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NEWS IN CHINA

• Foreign Minister Wang Yi Meets UAE President's Special Envoy: Foreign Minister Wang Yi met UAE President’s Special Envoy for China Affairs, Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, in Beijing to discuss bilateral relations and developments in the Middle East. Wang conveyed President Xi Jinping’s greetings to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, describing China and the UAE as close partners with strong political trust and growing cooperation. He stated that the relationship had developed beyond bilateral ties and offered an example of cooperation among Global South countries. Wang noted that China was ready to maintain high-level exchanges with the UAE and further strengthen cooperation despite changes in the regional and international environment. Addressing the Middle East situation, he said prolonged conflicts and their spillover effects continued to affect regional security and development. He stressed the need for dialogue, peaceful solutions and political negotiations, adding that China would continue supporting efforts toward a comprehensive ceasefire and lasting regional peace. Khaldoon conveyed President Mohamed’s greetings to Xi and thanked China for hosting Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Khalid. He expressed the UAE’s interest in closer coordination with China on regional issues and called for further advancing the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.
  
  
• China and South Korea Resume Joint Patrols in the Yellow Sea: China and South Korea have resumed joint patrols in the Yellow Sea’s provisional measures zone after a four-year suspension. The patrols, which will continue until October 17, aim to curb illegal fishing and strengthen maritime cooperation. Officials from both countries will board each other’s vessels to exchange law enforcement methods and improve coordination. According to Lü Chao, a research fellow at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, the resumption of joint patrols reflects improved mutual trust between the two countries. He noted that the cooperation could promote legal fishing, reduce fishing-related disputes and strengthen coordination between their law enforcement agencies. Lü also emphasised that dialogue is necessary to resolve differences and prevent maritime disputes from escalating into serious incidents. The development follows a meeting on maritime affairs held on September 21, during which both countries agreed to strengthen communication, manage differences and expand cooperation in fisheries, environmental protection, scientific research and maritime security. Lü attributed the progress to improving bilateral relations under South Korea’s new administration, noting that the joint patrols followed recent high-level exchanges and maritime cooperation talks.
  
  
• Xi Jinping Calls to Advance Healthy China: President Xi Jinping called for stronger efforts to improve public health and accelerate the building of a Healthy China by 2035 at the National Health and Wellness Conference held in Beijing. Xi highlighted that the 15th Five-Year Plan period would be crucial for advancing the goal and called for high-quality development of the health and healthcare sector. He stressed that prevention should remain a central focus, urging stronger disease prevention and control, food safety supervision, healthy lifestyles and national fitness. He also called for improving medical services by strengthening grassroots healthcare, promoting hierarchical diagnosis and treatment, expanding chronic disease management and improving access to quality medical care.  Xi called for strengthening public hospitals, improving the multi-level medical security system, ensuring drug supplies and enhancing pharmaceutical safety supervision. He further highlighted the need to strengthen the healthcare workforce, improve professional ethics and promote medical innovation, including the development of traditional Chinese medicine. Additionally, he called for greater international cooperation in health under the Belt and Road Initiative. Premier Li Qiang delivered the concluding remarks, while Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, and Li Xi were also present at the meeting.
  
  
• China Releases New Catalogue to Strengthen Mineral Resource Management: The Ministry of Natural Resources, jointly with the National Development and Reform Commission, has issued a new Catalogue of Mineral Resources to provide a clearer framework for resource planning and management. The catalogue updates the earlier detailed classification system, grouping mineral resources into four categories including energy, metallic, non-metallic, and water and gas minerals. It identifies 174 mineral types and 119 sub-types currently recognised in China. According to the ministry, the catalogue will provide a basis for setting exploration and development targets for different mineral categories. It will also help improve the distribution of exploration activities, guide decisions on mining rights, and support targeted resource development. Strategic minerals identified through the system will receive special protection, while exploration, mining, reserves, and import and export policies can be adjusted according to individual resources. The ministry stated that the next stage will integrate the catalogue with mineral resource planning, mining rights administration, industrial policymaking, resource statistics, and taxation. This is intended to establish clearer classifications for each mineral and strengthen detailed management of China’s mineral resources.
  
  
• China Unveils Plan to Strengthen Rural Elderly Care Support: China has introduced measures to strengthen the workforce providing elderly care services in rural areas, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs. The initiative, jointly issued by the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, aims to improve rural elderly care while supporting employment assistance and poverty prevention mechanisms. The notice encourages greater participation by elderly volunteers and grassroots elderly associations, while promoting the creation of public service positions for rural elderly care workers. Elderly care institutions are also encouraged to establish service teams, open their facilities and resources to rural communities, and provide professional guidance and support. Rural elderly care workers will assist in identifying service needs, connecting residents with resources, sharing relevant policies and knowledge, and responding to emergencies. Their responsibilities may also include supporting mutual-aid elderly care and meal services, managing village-level elderly care facilities, and assisting elderly people receiving social assistance. The notice calls for positions to be allocated according to local ageing levels, elderly populations, and service demand. It also emphasises regular training in elderly care policies, home-care skills, safety, and emergency response. Authorities will strengthen service evaluation, quality management, and best-practice promotion to improve rural elderly care services.
  
  

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Weibo Users React to Investigation of Former Chongqing Mayor Huang Qifan: A post discussing the disciplinary review and supervisory investigation of Huang Qifan, former deputy secretary of the Chongqing Municipal Party Committee and former mayor of Chongqing, is going viral on Weibo. According to the post, Huang is suspected of serious violations of discipline and law and is being investigated by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Commission of Supervision. Many users expressed disbelief at the development, with some saying that “they never expected this” and that the investigation came as “a big surprise”. Several users commented that “they firmly support the decision of the Party Central Committee”. Some users described the investigation as evidence of the authorities’ continued commitment to fighting corruption, stating that “there are no forbidden zones in the fight against corruption, and retirement is not a safe stop”. Several others cautioned officials against violating regulations, noting that “those who reach out for improper gains will eventually be caught”. Some users also expressed confidence in the anti-corruption campaign, stating that they would “always believe in the determination to fight corruption”. Others welcomed the “investigation as necessary to uphold Party discipline and ensure that officials remain accountable for violations.”

INDIA WATCH

Guancha Highlights Modi’s Push to Position India as a Reliable Global Partner: An article in Guancha examined Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in New Delhi on October 13. Citing Bloomberg, the article stated that Modi presented India as a “reliable partner and leader of the Global South,” arguing that supply chains, trade and technology that once connected countries have increasingly become “weaponised.” Modi emphasised the importance of trust in ensuring stable supplies, reliable commitments and support among partner countries, while promoting India as a source of reliability and stability amid global uncertainty. The article noted that India’s economy, despite being among the world’s fastest-growing, has faced challenges from energy disruptions linked to the war with Iran, unpredictable US trade policies under President Trump and critical mineral supply issues. It further highlighted India’s vulnerability to external geopolitical shocks due to its dependence on imported oil and gas, intensifying inflationary pressures and the rupee’s record depreciation. According to the article, Modi also emphasised the challenges posed by artificial intelligence while promoting the opportunities the Indian economy offers to global investors. It concluded that global connections, once seen as a source of cooperation, are now being weaponised, presenting India as a “reliable and stable partner” amid global uncertainty.

Prepared By

Neha Maurya

Neha Maurya is a Project Assistant at Organisation for Research on China and Asia (ORCA). A recent graduate of FLAME University with a major in International Studies and a minor in Public Policy, her research interests include strategic studies, governance, and education policy. She is interested in contributing to research that informs effective policy design and implementation.