China This Week: Five things you need to know (Aug. 23-29, 2025)
One Step Closer to China: A weekly dispatch from Beijing every Friday with insights you don’t want to miss.
Editor's note: In this week's newsletter, what messages were sent in Chinese President Xi Jinping's meetings with the Russian State Duma Chairman, Cambodian King, and Queen Mother, respectively? As 26 heads of state and nearly 50 guests from 30 European countries will attend China's V-Day commemorations on September 3, how has the preparation been done? How has China responded to South Korean President Lee Jae-myung's "pragmatic diplomacy" of sending a special envoy to China and embarking on a visit to the U.S.? What are the highlights of China-Arab countries cooperation? And how will China gear up for the AI race by issuing national strategy "AI Plus" guidelines? Check it out.
1. Chinese President Xi Jinping met Russian State Duma Chairman, Cambodian King, and Queen Mother
On August 26, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Vyacheslav Volodin, chairman of the Russian parliament's lower house, the State Duma, in Beijing. Xi emphasized that China and Russia continue their traditional friendship, further deepen strategic mutual trust, and work to promote a more equitable and just international order.
On the same day, President Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan met with Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni and Queen Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk in Beijing. Xi recalled his state visit to Cambodia in April and the hospitality he received from King Sihamoni and the Cambodian people, and reaffirmed the 'Iron-Clad' Ties between the two countries.
Read more:
Xi Jinping Meets with Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin -Chinese Foreign Ministry-
President Xi Jinping and His Wife Meet with Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni and Queen Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk -Chinese Foreign Ministry-
2. 80th Anniversary of the WWII Victory: China's V-Day Commemorations Get Ready
China's V-Day commemorations on September 3 will mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Beijing announced on August 28 that 26 heads of state and government will attend the event, with Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, making an unexpected appearance that hit the headlines. Chinese Foreign Ministry said that nearly 50 leaders, former political dignitaries, high-level officials, diplomatic envoys to China, and friendly personages from 30 European countries have confirmed their attendance. Regarding WWII history, China has lodged protests with Japan, demanding clarification, after Japanese media Kyodo News reported on August 24 that Tokyo asked European and Asian countries through diplomatic channels not to attend China's V-Day commemoration, citing "multiple diplomatic sources."
Read more:
26 foreign leaders to attend China's V-Day commemorations on Sept. 3 -China’s State Council-
First press briefing on China’s V-Day anniversary events -Chinese Foreign Ministry-
China lodges protests with Japan, demanding clarification after Tokyo reportedly asks states not to attend Beijing’s V-Day events -Global Times-
3. South Korean President Sent Special Envoy to China, Brought a Letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping, Vowed on Bilateral Ties and Korean Peninsula
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung's special envoy group, led by former National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug, kicked off a four-day visit to China on August 24, coinciding with the 33rd anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Park asked Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to forward President Lee's letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping and told Wang that Seoul hopes to normalize relations with Beijing, which have been strained in recent years. Park also had talks with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, Chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee Zhao Leji, and Commerce Minister Wang Wentao. South Korean National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik will attend China's WWII Victory-Day commemoration on September 3 in Beijing.
Read more:
Global Times editorial: To adjust ‘security with US, economy with China,’ S.Korea must first address this key question -Global Times-
Envoy group delivers letter from Lee to Xi, seeks stronger Korea-China ties -Chosun Biz-
China warns against external interference in ties with South Korea -South China Morning Post-
4. China-Arab States Expo Opens With Record Participation
The 7th China-Arab States Expo kicked off on August 28 in Yinchuan, capital of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. The expo opened with record participation, marking a historic first where all 22 Arab countries are taking part, alongside delegations from China's 31 provincial-level regions, the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. This year's expo features the United Arab Emirates as the Guest Country of Honor. Themed "Innovation, Green Development and Prosperity," the four-day expo will host trade fairs and forums focused on eight key sectors, including investment, technology transfer and innovation cooperation, modern agriculture, tourism, and intellectual property. China has been the Arab states' largest trading partner for years, with bilateral trade reaching $407.4 billion in 2024, up 2.3 percent year-on-year.
Read more:
China, Saudi officials vow deeper bilateral cooperation, joint support for multilateral trading system -Global Times-
The 7th China-Arab States Expo Clean Energy Exhibition Opens Grandly, Boosting a New Journey of China-Arab Green Cooperation -The Straits Times-
Kuwait highlights innovation initiatives at China-Arab Expo -Kuwait Times-
5. China Issues Guideline to Deepen "AI Plus Integration" Across Key Sectors, Set Targets for 2027, 2030, and 2035
China on August 26 released a guideline on deepening the implementation of its "Artificial Intelligence (AI) Plus initiative" (《关于深入实施“人工智能+”行动的意见》), set targets for the AI integration across various key sectors and industries. By 2027, China plans to have AI deeply embedded in six critical areas, namely science and technology, industrial development, consumption upgrading, people's wellbeing, governance and global cooperation. By 2030, AI will fully empower China's high-quality development, achieving a high level of AI penetration with over 90 percent of intelligent applications integrated into daily life. Eventually, by 2035, AI will provide strong support for the basic realization of socialist modernization as China has comprehensively entered a new stage of development of the smart economy and smart society.
Read more:
China evolving into AI 'super market' driven by scale, innovation -China’s State Council-
‘Industry plus AI’ to be a game-changer -China Daily-
China races to embed AI use across major industries with ambitious 2030 target -South China Morning Post-
Stay tuned for more updates on China's political, economic, and cultural landscapes.
Disclaimer: This newsletter is for informational purposes only. All sources are publicly available and subject to change.
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