Pacific Dialogue

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Ali Bagheri Kani, Deputy Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) in Beijing on November 2.  Wang Yi said that dialogue and negotiation are the solution for the current conflicts in the Middle East.

Inflation, immigration and political corruption are among the main concerns of American voters ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, according to Xinhua. Xinhua reporters visited polling locations in Maine, North Carolina and Texas and spoke with voters about the issues influencing their decisions. The election comes amid continued pressure on household budgets, disagreements over immigration enforcement and growing public concern about political accountability. The cost of living has become a particularly prominent issue. A Reuters/Ipsos poll completed on October 26 found that 73 percent of American adults surveyed believed the cost of living was moving in the wrong direction. The same poll found that President Donald Trump's job approval rating stood at 32 percent, while registered voters favored Democratic congressional candidates over Republicans by 47 percent to 36 percent. The results suggest that economic concerns are central to the campaign, although national polling figures do not directly determine the outcome of individual congressional races.

More than 51 million Americans had cast their ballots ahead of the November 3 midterm elections as of October 31, surpassing the nearly 46 million early votes recorded in the 2022 midterms, according to data from the University of Florida's Election Lab cited by Xinhua News Agency. The surge in early voting comes as Republicans and Democrats compete for control of Congress, with all 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats up for election. But the campaign has also been marked by disputes over voting procedures and ballot eligibility. In California, the federal government has sought to challenge more than 20,000 mail-in ballots over voters' citizenship status, while state officials have questioned the evidence behind the move. In Alaska, a closely watched Senate race has become the subject of a federal investigation over allegations that a candidate with a name similar to the Republican incumbent was recruited to confuse voters. The Democratic candidate's campaign has denied the allegation. The election will determine which party controls Congress during the final two years of President Donald Trump's second term.

Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tarik of Oman in Beijing on November 2 during the Omani leader's two-day state visit to China. The visit marks the first by an Omani head of state since China and Oman established diplomatic relations in 1978. It is also Haitham's first visit to China since becoming sultan in 2020. China and Oman established a strategic partnership in 2018, with cooperation covering energy, trade, investment and infrastructure. Oman occupies an important position along international shipping routes near the Strait of Hormuz, making regional stability particularly relevant to both countries. The two leaders also attended a ceremony for the signing of cooperation documents in Beijing.

On November 1, an upgraded free trade agreement between China and Peru officially took effect, marking another step in the two countries' economic ties. The original agreement, which entered into force in 2010, was China's first comprehensive free trade agreement with a Latin American country. Bilateral trade increased from $6.4 billion in 2009 to $50.4 billion in 2025, according to China's Ministry of Commerce. The upgraded agreement modernizes seven existing chapters, covering areas including customs procedures, intellectual property, services and investment. It also introduces five new chapters on e-commerce, global supply chains, environmental cooperation, competition policy and standards. The two countries have agreed to launch further negotiations on services and investment within two years. China is Peru's largest trading partner and biggest export market. According to Peru's Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism, China accounted for 35% of Peru's total foreign trade in 2025. The agreement comes as countries worldwide face growing uncertainty over tariffs and global supply chains. Beijing and Lima are moving to expand trade cooperation, improve customs procedures and create new opportunities for businesses on both sides.

Monthly Stories from Xiamen: What's driving Xiamen's consumer boom?

China is bringing a mix of tradition and technology to London. More than 200 delegates and 116 Chinese cultural and tourism enterprises and organizations are expected to participate in World Travel Market London from November 3 to 5. China’s exhibition area will cover approximately 490 square meters, about 22 percent larger than last year. Visitors will be able to explore traditional Chinese crafts and cultural performances alongside innovative travel technologies, including AI translation devices, smart glasses and intelligent exoskeletons. The exhibition aims to showcase not only China's cultural heritage but also how new technologies are transforming the travel experience.

Can a blanket help save a melting glacier? Chinese researchers are testing an innovative approach to slowing glacier melt: covering sections of ice with a special nanofilm designed to reflect heat and promote radiative cooling. At Dagu Glacier in southwest China's Sichuan Province, the protective material reduced ice melt by more than 80 percent in treated areas, according to researchers. Over six years of experiments, parts of the monitored glacier surface even gained around 10 centimeters in elevation. The findings suggest that advanced cooling materials could help protect vulnerable sections of glaciers, although their effectiveness and practicality on a larger scale remain to be studied.

