizing academic and trade exchanges and exerting maximum pressure?

A: On specifics about export controls, I’d refer you to competent authorities. Let me stress that China’s measures are a response to the EU’s erroneous move of listing and sanctioning Chinese companies. The measures do not target any specific country.

Beijing Daily: Recent data published by competent authorities shows that 77.7 percent of foreign tourists to China in the first half of this year benefited from the visa-free policy. There have been an influx of European tourists to China this summer to experience the “China Cool.” According to The Economist, growing interest on international social media in Chinese culture, Chinese products, and travel experiences is increasingly translating into concrete consumer demand and tourism interest. Do you have any comment?

A: A growing number of foreign friends are choosing to travel to China and experience the Chinese lifestyle like the locals. Trendy spots such as NEV showrooms, China-chic pop-up stores, and sci-tech innovation parks are becoming new must-see destinations, along with scenic spots and historical sites. “China shopping” continues to gain momentum, enabling the world to share the quality and ingenuity of “Designed in China” and “Made in China.”

What’s underpinning the appeal of “China travel” and “China shopping” is China’s firm commitment to empowering the world through high-quality development and connecting the globe through high-standard opening up. I have noted several international surveys in recent media reports, which indicate that a China dedicated to peaceful development and brimming with innovative dynamism and culture charm is gaining ever more trust and recognition worldwide. We welcome more foreign friends to travel to China to feel its vibrancy this summer.

EU Protectionist Measures Seriously Undermine Chinese Firms' Confidence in Cooperation

The European Union has recently rolled out a series of protectionist measures against China, seriously undermining Chinese companies' confidence in cooperation with the bloc, the head of the policy research department of China's Ministry of Commerce, Lin Weilong said on Tuesday.

China-EU cooperation is enormous in scale, and differences and frictions are inevitable. Such differences, however, should not be used as a justification for making groundless accusations, still less as a pretext for imposing restrictions, exerting pressure or undermining practical cooperation, Lin said.

China stands ready to work with the EU to properly handle differences and frictions through dialogue and consultation, Lin added.

Weekly Quote 

An international survey shows China receives higher favorability ratings than the US in 25 of 36 countries and territories surveyed.

Through the Lens

——Scenery of China's Huangyan Dao

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the newsletter are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of China, except those from the official website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Chinese Mission to the EU and other Chinese governmental websites.

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                                                                                   Editor: ZHANG Kaixiang