A bipartisan group of US Republican lawmakers has called on President Donald Trump to press Chinese President Xi Jinping regarding American citizens unjustly detained or subject to exit bans in China. The appeal comes ahead of an anticipated meeting between the two leaders at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea on October 30, 2025.
Top economic officials from the United States and China convened in Kuala Lumpur on October 25, 2025, for crucial trade talks. The discussions aim to prevent an escalation of the ongoing trade war and pave the way for a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping next week at the APEC summit in South Korea.
Chinese researchers at Northwestern Polytechnical University have developed a fully transparent, jellyfish-mimicking bionic robot, nicknamed the 'Underwater Phantom.' Designed for stealth underwater surveillance, the drone is nearly invisible when submerged and operates with ultra-low power consumption and near-silent movement.
A grand farewell ceremony was held in Beijing for Nobel Prize-winning theoretical physicist Chen-ning Yang, who passed away on October 18, 2025, at the age of 103. The solemn event at Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery honored his profound contributions to physics and his deep connection to China.
Brazil's Maria Clara Pacheco, 22, secured her first world taekwondo title at the 2025 World Taekwondo Championships in Wuxi, China. She defeated 2024 Olympic champion Kim Yu-jin of South Korea in the women's 57kg final, marking a significant victory for Brazil.
Internet connectivity across Cameroon has been severely disrupted since October 23, 2025, leaving millions offline. This outage coincides with escalating protests and political tensions following the disputed October 12 presidential election, where incumbent Paul Biya is poised for re-election.
Lesotho's vital denim manufacturing sector faces severe crisis and thousands of job losses following the imposition of US tariffs by President Donald Trump. Initially set at 50% and later reduced to 15%, the tariffs have led to mass order cancellations and factory closures, jeopardizing the economy of the small African nation.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang has called for high-quality work to draft the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) for Economic and Social Development. The initiative follows the Fourth Plenum of the 20th Central Committee, which adopted key recommendations focusing on high-quality growth, new drivers, expanding domestic demand, and opening-up.
The Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry (FH) destroyed 1.5 tonnes, or approximately 7,500, counterfeit Swiss watches in Köniz, near Bern, on Friday. This significant operation highlights the industry's ongoing battle against fake products, which cause billions in annual losses and threaten the integrity of 'Swiss Made' luxury goods.
China's Cyberspace Administration and State Administration for Market Regulation have jointly issued new Measures for Certification of Cross-Border Personal Information Transfer, effective January 1, 2026. These measures complete the regulatory framework under the Personal Information Protection Law, offering a new compliance pathway for businesses transferring personal data overseas.
Kazakhstan has officially adopted national standards in Artificial Intelligence, as reported by Qazinform on October 24, 2025. These seven standards establish uniform rules for AI technologies, encompassing terminology, risk management, system architecture, and user privacy. This initiative is a key component of the nation's broader 2024-2029 AI Development Concept and follows the recent approval of AI integration standards for the education sector.
China has launched the 'Gezhouba,' its largest all-electric bulk carrier, in Yichang, Hubei Province. This 130-meter vessel, with a 13,000-tonne capacity and 24,000 kWh battery, signifies a major advancement in green and intelligent shipping, aiming to decarbonize inland waterways like the Yangtze River.
China has surpassed the United States to become Germany's leading trading partner in the first eight months of 2025, driven by a significant decline in German exports to the US due to renewed tariffs. This shift reverses the trend from 2024, with total trade between Germany and China reaching €163.4 billion.
China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun has expressed strong opposition to the European Union's latest sanctions targeting Chinese companies. The EU's 19th sanctions package includes 12 Chinese entities accused of supporting Russia's military-industrial complex and two refineries and an oil trader for significant purchases of Russian crude oil, drawing a firm rebuke from Beijing.
South Africa's ambitious R440 billion transmission grid expansion program, the Independent Transmission Projects (ITP), has attracted significant global interest. International developers, including India's Adani Power and major Chinese state-owned firms, are among 17 entities vying to construct 14,000 km of new power lines to support the nation's energy transition.
China's economy expanded by 4.8% year-on-year in Q3 2025, a slowdown from the previous quarter but keeping the annual growth target within reach. Despite resilience in industrial output and exports, weak domestic consumption and declining fixed asset investment, particularly in the property sector, raise concerns for future economic stability.
Presidents Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Prabowo Subianto met in Jakarta on October 23, 2025, to sign eight key cooperation agreements spanning oil, gas, electricity, technology, mining, and agriculture. The leaders emphasized boosting bilateral trade, which reached $6.3 billion in 2024, and strengthening ties between the Global South nations.
China successfully launched its Communication Technology Test Satellite-20 (TJSW-20) aboard a Long March-5 Y9 rocket from the Wenchang Space Launch Site on October 23, 2025. The satellite will primarily validate multi-band and high-speed communication technologies, marking the 602nd mission for the Long March series.
Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh recently underscored 'Operation Sindoor' as a symbol of India's robust willpower and capability, asserting the nation's readiness to confront challenges. The operation, launched on May 7, 2025, involved precision strikes against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK following the Pahalgam attack, showcasing significant tri-service integration.
China's Communist Party has announced a strategic focus on technological self-reliance in its upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030). This initiative, particularly targeting semiconductors and artificial intelligence, is a direct response to escalating US export controls, aiming to build a modern industrial system and reduce dependence on foreign technology.
