5th - 6th October 2024

NEWS IN CHINA

China’s Inbound Tourism Rises During National Day Holiday: This year, China’s inbound tourism has increased at a rate outpacing its outbound travel during the country’s National Day holiday. Domestic travelers seem to be opting for historical landmarks and culturally rich places. Traditional tourist cities such as Beijing, Hangzhou, and Xi’an are introducing new ways to stimulate consumption by unveiling new products. Ticket prices of international flights are becoming more competitive. The highest international flight bookings to China come from countries like Japan, Thailand, South Korea and Malaysia. The age demographic of the travelers also seems to have changed, with a greater proportion of tourists being below the age of 30. Younger people seem to be placing higher importance on creating travel experiences and engaging with different cultures.
75 Years of Chinese-North Korean Diplomatic Ties: On 6th October President Xi Jinping exchanged messages with North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un, congratulating each other on 75 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Xi Jinping spoke about the legacy of a 75 year long partnership, where both China and North Korea have safeguarded national sovereignty, promoted socialist ideals and worked together to bring about regional stability. The Chinese President also emphasized the extreme importance of further development of relations with North Korea. Kim echoed these sentiments in his messages to Xi, both optimistic for a future of strengthened strategic coordination and communication and a deepening of friendly exchanges.
EU Criticised over Vote on Imposition of Tariffs on Chinese EVs: The Ministry of Commerce of China criticised The European Union’s recent decision to impose tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. According to the Chinese spokesperson, these protectionist policies of the EU are unreasonable, unfair and illegal, and violate the rules of the WTO, upsetting the international trade order. Despite the vote, the EU is willing to continue bilateral negotiations to resolve the issue with China till the end of the month. China has taken note of the EU’s willingness to continue negotiations, but is firmly opposed to any imposition of tariffs which would negatively impact sales in European markets. The Ministry of Commerce also claimed that this move will only serve to lower the confidence of Chinese companies to collaborate with and invest in their EU partners. The China Chamber of Commerce to the European Union has also advised the EU to delay the tariffs and focus on resolving the matter through talks. This would allow for the continuation of free trade and prosperity, especially in the clean and green energy sectors, worldwide.
Chinese Envoy calls to continue probe into Nord Stream Pipeline Explosions: China’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, Geng Shuang, called on the UN Security Council to continue its investigation into the Nord Stream Pipeline Explosions. The Nord Stream Pipelines exploded two years ago in the Baltic Sea. They were originally built to carry natural gas from Russia to Germany, and were owned by a state-owned Russian company. Geng Shuang emphasised the severe negative impact the explosions had on marine ecosystems and global energy supplies, and regretted the lack of answers after two years of investigations. He called out countries like Denmark and Sweden, who have announced the termination of their investigations, and stated that the information released was not transparent and scant in details. China is in support of the draft presidential statement released by Russia regarding the explosions, and hopes Germany will officially announce the progress and results of its investigations.
Two Chinese Citizens Killed in Terrorist Attack in Pakistan: Around 11 pm on 6th October, two Chinese citizens were killed and one was injured in Pakistan after a terrorist attack on a convoy traveling to the Jinnah International Airport in Karachi. The transport was carrying employees of a Chinese funded electrical power company. The casualties also included Pakistani nationals. China has vehemently condemned the terrorist attack and offered its condolences to the victims and their families of both countries. Also, China has launched an emergency plan, seeking to punish those who carried out the attack, and has requested Pakistan to launch a full scale investigation into the incident. The Chinese embassy in Pakistan reminded its citizens to stay vigilant and take safety precautions. The Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also spoke about his commitment to bring those responsible to justice.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Video of Chinese Bride Taped to Phone Pole Sparks Online Debate: A shocking video of a Chinese bride being taped to a telephone pole on her wedding day by the groom and his friends has gone viral. The incident occurred in the Shanxi province of Northern China. The bride, wearing traditional wedding attire, was seen crying out for help and yet no one came to the rescue. The men were the groom’s childhood friends, who claimed that “game” was agreed upon by the couple beforehand. Some users have responded to the viral video, pointing out that this was part of traditional wedding hazing, which is a local custom in order to induce laughter and lighten the atmosphere. However the video has triggered widespread outrage on social media, with netizens saying that such vulgar wedding customs belong in the past, and have no place in modern society. They debated about how these crude jokes are not an excuse for hurting other people. Users also wrote about the protection of the bride, and if something were to happen to her, responsibility must be taken by the perpetrators.

INDIA WATCH

China Reacts to the Wilmington Declaration- Quad's Joint Patrols Involving India: Chinese news agencies have reported on the potential consequences of joint patrols by the United States, Japan, India and Australia. Recently, India took part in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD/Quad) summit, which ended with the announcement of joint patrols of the member countries’ coast guards to be launched in 2025. This announcement, called the Wilmington Declaration, has triggered widespread speculation in China about the intent behind the participation of the country’s regional competitor - India. Currently, no specific details have been released about the operation, like sea routes. The author has postulated that due to the South China Sea and East China Seas being issues that are extremely sensitive, the joint operations may give priority to the South Pacific and Indian Ocean Regions. From a Chinese perspective, India’s military cooperation with other Quad member countries is seen as a strategic maneuver that could lead to heightened tensions with China, and this joint military exercise is viewed similarly.

Prepared By

Veda Jain

Veda Jain is currently a third-year student at Flame University, majoring in International Studies and minoring in Literary and Cultural Studies. She has a strong interest in modern Chinese politics and is keen on analyzing the dynamics of Indo-China relations.