Beijing: Xi marks the party’s 105th anniversary and calls for ‘adapting’ to change

Today’s headlines: Border crisis and refugee emergency; Phnom Penh cancels the 2026 Water Festival; Meeting between Iranian and US delegates postponed, rift between the parties remains; At least 14 children killed in roof collapse at a building in Lahore; In Singapore, one in four citizens has no religious faith.

CHINA

The ruling Chinese Communist Party must keep pace with the ‘changing circumstances’ imposed by the current situation, whilst ‘safeguarding’ the progress made so far. This was stated today by President Xi Jinping during celebrations marking the 105th anniversary of the party’s founding, without explicitly identifying any specific opportunities or risks. Analysts and experts believe the reference is to slower economic growth and demographic decline. In a 40-minute speech at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, the President urged party cadres to adapt to change, whilst also promoting it. Founded by Chinese revolutionaries in 1921, the party now has over 100 million members, representing 7.2 per cent of the Chinese population.

CAMBODIA

Priority is being given to the situation on the border with Thailand and to addressing the difficulties faced by displaced civilians. For these reasons, the Cambodian government has suspended the traditional celebrations for the 2026 Water Festival in Phnom Penh, scheduled for 23–25 November along the Tonle Sap in front of the Royal Palace. Celebrations at provincial level remain unchanged, depending on local traditions and the practical capacity of the authorities and citizens. As of 30 June, a total of 21,425 displaced Cambodians were still unable to return to their homes.

IRAN – UNITED STATES

The Iranian delegation has rejected the prospect of a meeting with US envoys in the Middle East, clouding the prospects for peace in the region. Officials in Tehran have stated that the two sides must first resolve the terms of a ceasefire they signed two weeks ago before they can address more sensitive issues, such as (possible) limits on the nuclear programme. The two sides therefore remain far apart on key points of the truce, such as easing Iran’s stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for financial incentives, as well as launching 60 days of negotiations to draw up a permanent peace agreement.

PAKISTAN

Fourteen children have died after the roof of a private after-school centre collapsed in the eastern city of Lahore, in Punjab. The authorities have launched an investigation into possible negligence, whilst rescue workers are digging through the rubble. So far, they have found several children and a 30-year-old teacher still alive beneath the rubble. The victims were aged between five and 16, with most under the age of nine.

JAPAN – INDIA

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi begins an official visit to India today, where she will hold talks with her counterpart and host, Narendra Modi, to discuss increasing bilateral trade, investment and strategic cooperation.

This visit follows Modi’s trip to Tokyo in 2025, when Japan pledged to double its investment in India to billion within the next decade. The two leaders will also hold the 16th annual India-Japan Summit, an annual meeting hosted alternately by the two nations.

SINGAPORE

Around one in four residents has no religious affiliation, compared with one in five in 2020. This upward trend has been continuing for more than a decade, according to figures on religious diversity in Singapore compiled by the Department of Statistics (SingStat). The 2025 General Household Survey, published on 30 June, shows that 23.9 per cent had no religious faith last year, compared with 20 per cent in 2020 (and 17 per cent in 2010). The survey also found an overall decline in the number of residents aged 15 and over who identify as Buddhist, Taoist, Christian or Muslim. The only exception to this trend is Hinduism, which saw a (slight) increase from 5% to 5.4%.

RUSSIA

According to a report in Kommersant, eleven Russian airlines, which account for over 90 per cent of total passenger traffic, have 130 of their 673 aircraft grounded this summer, equivalent to 19.3 per cent of their fleet. A figure of up to 10 per cent is considered normal for the peak season, but only Aeroflot falls into this category, whilst for a third of the remaining airlines, 93 of their 322 aircraft are grounded. S7 Airlines 33 out of 104, Ural Airlines 10 out of 51, Utair 9 out of 59, Nordwind 12 out of 27, Smartavia 3 out of 13, Red Wings 5 out of 26 and others in a similar situation.

TAJIKISTAN

Following a hiatus caused by armed clashes, Chinese engineers and workers have resumed construction of the Dushanbe–Kulma motorway in the border areas of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region in Tajikistan. The specialists returned to work in April and are currently pouring concrete, installing lighting in the tunnels and carrying out other construction work. The Chinese side agreed to continue work on the border sections after Tajikistan implemented additional security measures involving special forces.