Global Media Highlights in December

L’ANTIDIPLOMATICO

Headline: How to Communicate with China - Alessandra Cappelletti (Sinologist)

Published on: 4 November 2025

Summary:  The recent high-level roundtable discussion titled “For Fair and Inclusive Global Governance, Joint Efforts and Common Development” was held at the Chinese Embassy in Italy, bringing together Italian and Chinese participants to discuss global governance.

Dr Alessandra Cappelletti, Associate Professor at XJTLU’s Department of International Studies, spoke to Radio China International’s Italian section about the event. She highlighted the importance of platforms such as study centres in facilitating engagement with Chinese officials, particularly in interpreting cultural differences in governance.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Headline: XJTLU enters ESI top 1% for chemistry research

Published on: 14 November 2025

Summary: XJTLU has hit a big milestone in chemistry, with its research ranked among the top 1% most cited worldwide over the past decade.

Professor Li Yang, Associate Dean for Research at XJTLU’s School of Science, credited the achievement to strong cross-disciplinary teamwork. She said the School is now looking to “expand our initiatives in alignment with global trends and societal needs” and provide more support to new researchers. This is the sixth subject at XJTLU to reach this elite global ranking.

This news was also reported by The Straits Times, The Manila Times, Morningstar, Times of San Diego, Saigon Times, and more.

BUSINESS IMPACT

Headline: Innovative aerial vehicle system aims to boost disaster monitoring efficiency

Published on: 19 November 2025

Summary: Dr Jianyu Xu, Associate Professor at XJTLU’s International Business School Suzhou (IBSS), helped design a smart routing system for drones. The system efficiently monitors natural hazards such as landslides by carefully managing battery life and camera coverage, ensuring every area is scanned without wasting power.

CHANNEL NEWS ASIA (CNA)

Headline: China steps up mineral diplomacy in rare earth power race

Published on: 1 December 2025

Summary: China has launched a new international “green minerals” alliance following a supply shock in Myanmar, aiming to secure its dominant position in the rare earths market while promoting cooperative standards for sustainable mining.

Dr Lin Xiong, Associate Professor at XJTLU’s School of Intelligent Finance and Business, said the initiative allows China to “de-risk green minerals supply chains through policy coordination” and position itself as “a cooperative provider of standards and technology”. She noted that the framework’s platforms and agreements could progressively institutionalise China’s influence by integrating partner countries into supply chains that rely on China’s technology and equipment.

THE CONVERSATION

Headline: Can entrepreneurship be taught? Here’s the neuroscience

Published on: 5 December 2025

Summary: An emerging approach suggests that entrepreneurial success may depend less on traditional business plans and more on training the brain. It draws on neuroscience to enhance skills such as focus, resilience and decision-making under pressure.

This “brain-driven” approach was showcased at XJTLU’s recent Technopreneurship Summer School, where students participated in cognitive exercises designed to strengthen sustained attention and adaptability.

THE STRAITS TIMES

Headline: As jobs dry up, China’s migrant workers are returning to their villages and staying put

Published on: 12 December 2025

Summary: An economic geography expert said China’s economic shift is creating new job opportunities in both rural and urban areas, challenging the old idea that moving to cities is always the best option.

Dr Xuefeng Wang, Associate Professor at XJTLU’s Department of Urban Planning and Design, said today’s China is very different from 2008, with villages offering more comfort and economic potential. He urged people to move beyond outmoded thinking that equates urban work with better prospects,  emphasising that workers are free to choose what suits them best.

This news was also reported by The Business Times.

NATURE MAGAZINE

Headline: China leads research in 90% of crucial technologies — a dramatic shift this century

Published on: 12 December 2025

Summary: A recent analysis shows that China is now outpacing the US in high-impact research on key technologies such as cloud and edge computing, signaling a major shift in global tech competition.

Dr Jiawei (Steven) Hai, Assistant Professor at XJTLU’s Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Hub, offered important context on the findings. He cautioned against interpreting China’s rise as “a collapse of American power”, noting that the US remains a critical global player in these technologies.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

Headline: Decoding the lost scripts of the ancient world

Published on: 16 December 2025

Summary: Researchers all over the globe have been working to decipher the world’s last ancient, unreadable scripts, including Linear Elamite, the Indus script and Linear A.

Dr Francesco Perono Cacciafoco, Associate Professor at XJTLU’s Department of Applied Linguistics, is studying the mysterious Minoan script Linear A. He explained that while computers can help identify patterns, AI cannot fully decode a lost language because it lacks human creativity and intuition. He notes that his team’s computer program found no matches, showing technology alone “isn’t totally up to the task” for such historical puzzle.

THE STRAITS TIMES

Headline: As cultural confidence grows, Chinese brands highlight China’s heritage in storytelling

Published on: 19 December 2025

Summary: Chinese brands are increasingly embracing local landscapes and cultural elements in their marketing, reflecting growing confidence and a shift away from Western-centric imagery. This trend resonates with younger, patriotic consumers who value emotional depth and authentic Chinese identity over generic global visuals.

Dr Yiming Chen at XJTLU’s Academy of Film and Creative Technology explains that some brands are now using China’s geography and history not just as symbols, but as dynamic stages to express creativity and global ambition. This marks not a rejection of globalisation, but a strategic recalibration of it through a distinctly Chinese lens.

EARTH.COM

Headline: Microbes in bees’ guts reflect ecological well-being in cities

Published on: 29 December 2025

Summary: A research, led by Dr Min Tang at XJTLU’s School of Science, have shown that wild bee guts can act as sensitive indicators of urban environmental health. By analysing Osmia excavata bees from 10 sites in Suzhou, China, the team used metagenomic sequencing to reveal diet patterns, bacteria, viruses, and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs).

The study suggests bee guts offer a powerful, minimally invasive way to monitor city ecosystems, supporting smarter urban planning to protect pollinators and biodiversity from the microbial level up.

By Kayla Foniel Johan and Katharina Zhu

Edited by Xinmin Han