January 27, 2026 – China Headlines

Story gist: Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and US President-elect Donald Trump held a phone call. They discussed bilateral relations, Venezuela situation, and emphasized maintaining peace and stability in Latin America.

Bias summary: Left-leaning outlets absent, providing no coverage. Center outlet Lianhe Zaobao highlights Lula’s accusation that Trump seeks to ‘rule the world’ via social media, adopting a critical tone toward Trump. Right-leaning Phoenix Net neutrally emphasizes discussions on bilateral relations and Venezuela, focusing on diplomatic topics without criticism.

Story gist: In Hangzhou’s Wushan area and Lishui’s Liancheng district, communities distributed Laba porridge during the Laba Festival. The event used folk customs to convey urban warmth and celebrate traditional culture ahead of the New Year.

Bias summary: Left-leaning outlets (zj.people.com.cn) emphasize collective harmony, framing one bowl of porridge as warming an entire city to highlight communal solidarity. Center-leaning outlets (凤凰网) stress sensory appeal and festivity, noting thick fragrance, warm sentiments, and integration with ‘New Year Festival’ for a vibrant cultural mosaic. Right-leaning coverage is absent, omitting potential focus on individual traditions or state orchestration critiques.

Story gist: German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius suggested U.S. President-elect Donald Trump apologize for remarks downplaying NATO allies’ sacrifices in Afghanistan but expects no apology. UK, Australian, and Italian leaders criticized Trump’s comments on allies’ contributions.

Bias summary: Left-leaning Xinhua frames Trump negatively as complaining allies underperformed in Afghanistan, emphasizing UK/Australia’s strong rejection with indignant tone. Center Sina neutrally reports Italian PM Meloni’s response to Trump’s NATO remarks without judgment. Right-leaning coverage absent, omitting potential defenses of Trump’s alliance critiques or burden-sharing emphasis.