755 Foreign Affair Notes

International Observation & Exchange • External News Department, The Paper
755 Weihai Road, Shanghai

755 外务笔记
上海市威海路755号 · 澎湃新闻对外新闻部 国际观察与交流

[755 Foreign Affair Notes @755FAffairnotes]

755FANotes @755FAffairnotes learned that, Former Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. Cui Tiankai and China’s former deputy representative to the United Nations Geng Shuang quietly visited the U.S. last month, meeting with bipartisan policy experts. The trip is seen as paving the way for a China-U.S. leaders' summit expected around Sept. 24. #ChinaUS

[755 Foreign Affair Notes @755FAffairnotes]

China’s navy test-launched a long-range ballistic missile Monday from one of its nuclear-powered submarines.
The launch was part of routine annual training, complied with international law and practice, and was not directed against any country or target, according to a short statement from the Ministry of Defense.
Zhang Junshe, a military expert, told @755FAffairnotes that the launch is a strategically significant move following the launch of an intercontinental missile into the Pacific Ocean in September 2024, demonstrating that the People's Liberation Army's sea-based nuclear forces possess reliable nuclear counterattack capabilities.

[755 Foreign Affair Notes @755FAffairnotes]

On June 25, 2026, the Embassy of Canada to China hosted a national day reception in Beijing. 450 representatives from government, diplomatic missions, the business community, cultural organizations and media gathered to celebrate Canada’s 159th birthday.

Chargé d'Affaires, Mark Richardson, in reflecting on China-Canada relations over the past year stated, “Canada is a stable, reliable partner - a partner that builds and values relationships for the long term. That includes with China. To say this has been a significant
year for Canada–China relations would be an understatement. In many ways, it has been a turning point.” #CanadaChina

[755 Foreign Affair Notes @755FAffairnotes]

A senior delegation of U.S. diplomatic and strategic experts visited China recently. The delegation held talks at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (SIIS) and participate the 2026 China-U.S. Scholars Dialogue in Wenzhou, Zhejiang.
As @755FAffairnotes learned, discussions focused on implementing the consensus reached by U.S. and Chinese leaders, building a constructive and strategically stable bilateral relationship, and projecting the long-term trajectory of U.S.-China interactions into the 2030s.#USChina #Diplomacy

[755 Foreign Affair Notes @755FAffairnotes]

China continues to lead the world in scientific research, according to the latest Nature Index 2026 Research Leaders. The overall score places China well ahead of the United States (2nd) and Germany (3rd).
The Index shows that nine of the world’s top ten research institutions are now Chinese – one more than last year. The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) retains the No. 1 spot. Among the seven major subject areas tracked by Nature, China ranks first in Physics, Chemistry, Biological Sciences, Applied Sciences, Earth & Environmental Sciences, while The United States maintains leadership in Health Sciences and Social Sciences.
According to Nature’s data, China’s research output surged by 22.4% between 2024 and 2025 – the only double‑digit growth among the global top ten. This marks a steady consolidation of its scientific edge.

[755 Foreign Affair Notes @755FAffairnotes]

Recently, Da Wei @mawangcun1 , director of the Center for International Security and Strategy and professor in the Department of International Relations at Tsinghua University, delivered a public lecture. He argued that the end of American hegemony is highly unusual because the United States is dismantling its own hegemony.

According to Da Wei, the reason behind this is that the U.S. hopes to avoid excessive depletion of its national strength and preserve or even revitalize its own power — to “Make America Great Again.”

