CiCM 21st October 2024

NEWS IN CHINA

Chinese Military Monitors US and Canadian Warships in Taiwan Strait: The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theatre Command mobilized its naval and air forces in order to monitor two foreign warships as they passed through the Taiwan Strait. The vessels were the United States’ destroyer USS Higgins and the Canadian frigate HMCS Vancouver. PLA Senior Captain Xi Li criticised the US and Canada for jeopardizing peace and stability through such actions, and said that the Command was on high alert. Experts have also said that the US and Canadian ships’ voyage comes close after Taiwan region leader Lai Ching-te’s ‘Double Ten’ speech earlier this month, where he called for Taiwanese independence further increased tensions in the region.
Chinese Consulate General Attacked in Mandalay, Myanmar: During the official press conference, foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian confirmed that the Chinese Consulate General was attacked by an explosion in Mandalay, Myanmar. The explosion occurred in an office building, and although there were no human casualties, the building was partially destroyed. The Chinese embassy in Myanmar, as well as the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, immediately activated the emergency mechanism and carried out their responses. In the statement, the Chinese side urged Myanmar to investigate the attack thoroughly and improve security within the Chinese embassy. Lin also said that the perpetrators must be arrested and brought to justice in accordance with the law.
John Lee Speaks on Hong Kong’s Role in Opening Mainland Capital Market: The Hong Kong Special Administrative Unit (HKSAR) will continue to optimize connectivity schemes between the Chinese mainland and HKSAR capital markets, said Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee. While giving a speech at the closing ceremony of the Annual Conference of Financial Street Forum 2024, Lee stated that the total turnover of transactions through the Shenzhen- Hong Kong and Shanghai-Hong Kong stock connections had surpassed 21 trillion yuan last month. He further said that the HKSAR government will promote RMB internationalization, and analyse the feasibility of launching offshore RMB sovereign bond futures. This would encourage more companies abroad as well as in the Chinese mainland to go public in Hong Kong.
China Leads World in Patent Applications for 5 Years: The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) chief said that China’s international patent applications through the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) ranked first in the world for five consecutive years. This was announced during the 2024 International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI) World Congress. The congress took place in Zhejiang Province, east China. The amount of intellectual property applications from China has increased rapidly in recent years signaling great progress in the country’s sci-tech innovation capacity. China has also been seeking to improve laws relating to intellectual property protection, as it has become the first country in the world to have over 4 million domestic invention patents.
China’s Elderly Care Institutions Making Progress: A Ministry of Civil Affairs Official said that China was making significant progress in its population aging related work and also vowed to deepen reforms on elderly care. He noted that home and community elder care services had accelerated their development, and that at the end of the second quarter of 2024, there were 410,000 elderly care facilities of various types across the country. In terms of basic medical care and public health, civil codes and laws have been adopted to benefit China’s aging population in order to protect their rights and interests. The official further stated that the basic pension system currently covers 1.06 billion people, and a pilot program for long term care insurance is being advanced. China has thus made progress in creating an elder-friendly society.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Harry Potter Returns to Chinese Theatres with Hopes of Reviving Box Office Sales: Chinese social media has exploded with photos of fans visiting theaters to watch the return of the Harry Potter series to the screens. The re-release of a nostalgic favourite of many millennials has also saved box office sales amid an environment where blockbuster films are flopping. Over the next few weeks, all Harry Potter movies will be aired in theaters. Fans are posting themselves on social media, attending the screenings wearing full wizarding robes, with wands in their hands. Influencers are also appearing to make their ticket stubs levitate in the photos. This series is a rare example of a western franchise gaining traction in China, having inspired so many citizens across the country. Wang Jia, a 32 year old Harry Potter fan, spoke about how much the series meant to her as a child, and how she dreamed of being able to use magic and fly. Other people were skeptical about whether this move will help increase box office ticket sales in the long run. People also commented on how this is a sign that Chinese domestic cinema needs to change, and tell stories well, which is the only way to convince buyers to keep coming back.

INDIA WATCH

Article Reports on India’s Enhanced Surveillance Capabilities and its Potential impact on Regional Security: Chinese news agency The Paper reported on India's approval of “The Space Based Surveillance Satellite Phase Three Project” which would allow the country to launch 52 satellites over the next five years and enhance surveillance capabilities. The Indian space based surveillance system (SBS) project aims to improve land and sea intelligence perception of India’s civilian and military fields. The project has already completed its first two phases. According to the report, the satellite can take pictures through hidden camps and vehicles covered with cloth or leaves, as well as be used for geological disaster monitoring, soil moisture analysis, etc. The previous satellites launched under the project also enabled India to closely monitor nuclear test sites, troop concentrations in neighboring countries, as well as missile silo locations. The author claimed that once the SBS project is successfully completed, India’s surveillance capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region would enhance greatly, especially along the Line of Actual Control. The author speculated whether the increased situational awareness capability would lead India to adopt a more proactive military policy in its border areas, that could potentially exacerbate bilateral tensions.

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.