Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn in Manila to urge accelerated negotiations on a South China Sea Code of Conduct while criticizing Philippine maritime actions. Wang also invited ASEAN members to join a China-led international AI cooperation initiative, reinforcing Beijing's backing of ASEAN centrality.

At the GOAI World AI Open Source Competition launch in Hangzhou, tech executives and academics argued that open-source AI models now function as crucial global computing infrastructure. Leaders from Alibaba Cloud and Zhejiang Lab emphasized that open source democratizes access to advanced AI capabilities by combining cloud delivery with collaborative research.

The Xi'an hub of the China-Europe Railway Express operated 6,037 trains in 2025, marking a 21.1% year-on-year increase and bolstering central China's export capabilities. The expansion, which includes stabilized 11-day Trans-Caspian transit times, is directly supporting major exporters like Geely Auto in meeting ambitious overseas vehicle targets.

China's Taiwan Affairs Office reprimanded Taiwan's foreign affairs department for backing Philippine claims during recent South China Sea standoffs at Second Thomas Shoal. Beijing reasserted sovereignty over the Nansha Islands, accusing Taipei of aligning with foreign powers to undermine national unity.

IM Motors addressed customer delivery delays at select dealerships, highlighting operational challenges in managing retail networks during volatile demand cycles. Meanwhile, EV giant BYD launched a major hiring drive at its Shenshan production base, underscoring the industry's continuous push to scale manufacturing capacity.