However, Da also said that the Trump administration is a government with very little strategic sophistication. Trump inexplicably stumbled into a war with Iran and suffered a major failure. In Da’s view, Trump went against his original strategic vision and was misled by Netanyahu. #IranWar‌ #IranUS

[755 Foreign Affair Notes @755FAffairnotes]

On June 17, British Ambassador to China @PeterWilson visited Liangjiahe Village in Shaanxi Province and joined local villagers in tasting the area’s freshly harvested apples. 🍎
Liangjiahe is located deep in the heart of the Loess Plateau—a recognized prime region for apple cultivation. Today, the apple industry has become a signature local sector, lifting large numbers of fruit growers and residents toward prosperity.
#Shaanxi #Liangjiahe #UK

[755 Foreign Affair Notes @755FAffairnotes]

"Understanding the history of the Communist Party of China is very important—both for me personally and for the United Kingdom," said British Ambassador to China @PeterWilson during a visit to Yan'an and Liangjiahe Village in Shaanxi Province. He is the first Western ambassador to visit Liangjiahe since the 20th National Congress of the CPC.
"Only by understanding history can we see clearly where the future lies," Wilson told @755FAffairnotes . He noted the dramatic changes he witnessed: "In the old photos, the background was all yellow; now it's green everywhere. The countryside has also transformed—from great hardship to relative prosperity."
Drawing on his own experience, he added: "My first visit to mainland China was in 1981. China back then was completely different from China today."
Wilson described the role of ambassadors and diplomats as finding more common ground between the UK and China and advancing the relationship. He also stressed the importance of strengthening bilateral engagement. "It's not that we will necessarily see eye to eye on everything, but we will understand each other more deeply and communicate more effectively."

[755 Foreign Affair Notes @755FAffairnotes]

On June 17, at the invitation of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, British Ambassador to China Peter Wilson @PeterWilson visited Yan’an City and Liangjiahe Village. He is the first ambassador from a Western country to visit Liangjiahe since the 20th CPC National Congress.
@755FAffairnotes has learned that Ambassador Wilson visited the Yan’an Revolutionary Memorial Hall and Yan’an Yangjialing Revolutionary Former Site in the morning, the China Executive Leadership Academy Yan'an at noon, and Liangjiahe Village in the afternoon.

[755 Foreign Affair Notes @755FAffairnotes]

The surprise Chinese box office hit of May – Teochew dialect film "Dear You" (给阿嬷的情书) – will screen in Singapore and Malaysia from June 18th, and Singapore will show 8 sessions in the original Teochew dialect.
Inspired by “qiaopi”, the letters and remittances sent by overseas Chinese from Southeast Asia to their hometowns, “Dear You” tells the story of a young boy who journeys to Southeast Asia to uncover the truth behind the letters his grandmother has been receiving for 18 years, eventually revealing that the letters were not written by her deceased husband, but by a woman he once helped.
Made on a tiny budget of just 14 million RMB, “Dear You” has earned over 1.7 billion RMB in mainland China. The film features a majority of amateur actors. #DearYou #TeochewMovie #BoxOfficeHit #AsianCinema

[755 Foreign Affair Notes @755FAffairnotes]

As the Iran war reaches its 100th day, Hasan Al-Dajah, Professor at Al-Hussein Bin Talal University (Jordan), told 755FANotes @755FAffairnotes that the inability of either Washington or Tehran to fully achieve their stated objectives reflects the nature of modern warfare.

“War is no longer decided by military force alone, but by a complex interplay of political, economic, and diplomatic considerations. What we are witnessing is less a traditional military confrontation and more a struggle for influence and a reshaping of the regional order.”

READ MORE👉https://t.co/4kOxHGbctY

[755 Foreign Affair Notes @755FAffairnotes]

Xi Jinping, General Secretary of CPC and President of China, will pay a state visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) from June 8 to 9 at the invitation of Kim Jong Un.
The visit will be Xi's first trip to the DPRK since June 2019. Kim visited China in September 2025, while Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited the DPRK in this April and met with Kim, highlighting ongoing high-level exchanges between the two neighboring countries.

[755 Foreign Affair Notes @755FAffairnotes]

As 755FANotes @755FAffairnotes learns, China and South Korea have agreed to expand bilateral air traffic rights for the first time in seven years.
Under the new arrangement reached in late May in Seoul, passenger flights between China and S. Korea will reach to 664 per week from 608, and cargo flights will reach to 68 per week from 54.
The expansion is driven by rapidly recovering travel demand. In Q1 2026, passenger traffic on China-Korea routes reached 4.39 million, surpassing the pre-pandemic level of 4.14 million in Q1 2019.
Since China introduced a visa-free policy for South Korean nationals in November 2024, China has become a popular destination for Korean tourists, with Shanghai emerging as a top choice for weekend trips. The Seoul–Shanghai route now operates over 30 daily flights, and existing rights have been fully utilized. The new deal will allow additional flights to serve growing demand.

