Blinken, Xi, Li, and much more

Here’s what else you need to know about China today:

Top story: Chinese leader Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Beijing yesterday, in a bid to stabilize ties between the two superpowers. Meanwhile, China’s No. 2 official, Lǐ Qiáng 李强, is in Berlin on a trip aimed at smoothing things over with Europe’s economic powerhouse. Click through for the whole thing.

China issued a formal arrest for the former vice governor of the People’s Bank of China (PBOC), Fàn Yīfēi 范一飞, on suspected bribery charges. He is the highest-ranking official at China’s central bank to be arrested under Xi’s anti-graft campaign in the past decade.

Fan, 59, was expelled from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and removed from official posts earlier this month, after he was placed under investigation in November 2022. He stands accused of abusing power and taking bribes.

Italy will restrict the influence of China’s Sinochem on tire maker Pirelli over national security concerns. On June 18, the Milan-based company said in a statement to investors that the Italian government had ruled that only Camfin — a company controlled by Pirelli’s CEO, Marco Tronchetti Provera, which owns a 14% stake — could nominate candidates to be its CEO. The Italian government had invoked its so-called “Golden Power” regulations, designed to protect assets of “strategic importance” to the country.

Sinochem, the Chinese state-controlled chemical giant, is Pirelli’s biggest shareholder. It owns a 37% stake and controls 60% of seats on the board of the Milan-based tire maker. In March, Sinochem had proposed plans to the Italian government to update an existing shareholder pact with Camfin, leading to a government review.

AstraZeneca plans to spin off its China business as the Anglo-Swedish drugmaker joins a growing list of other large multinationals that are trying to shield their operations from mounting geopolitical tensions.

Alibaba Group’s CEO and chairman will step down from those roles: Daniel Zhang (张勇 Zhāng Yǒng) will focus on the company’s cloud division as the ecommerce giant splits into six business units.

Chinese cities are breaking heat records for this month all over the country, as soaring temperatures strain the country’s power resources and lead authorities to issue warnings of extreme weather conditions that may surpass last year’s sweltering summer months.

China detained a teen who ran onto the soccer pitch to hug Lionel Messi during the Argentina-Australia friendly game on Thursday. Viral videos posted to social media show the 18-year-old, surnamed Di, wearing a replica of Messi’s blue-and-white No. 10 jersey as he descended from the stands and ran onto the field to hug Messi before evading stadium guards.

Di was given “administrative detention” for disrupting the match, which usually involves a short stay in jail and no trial, and will be barred from similar games this year. “The rules are the rules,” the police statement said. “Fans who cross a line will be punished by law.”

Four Chinese restaurants in Auckland, New Zealand, were attacked by a man wielding an ax. Four people were sent to a hospital.

A New Zealand Navy frigate was confronted “in a sensitive part of the South China Sea by Chinese navy warships demanding details of its passage,” according to local media. In apparently unrelated news,  New Zealand’s prime minister, Chris Hipkins, will make his first official trip to China next week. The PM will meet with top Chinese government and Communist Party officials while leading a 29-strong trade delegation.

Chinese state media: Party paper the People’s Daily today highlights a meeting of the Communist Youth League in Beijing and Xi Jinping’s meeting with Blinken. Xinhua News Agency’s top story is the latest in a recent series highlighting Xi’s thoughts on strengthening Chinese culture.