Press:
China’s State Structure and the Two Sessions BACKGROUNDER: China’s state structure follows a mechanism that differentiates its legislature, executive and judiciary from one another. The country’s highest legislative body known as the National People’s Congress (NPC), acts as the power centre that keeps the state system intact and supervises both the legislature and the judiciary.
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India-China Trade Dashboard PROJECT: The India-China Trade Dashboard is a comprehensive visualisation of annual merchandise trade between the two economies. It captures India’s imports and exports to China between 2011-12 to 2021-22 based on the Harmonised System (HS Codes). The visualisation shows commodities traded in terms of value (Million US Dollar) at the Section, HS-2, HS-4, HS-6 and HS-8 levels. It displays the trends in India’s trade balance and annual import/exports vis-à-vis China at the aggregate and product level.
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Part 2 – Design of Digital Yuan OPINION PIECE: As China will be the first major country to launch the CBDC, the design of Digital Yuan implemented by China can be a guide for many countries that are still behind China in terms of CBDC development. Hence, it is important to analyse the rationale behind China’s designing of Digital Yuan in a specific manner which will not only affect China’s domestic economic structure but also influence global economy as China aims to promote internationalisation of its currency through its digital currency in the future.
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China Census Dashboard PROJECT: The China Census dashboard illustrates several dimensions of China’s demographic structure at the provincial level. The dashboard summarises data for the last three censuses conducted in 2000, 2010 and 2020. It helps analysts understand broad national and provincial trends in China’s demographics and thereby, identify important provinces and factors responsible for driving national demographic trends. The dashboard covers growth in total population, age and gender composition, levels of educational attainment, ethnic composition and level of urbanization across 31 provinces over the last 30 years.
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China’s Nuclear Build-up: Implications for India EXPERT SPEAK: China’s nuclear build-up is much in news. The November 2022 annual report on Military and Security Developments related to the People’s Republic of China, released by the US Defence Department has raised its own estimates from last year on the likely increase in China’s nuclear warheads.
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China’s Provinces Dashboard PROJECT: The China’s Provinces dashboard is a resource for exploring differences in economic and social development across provinces in China. The resource visualises 76 statistical indicators of development, grouped into six categories: demographics, economic growth, income/consumption, trade, healthcare and environment. The indicators presented in this resource can be viewed for each province and sub-region of China.
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Dr Manpreet Sethi on China’s Nuclear Weapons Arsenal and Implications for India PODCAST: In this episode, Rahul Karan Reddy from ORCA speaks to Dr. Manpreet Sethi on her recently published article titled, ‘China’s Nuclear Build-up: Implications for India’. Dr. Sethi explains the context for the latest developments surrounding China’s nuclear weapons program, detailing the factors that explain China’s decision to enhance the survivability of its nuclear arsenal.
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Understanding the Changing Social Fabric of China: ‘Last Train Home’ DOCUMENTARY REVIEW: Last Train Home (归途列车) documents the arduous journey of migrant workers in China struggling to reunite with their children for the New Year holidays (过年). Directed by Lixin Fan and set in the mid-2000s in Guangdong and Sichuan, the documentary captures the emotional and physical turbulence of the largest human migration in the world.
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A key gap in strategic/academic circles across India is that while focus on broad-level happenings in/about China is met with expansive writing and assessment, the crux of China’s society, its domestic policies (which in an one-party authoritarian setup such as China’s are more often connected to broader international manoeuvres), and the impression China holds of other countries as well as small moves made by Beijing — which may appear random or disconnected with respect to global happenings but in actuality hold much insight— are not analyzed.

Furthermore, there is no organization that effectively looks at ‘chatter’ in sources like Weibo, WeChat, Telegram, Clubhouse, Instagram, Twitter and more to connect it with more overt moves by China in its foreign policy. The Organisation for Research on China and Asia (ORCA) seeks to address this very important gap in research. With assessments based on real-time, ground level chatter in and from China, we aim to add a new level of research insight to the understanding of how China perceives the world.

Opinion Pieces

  • Part 2 – Design of Digital Yuan – A Balance between State Control and Consumer Needs

    By — Omkar Bhole;

    As China will be the first major country to launch the CBDC, the design of Digital Yuan implemented by China can be a guide for many countries that are still behind China in terms of CBDC development. Hence, it is important to analyse the rationale behind China’s designing of Digital Yuan in a specific manner which will not only affect China’s domestic economic structure but also influence global economy as China aims to promote internationalisation of its currency through its digital currency in the future.

  • India and the Global Divide in Sanctions against Russian Oil 

    By — Ratish Mehta;

    The price cap mechanism on Russia’s seaborne crude oil exports that took effect on December 5th 2022 has more or less brought to light the divide in the global north and south’s energy interests. On the one hand, western enforcers of the price cap comprising of the G7 countries and Australia have sought to limit Russian profits of war through a set of sanctions while on the other, countries from the global south see the embargo as detrimental to their vital energy security.

  • Part 1 – Digital Payments System in China – A Catalyst for Development of Digital Yuan 

    By — Omkar Bhole;

    This is the first in a new series on Digital Yuan.

    In the past one decade, China has been rapidly transforming into a cashless economy Owing to China’s growing domestic consumption, digital payment systems like mobile payments and card transactions have made payment settlements more convenient for Chinese citizens. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic extensively stimulated digital payments, driven by social distancing policies adopted by governments across the world over the last two years.

Expert Speak

  • China’s Nuclear Build-up: Implications for India

    By — Dr Manpreet Sethi;

    China’s nuclear build-up is much in news. The November 2022 annual report on Military and Security Developments related to the People’s Republic of China, released by the US Defence Department has raised its own estimates from last year on the likely increase in China’s nuclear warheads.