[755 Foreign Affair Notes @755FAffairnotes]

China and the U.S. recently held "candid and constructive" exchanges on ‌air and maritime safety and discussed measures to improve military maritime security, the Chinese navy said in a statement ⁠published on Monday.
The two militaries had a working group meeting of the Military Maritime Consultative Agreement in Hawaii from May 28 to 29 and agreed that improved communication could ‌reduce ⁠miscalculation and enhance professionalism.
Chinese Navy also emphasized that China firmly opposes any action to undermine China's sovereignty and ⁠security under the pretext of freedom of navigation and overflight, and opposes any infringement, provocation and close-in reconnaissance and harassment targeting China.
755FANotes @755FAffairnotes noticed that this meeting marks another substantive interaction in the military security domain since the agreement to resume military communication reached between the heads of China and the U.S. last year. The China-U.S. Maritime Military Safety Consultative Mechanism, established in 1998, remains the key platform for discussions on maritime and aerial encounter safety.

[755 Foreign Affair Notes @755FAffairnotes]

On May 27, Tamara Vučić, First Lady of Serbia, visited the Yuyuan Garden in Shanghai. #ChinaSerbia #Vučić #Shanghai

[755 Foreign Affair Notes @755FAffairnotes]

At a public event on May 25, asked about the possibility that Chinese President Xi Jinping, U.S. President Trump and Russian President Putin could meet, and even pose for a photo together, at upcoming international summits APEC or G20 later this year, former U.S. Ambassador to Russia and Stanford University professor Michael McFaul @McFaul said such a scenario remains unlikely unless the war in Ukraine comes to an end.

“I personally don't think this will happen. I wouldn't predict photo opportunity involving the leaders of China, US and Russia as long as the war continues,” he said.

According to Michael, ending the conflict would serve the interests of all parties involved. He added that if the war ends before the G20 summit in Florida later this year, conditions could emerge for a reset in U.S.-China-Russia relations. But if the conflict continues, “I don't think it will happen.”

Michael also argued that Xi currently occupies a more flexible and advantageous position, both in China's bilateral relations with the two countries and within the broader strategic triangle.

[755 Foreign Affair Notes @755FAffairnotes]

U.S. has suspended a $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan, confirmed by U.S. Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao at a Senate hearing on May 21st.
Cao told the Senate that the decision was made to ensure “we have the munitions we need for Epic Fury — which we have plenty.” He added that the sale will continue when the administration deems necessary.
President Trump said last week he might delay approving the $14 billion arms package.

[755 Foreign Affair Notes @755FAffairnotes]

“Eswatini, due to its stubborn ties with the Taiwan region, cannot enjoy China’s zero tariff policy.” China’s Ambassador for FOCAC Affairs Liu Yuxi said on Tuesday. “It’s so regret that the people of Eswatini cannot enjoy such a preferential treatment,” He added.
Eswatini is the only African country that keeps “diplomatic ties” with Taiwan region.
Liu also said that the authorities of Eswatini should follow the general trend of the times and the will of the people, return to the right track of the One-China principle at an early date, so that the people of Eswatini can benefit from the zero-tariff policy and share the development opportunities of China's vast market. #ChinaAfricaCooperation #OneChina

[755 Foreign Affair Notes @755FAffairnotes]

On May 14, during his visit to China, Secretary of State Rubio genuinely impressed by the architecture and traditional Chinese aesthetics of the Great Hall of the People. He was seen giving it a thumbs-up more than once — even chatting about it with Defense Secretary Hegseth. 👀🇨🇳🇺🇸 #ChinaUS #Trump #Rubio