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NEWS IN CHINA

• China’s Supreme People’s Court Strengthens Judicial Oversight on Government Actions: China’s Supreme People’s Court (SPC) has called for stronger judicial supervision over administrative behavior, emphasizing the courts’ role in ensuring fair governance and high-quality development. The SPC released details of seven landmark administrative cases to mark the 10th anniversary of the revised Administrative Procedure Law, underscoring how judicial scrutiny can regulate government conduct. One highlighted case involved a Chongqing driver, Qin, who was fined 200 yuan in 2018 due to unclear traffic signage. After several appeals, the Fifth Intermediate People’s Court ruled in his favor in 2020, stating that the non-standard signs could easily mislead drivers, a view supported by Tsinghua University law professor He Haibo. The case prompted local authorities to redesign the signage, preventing further confusion. Between 2015 and 2025, China’s courts concluded 2.83 million first-instance administrative cases. The SPC noted persistently high appeal and retrial rates, urging courts nationwide to enhance administrative supervision and ensure that government departments act lawfully and responsibly.
  
  
• Dajiang Forum Marks 80th Anniversary of Taiwan’s Restoration, Stresses Shared Roots Across the Straits: The 12th Dajiang Forum, hosted by the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League (TDSL) in Beijing on Tuesday, commemorated the 80th anniversary of Taiwan’s restoration from Japanese colonial rule. Under the theme “Chinese Heart, National Soul,” participants emphasized that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China and stressed “no room for negotiation” on the issue. The forum brought together pro-reunification political parties, social organizations, and Taiwan youth working on the mainland. Speakers paid tribute to the martyrs, rejected separatist activities, and highlighted the shared history of resistance against Japanese aggression. Su Hui, vice chairperson of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, noted that both sides of the Straits endured the same suffering and contributed to Taiwan’s return. Wu Jung-yuan of Taiwan’s Labor Party said the commemoration reinforces national spirit and unity across generations, criticizing attempts to distort history. Xu Mengxiang stressed that peaceful reunification ensures social justice and improved livelihoods. Since 2014, the Dajiang Forum has promoted cross-Straits peace, youth exchanges, and historical-cultural cooperation, advancing the principle of “one country, two systems” and deepening mutual understanding.
  
  
• China Reaffirms UN-Centered Order, Launches Global Mediation Effort for Peace: At a UN meeting, China urged nations to defend the UN Charter and strengthen the UN-centered international system amid rising global instability. Geng Shuang, China’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, stressed that safeguarding the UN’s authority and the principles of international law is essential to maintaining peace and stability. Geng outlined China’s Global Governance Initiative and reaffirmed China’s opposition to unilateral sanctions and the use or threat of force, urging countries to respect sovereignty, adopt cooperative security approaches, and pursue peaceful conflict resolution. Highlighting China’s commitment to mediation, Geng noted the official launch of the International Mediation Institute in Hong Kong on October 20 as the first intergovernmental organization dedicated to resolving disputes through dialogue. The initiative, co-founded by China and other nations, aims to fill a major institutional gap in global peace efforts. Geng emphasized China’s readiness to work with all partners to uphold the UN Charter and promote a community with a shared future for humanity.
  
  
• Asia-Europe River Dialogue Strengthens Cross-Regional Cooperation in Green Development and Youth Exchange: The 2025 Asia-Europe Large River Regional Dialogue, held in Shanghai under the theme “Asia-Europe Large River Exchange and Cooperation,” brought together government officials, scholars, and industry experts to promote collaboration on river basin management, ecological protection, and cultural exchange. Chen Jing, President of the Shanghai People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, said the initiative aims to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals by linking trade, science, and youth engagement through shared waterways. Marking the 50th anniversary of China-EU diplomatic ties and the 10th anniversary of Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, experts at the forum, including ECNU professor Zhang Weiguo, emphasized learning from Europe’s Rhine and Danube basin management while deepening transboundary collaboration across Asia. Shanghai and Laos’ Luang Prabang have fostered cooperation in heritage preservation and education, including a China-Laos engineering college project. Similar programs between the Yangtze and Danube regions have boosted student exchanges in fields like biology and biotechnology. Scholars highlighted such river-based partnerships as key drivers of sustainable urban development and a shared global future.
  
  
• China Reiterates Opposition to AUKUS Amid US Push for Alliance Expansion: Responding to U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent claim that the AUKUS security pact is moving full steam ahead, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun reaffirmed China’s firm opposition to the trilateral arrangement between the U.S., U.K., and Australia. Guo emphasized that Beijing has consistently opposed the formation of exclusive military blocs, warning that such alliances risk escalating nuclear proliferation and fueling an arms race in the Asia-Pacific region. Guo noted that the AUKUS pact’s advancement, particularly in nuclear submarine cooperation and high-end defense technology sharing, undermines regional stability and global non-proliferation norms. He urged the parties involved to abandon their Cold War mentality and respect the security concerns of other countries. Trump’s comments were seen as a rare endorsement of a Biden-era initiative, signaling potential bipartisan support for the alliance in Washington. However, Beijing maintains that such military alignments threaten peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and could further divide the international community.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

‘Flower Corn’ Craze Trending in Chinese Social Media: A new trend dubbed “playing with flower corn” has gone viral on Chinese social media, where decorative corn cobs prized for their colorful, jewel-like kernels are selling for jaw-dropping prices. On Weibo, the hashtag #Corn for Playing with Flowers Has Sold for Over 10,000 Yuan# has racked up millions of views, with users sharing photos of their prized collections. According to Poster News, ordinary raw corn costs just a few yuan per stick, but rare hard-kernel varieties featuring striking patterns and hues can fetch several thousand yuan, with exceptional ones exceeding 10,000 yuan. Unlike sweet or sticky corn commonly eaten, these ornamental types have dense, hard kernels and thick skin, making them ideal for preservation but inedible. The trend has sparked heated debate online. Some netizens praised the aesthetic and cultural creativity behind the craze, calling it “a beautiful fusion of nature and art.” Others mocked the prices, joking that “even corn is joining the luxury market.” Despite the mixed reactions, “flower corn” has undeniably become China’s latest viral collectible phenomenon.

INDIA WATCH

Guancha Explores India’s Lead Over China in the Global Generic Drug Market: Guancha analyzed the competitive gap between India’s and China’s pharmaceutical industries, calling India’s generic drug dominance a decades-long head start powered by policy, cost advantage, and audacious imitation. It noted that India’s “forced copycat” strategy, allowing local companies to produce patented drugs for domestic and export markets, gave rise to global players like Sun Pharma and Dr. Reddy’s. Guancha emphasized that India’s low labor and research costs, English proficiency, and deep familiarity with US FDA procedures enable its firms to enter Western markets once patents expire swiftly. The analysis acknowledged, however, that this success has not been free of controversy, citing US and EU warnings against Indian firms like Ranbaxy for data falsification and manufacturing lapses. Yet, Guancha argued that India’s regulatory pragmatism and 20 years of experience outweigh these setbacks, especially compared to China’s late start and stricter post-2015 oversight following the 722 Incident. From an Indian perspective, the article highlights how India has transformed necessity into global leadership, turning affordability into soft power. While China dominates bulk API production, Guancha concluded that profits still lie in India’s finished generics, reflecting not just an industrial difference, but a strategic mindset advantage.

Prepared By

Lipun Kumar Sanbad

Lipun Kumar Sanbad, a postgraduate student of Politics and International Relations from Pondicherry University and a History and Political science graduate from University of Delhi. From the past three years working as a freelance researcher in the domain of global peace, conflict and security studies, and defence studies.