  • Systemic Change under Xi Jinping – Issues and Implications

    By – Hemkumar Jain;

    In the run up to the quinquennial Party Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) being held from October 16th 2022, there is a frenzy of publications by the China-watching community in the media. They cover several topics and explore many facets, but retain an overwhelming focus on the likely personnel changes at the leadership level: particularly in the Politburo and its Standing Committee.

  • Xi Jinping’s Third Term: Beidaihe and Beyond

    By  – B. R. Deepak;

    At the close of the secretive Beidaihe meeting, Xi Jinping headed to the Liaoshen Campaign Memorial in Jinzhou on 16 August. Xi also had a meeting with the representatives of veteran soldiers

Issue Brief

  • A Retrospective Analysis of Mao Zedong Thought and its Modern Day Relevance

    By – Sachin Singh;

    As the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) celebrates its centenary, it seems appropriate, in fact essential, to have a relook at its journey from a twenty first century perspective. An analysis of the unparalleled position held by Mao Zedong and his thoughts is central to this endeavour.

  • Faction Politics in China and its Implications for the 20th Party Congress

    By – Omkar Bhole;

    Most countries in the world have a political system where like-minded people from similar groups or parties run the country. However, such a system is largely open and transparent in democratic countries. In the case of China, this system, referred to as factionalism, is too opaque and thus, leaves much room for speculation.

  • China’s Food Security Strategy in the New Era: Policies and Challenges

    By – Ahana Roy;

    Chinese President Xi Jinping recently stressed the importance of independence in seed sources and emphasised the need for sustained efforts to achieve China’s food security. Furthermore, in April 2021, Xi Jinping declared that “food security is an important foundation for national security.”

Our mission

To build

Knowledge, interest and understanding across sectors, professionals and laypeople regarding China’s innate perceptions of —and responses to—Asia and especially India

To assess

Data/resources that narrate the daily ‘chatter’ of China’s domestic circles on happenings both within China and involving China beyond its own borders.

To link

Data/resource collection with the broader political, diplomatic, cultural, economic and social developments taking place and their impact on India’s regional power, India-China ties and India’s national and economic security.

To ensure

The venture emerges as a go-to resource tool for policymakers, scholars, students and enthusiasts alike.

To implement

Research and data from social media ‘chatter’ in China to dedicated subsections focused on India and its concerns

To publish

Daily newsletters, monthly reports and frequent publications that are dedicated to deciphering broader strategic chatter and data

Our Publications

Conversations in Chinese Media is ORCA’s daily newsletter that analyzes Chinese social media, smaller publications, regional papers and press-releases by Chinese state departments in a bid to connect the same with more overt moves by Beijing across the world. CiCM Insights is analysis based on our daily newsletter.

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Expert Speak
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A China Coast Guard spokesperson confirmed on Wednesday night that Chinese coast guard vessels expelled some Japanese vessels that had erroneously entered the territorial waters of the Diaoyu Islands on Wednesday night. According to a statement from Gan Yu, the coast guard’s spokesperson, the China Coast Guard entered the Islands’ territorial waters on Wednesday to conduct a routine patrol for rights protection.  A strong response to the entry of a Japanese yacht and several patrol vessels into China’s territorial waters, the official said: “That was a routine measure of China to safeguard national sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.” Gan added that untrue comments and reports from the Japanese side had seriously misrepresented historical facts and that the Diaoyu Island and its associated islands were China’s inherent territory.

According to the Chinese foreign ministry, facts have repeatedly demonstrated that the drama for democracy orchestrated by the United States is never a boon but a curse for the world. Wang Wenbin made the remarks during a regular press briefing in response to a question about the upcoming second “Summit for Democracy” at the end of this month. “This so-called ‘Summit for Democracy’ is fundamentally anti-democratic,” Wang said. He claimed that the so-called “Summit for Democracy” drew a clear ideological line between countries and divided the world. It was a ridiculous show that violated the spirit of democracy and exposed the United States’ hegemony disguised as democracy, which has been criticised and opposed by many countries stated the spokesperson.

After the US Federal Reserve accelerated its increase in lending costs last year, China continued to reduce its holdings of US Treasuries amid rising long-term interest rates, which reduced the returns on its foreign investments. According to data made public by the US Department of the Treasury on Wednesday, China’s holdings fell to US$859.4 billion in January from US$867.1 billion in December, declining for the sixth consecutive month and hitting their lowest level since May 2009. This came as foreign holdings increased for the third consecutive month. As relations with the US deteriorated amid growing threats of financial sanctions from Washington, Beijing has grown increasingly wary of the US dollar’s dominance in international transactions. It has attempted to diversify its investment portfolio, but the United States remains its primary investment market.

The National Bureau of Statistics released data showing that from January to February this year, economic indicators have rebounded for the better, with the recovery of industrial production accelerating and business expectations improving. The economic cycle accelerated and smoothed from January to February, production demand improved significantly, and economic operation stabilized and picked up, but the external environment remained complicated and insufficient demand remained prominent. Fu Linghui, spokesperson of the National Bureau of Statistics stated that to boost market confidence, promote the overall improvement of economic operation, and achieve effective improvement in quality and reasonable growth in quantity, it was necessary to speed implementation of policies.

The navies of China, Iran, Russia and other countries will hold the “Security Bond-2023” maritime joint in the Gulf of Oman from March 15th to 19th. This exercise aims to deepen practical cooperation, demonstrate the willingness to jointly maintain maritime security, build a community of shared future for the sea, and inject positive energy into regional peace and stability as per the Ministry of National Defense.