Weekly
=== NEWSLETTER Nº 04===
26 January 2026
In this edition, we review China-related developments over the past week, as well as the latest progress in China–EU relations. Enjoy reading!
China Brief
On the morning of January 23, 2026, President Xi Jinping spoke with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on the phone.
This year marks the beginning of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan. China will pursue high-quality development through high-standard opening up and provide more opportunities for cooperation with Brazil. China is ready to work with Brazil to comprehensively advance mutually beneficial cooperation across the board, and promote greater development and usher in a brighter future of China-Brazil relations.
Facing the turbulent international landscape, China and Brazil, as important members of the Global South, should firmly stand on the right side of history, better champion the common interests of both the two countries and the Global South, and jointly uphold the central position of the United Nations and international fairness and justice.
✨Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has announced that Brazil will grant exemptions from certain categories of short-term visas to Chinese citizens, in reciprocity for China's visa exemption policy for Brazilian nationals, the Brazilian presidency said on January 23. The specific implementation date of the visa-free policy will be announced at a later time.
China firmly supports multilateralism, free trade: vice premier
Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng called on the global community to firmly support multilateralism and free trade, and stay committed to win-win cooperation while delivering a speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. He outlined four key recommendations:
👉The international community should firmly support free trade and promote universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization.
👉Multilateralism should be firmly upheld, and it's necessary to make the international economic and trade order more just and reasonable.
👉The world should also adhere to win-win cooperation, be committed to maximizing the fruits of cooperation, and jointly solve development problems.
👉All countries should make good use of dialogues to properly manage differences and resolve issues.
China’s economy grew by 5% in 2025
China remains a powerhouse the world will benefit from. 5% growth on the basis of 140 trillion yuan (about $20 trillion) equals adding the annual output of a medium-sized economy. It also sustains China’s around 30% contribution to global growth in recent years.
How did the world see China in 2025?
A new survey by Global Times, covering respondents in 46 countries, finds:
✅Nearly 80% support building “a community with a shared future for humanity”
✅Over 70% recognize China’s Global Development, Security & Civilization Initiatives
✅ 75% view China’s Five-Year Plan as effective
✅ Over 80% applaude China’s economic growth in 2025
✅ 64% have a favorable view of China
✅Over 90% express strong interest in China, especially its culture and technology
46.8% Surge: Hainan's duty-free sales boom in first month after island-wide operation
In the first month since Hainan’s island-wide customs operation began, its offshore duty-free market has demonstrated explosive growth. According to Haikou Customs, duty-free sales from December 18 to January 17 reached 4.86 billion yuan, a surge of 46.8% year-on-year, with 745,000 shoppers making purchases.
The growth is driven by recent policy enhancements, including an expanded product range—now featuring popular electronics like cameras and drones—and the extension of duty-free shopping privileges to all departing travelers.
China applies to host secretariat of Marine Biological Diversity Agreement in Xiamen
China has applied to host the secretariat of the Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) in the coastal city of Xiamen, Fujian Province in the southeast, reflecting its commitment to upholding international maritime order.
The agreement, which is also referred to as the High Seas Treaty, entered into force on January 17, 2026, and marks a new chapter in global ocean governance. China places high priority on marine conservation and the sustainable use of ocean resources. As a responsible major country, China has been deeply involved in global ocean governance and is both willing and capable of making greater positive contributions to the implementation of the agreement.
Xiamen, known as a "garden city by the sea," boasts a strong innovation environment and a rapidly developing blue economy. It serves as an important hub for international maritime cooperation, and that its long-standing commitment to marine sustainability aligns closely with the objectives of the agreement.
China-EU relations
Finnish PM to visit China
At the invitation of Premier of the State Council Li Qiang, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo will pay an official visit to China from January 25 to 28.
During Prime Minister Orpo’s visit to China, President Xi Jinping will meet with him, and Premier Li Qiang and Chairman Zhao Leji of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress will hold talks and meet with him respectively. They will have an in-depth exchange of views on bilateral relations and issues of mutual interests.
China attaches great importance to the development of China-Finland relations, and stands ready to work with Finland to have closer high-level exchanges, strengthen political mutual trust, enhance economic and trade cooperation, promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges, step up mutual understanding and coordination on multilateral affairs, and jointly bring the China-Finland relationship to new heights.
China highly concerns about EU's cybersecurity package
China expressed grave concern over the latest cybersecurity package rolled out by the European Commission aimed at forcibly de-risking supply chains in the mobile networks. This not only gravely hinders the EU's technological progress and economic growth, but also tarnishes its reputation for an open market and saps foreign companies' confidence in investing in the EU.
Chinese companies are never a security threat to European countries as they have long been conducting lawful operation in Europe and are law-abiding and high-quality providers for the EU's telecom and digital sector. We urge the EU to stop pursuing the wrong path of protectionism.
Key Remarks
On the China-EU economic and trade relations
FM Spokesperson: The China-EU economic and trade relations are mutually complementary and win-win in nature. The competitive advantage of Chinese products is not built on subsidies but is the combined result of huge research input, full market competition and the complete industrial chain. We never seek trade surplus; on top of being the world’s factory, we hope to be the world’s market too. We hope that the EU can have a long-term perspective and open attitude, and work with China in the same direction to promote the sustained and sound development of China-EU economic and trade ties. The Chinese government always encourages and supports willing and capable Chinese companies to invest and do business in Europe based on market principles. We hope the EU can provide a fair, nondiscriminatory, transparent and predictable market environment for Chinese companies.
On Greenland
FM Spokesperson: China will not comment on the relations between European countries and the U.S. On Greenland, we’ve stated China’s position on multiple occasions. As for the relations between China and Europe, China always upholds the principle of mutual respect and win-win cooperation in advancing its relations with European countries. We also hope that European countries can work with China in the same direction.
China follows an independent foreign policy of peace. We conduct friendly exchanges with other countries based on mutual respect and equality and stay committed to acting as a positive and stable force for good. We have no intention and will not compete for influence with any country. We always maintain that no matter how the international landscape may evolve, what serves the common interests of all parties in the international community is that we uphold the international system with the UN at its core, the international order based on international law, and the basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.
On a question concerning China-related content in the European Parliament Reports
On a question concerning the European Parliament’s Resolution on Hong Kong
Weekly Quote
Please read about China, watch Chinese movies, make friends from China, and please come here. Because nothing is better than seeing the modernity of China with your own eyes. (Click the video)
— Erik Solheim, Chairman of the Europe Asia Center and former UN Under-Secretary-General
🏞️A selected artwork from “Reviewing the 50-Year Journey of China-EU Relations, Joining Hands to Embrace a Shared Future” Creative Contest: The Fusion of Two Natures
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: Jiang Qian