Brazilian incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, candidate of the ruling Workers' Party, won the presidential runoff on October 25. With 99.99 percent of the votes counted, Lula received 51.79 percent of the valid votes, compared with 48.21 percent for Flavio Bolsonaro, the Liberal Party's presidential candidate and son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Lula will be sworn in on January 5, 2027, for a four-year term, marking his fourth election as Brazil's president.

Former Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic conceded defeat in the snap parliamentary election on October 25, as independent projections and leaders of a student-backed movement born out of anti-corruption protests confirmed an outright parliamentary majority that ends the Serbian Progressive Party's (SNS) 14-year grip on power.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with co-chair of the Board of Trustees of the Asia Society John L. Thornton and The New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman, who are in China for the 2026 Global Governance Forum (Xiongan), on October 23.

A Chinese tech creator's first major English-language video on X is making waves far beyond China. Tim Pan, founder of Chinese video production channel MediaStorm (影视飓风), released an English-language review of Apple's first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, on October 21. The video drew nearly 50 million views within 24 hours, with international audiences praising its cinematic production, creative approach and detailed testing. Tim wasn't the only Chinese creator drawing attention to Apple's latest device. On the same day, another popular Chinese tech reviewer, He Tongxue, released a nearly 28-minute analysis of the iPhone Duo. His team used specialized equipment to measure the screen crease, examine the hinge and test the phone's performance, battery life and software compatibility. Their findings offered a detailed look at both the strengths and limitations of Apple's first foldable phone. Both creators have already built large audiences in China, where elaborate experiments, professional cinematography and extensive product testing have become hallmarks of leading tech channels. What makes Tim's latest video particularly interesting is its reception overseas. Rather than relying on translated clips or reposts, he is presenting Chinese-produced content directly to international audiences in English. The discussion around his video has focused largely on its production quality and the depth of its testing.

What did a royal ceremonial complex look like 5,000 years ago? Chinese archaeologists have uncovered the remains of three ancient wooden structures near the Fanshan burial site, one of the most important royal cemeteries of the Liangzhu civilization in eastern China's Zhejiang Province. Using evidence from 120 postholes, researchers reconstructed the possible appearance of the buildings. The largest structure measured approximately 25 meters long and 16 meters wide, with one reconstruction suggesting a height of around 15 meters. Archaeologists believe the structures may have served as ceremonial halls associated with royal burial rituals, offering new clues about the political and religious life of the ancient Liangzhu civilization.

China's digital yuan has recorded transactions worth approximately 31 trillion yuan ($4.4 trillion) as of the end of September 2026, according to the People's Bank of China. The digital currency has now processed around 4.3 billion transactions.

On October 21, @UnitreeRobotics unveiled its "H2-X Kung Fu Legend Guardian" robot, capable of performing impressive feats such as front flips over cars, jumps from heights of 4 meters and consecutive aerial kicks.

Canada is looking beyond the United States as it seeks to reduce its economic dependence on its southern neighbor. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is visiting Türkiye for talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as Ottawa seeks to expand its international trade partnerships amid tensions over U.S. tariffs. The visit comes just a day after Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced a C$8.7 billion ($6.18 billion) plan to support Canadian industries hit by U.S. tariffs, particularly the steel, automotive and critical minerals sectors. "From mine to mill to assembly line, Canada and Ontario are protecting jobs today and making bold investments that will build a stronger, more resilient, more independent Canadian economy for tomorrow," Carney said. Ontario, Canada's manufacturing heartland, has been among the hardest hit by U.S. tariffs due to its heavy reliance on exports to the American market, particularly automobiles and steel. The Canadian government says it has already provided more than C$25 billion in assistance to workers and businesses affected by U.S. tariffs.

China's export controls on Japan are aimed at thwarting Japan's remilitarization and attempts to acquire nuclear weapons, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on October 21. Her remarks came in response to a question about a Financial Times report that Japan could run out of supplies of the critical rare-earth element yttrium within months. "China implements export controls on Japan in accordance with the laws and regulations. The aim is to thwart Japan’s remilitarization and attempt to possess nuclear weapons," Mao said. China's position on safeguarding the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains for critical minerals remains unchanged, she noted, adding that all parties have a responsibility to play a constructive role in this regard.