When the Hormuz strait effectively closed in April 2026, Beijing rode out the oil-price shock better than its Asian neighbours, and in doing so helped shape how the shock played out worldwide. Crude imports fell from around 11.7 mb/d in February to under 9 mb/d by late May, drawing on strategic reserves that had reached some 1.4 billion barrels.
environment & carbon neutrality
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23 Jun 2026
Baseline thinking, dixian siwei 底线思维, entered Xi Jinping's vocabulary in 2013. Alert to how such formulae shape policy, CHINA POLICY began to keep a weather eye on it. What is new in 2026 is reach. A formula minted for national security now turns up in flood directives and stock exchange plans, in energy strategy and EV positioning, in Politburo study sessions and township emergency drills.
governance
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18 Jun 2026
Beijing's 'new humanities' signal a bid to recast traditional disciplines as a strategic resource in the AI era. MoE (Ministry of Education) is retooling ethics, culture and critical thinking into interdisciplinary programs integrating big data and AI. The aim is to anchor technological development in PRC values and strengthen discourse power (话语权) in global governance.
education
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16 Jun 2026
The 'China Agricultural Outlook Report (2026–35)', the annual ten-year projection from MARA (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs), opens on a confident supply story. Grain output reached 715 million tonnes in 2025, the second year above 700 million tonnes, and is forecast to reach 753 million tonnes by 2035. The record harvest has not eased the mood. Capacity is rising. Confidence is not.
food & agriculture
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12 Jun 2026
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Hormuz tests the PRC petrochemical build-out
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a decade of baseline and worst-case thinking
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are the humanities still a strategic resource?
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how far can Beijing cut its food imports?
monitoring
recent commentary
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read more08 Jun 2026
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growth modelcentral budgetlocal budgetinvestment fundsinclusive financeaffordable housingurbanisationpoverty alleviationsocial insurance...read more08 Jun 2026
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growth modelstrategic and emerging industriesTaiwan/HK/Macauscience and technologyAI...read more08 Jun 2026
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strategic and emerging industriestraditional industryenergy transitionscience and technologytech transfer, R&Dhydrogenrenewablesenergy security...read more08 Jun 2026
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Gai JunyiNanjing Agricultural University National Soybean Improvement Centre director Nanjing Agricultural University, Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE)
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Cheng GuangyanMinistry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Institute of Food and Nutrition Development Centre for Animal Food and Nutrition Policy director
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Qin YumingChina Federation of Logistics and Purchasing Cold Chain Logistics Committee secretary general
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