CiCM 15th January 2026

NEWS IN CHINA

China Releases 2026 National Conscription Schedule and Key Requirements: China has officially released its national conscription arrangements for 2026 following a video conference held in Beijing on January 15, which outlined plans for the two annual recruitment periods and emphasized the continued recruitment of high quality soldiers to support military training and combat readiness. According to the announcement, the first conscription period will run from February 24 to March 31, while the second will take place from August 15 to September 30, with recruitment focusing primarily on college students, especially graduates from various levels and types of institutions. Eligible male applicants must generally be between 18 and 22 years old, with age limits extended up to 24 for college graduates and up to 26 for postgraduate students, while female applicants must usually be between 18 and 22, with similar extensions for higher education graduates. Priority will be given to children and siblings of martyrs, fallen or deceased military personnel, children of active duty soldiers, and outstanding young people who have contributed significantly to disaster relief, as well as bilingual youth and those with higher educational backgrounds. The meeting also clarified enlistment locations, allowing eligible youth to register either at their place of household registration, habitual residence under certain conditions, or at their school location, and called for fair, transparent, and standardized recruitment procedures to provide strong talent support for advancing military modernization goals.
Wang Yi Meets Canadian Foreign Minister as China and Canada Signal Reset in Ties: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand in Beijing on January 15, 2026, stating that China-Canada relations carry significance beyond the bilateral level and can have broader global implications. Wang noted that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to China, the first by a Canadian prime minister in eight years, is both symbolic and pivotal, and that upcoming meetings between the two leaders are expected to open new prospects for bilateral ties. He said that amid profound changes in the global landscape, China is willing to strengthen communication with Canada, build trust, remove interference, deepen cooperation and promote stable, positive development of relations. Wang also stressed that despite differences in social systems and historical backgrounds, both sides should engage with mutual respect and inclusiveness, focus on cooperation, send positive signals and work toward building a new type of strategic partnership. Anand said the new Canadian government places high importance on relations with China and believes bilateral ties have entered a phase of improvement since last year. She said Prime Minister Carney looks forward to using the visit to enhance dialogue, clarify the direction of relations, restart exchanges across sectors, expand mutually beneficial cooperation and strengthen coordination on multilateral affairs, further advancing the China Canada strategic partnership.
China Rejects Japanese Call to Lift Export Controls on Dual Use Items: China has firmly rejected Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s demand that Beijing withdraw its export control measures on dual use items to Japan, with the Ministry of Commerce saying the request is unacceptable and ignores the root causes of the issue. Ministry of Commerce spokesperson He Yongqian said China’s measures were triggered by Takaichi’s erroneous remarks and actions, particularly on the Taiwan question, which China says infringe on its sovereignty and territorial integrity and constitute interference in internal affairs. The spokesperson also criticized Japan’s moves to revise key security policies, expand military capabilities and promote pro- nuclear rhetoric, saying these actions deviate from Japan’s post war commitments, challenge the international non proliferation regime and raise serious concerns about remilitarization. He stressed that export controls are a widely accepted international practice aimed at safeguarding world peace and fulfilling non proliferation obligations, and said China’s controls apply to all dual use items and prohibit exports to Japanese military users or for military purposes. He added that the measures are lawful, justified and intended to prevent military expansion and nuclear ambitions, rejecting Japan’s claims of economic coercion and urging Tokyo to reflect on its actions and avoid moving further down what China called a dangerous path.
China’s Commercial Space Sector Opens 2026 With First Sea-Based Rocket Launch: China’s commercial space firm Galactic Energy successfully carried out a sea-based launch of its CERES-1 carrier rocket, sending four satellites into orbit from waters off East China’s Shandong Province, marking the country’s first sea-based rocket mission of the new year. The launch, organized by the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, was the 23rd successful flight of the CERES-1 rocket. The satellites belong to the sixth group of the Tianqi constellation, a low Earth orbit internet of Things satellite network operated by Beijing-based Guodian Gaoke, bringing the constellation’s total to 40 satellites in orbit. Since its first maritime launch in September 2023, the CERES-1 sea-based platform has maintained a 100 percent success rate across six missions. The Tianqi constellation, China’s first low Earth orbit network dedicated to IoT communications, supports sectors including agriculture, forestry, emergency response, energy, marine monitoring and smart city management. The launch comes as more Chinese commercial space companies expand offshore launch capabilities, with private aerospace firm SEPOCH recently starting construction of China’s first offshore reusable rocket recovery base in Hangzhou, which is expected to support rocket recovery missions by the end of 2026.
China Issues New Rules on Information Disclosure for Charitable Trusts: China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs and the State Financial Regulatory Commission have jointly released the Measures for the Disclosure of Information on Charitable Trusts, which will take effect on April 1, 2026, aiming to improve transparency and oversight in the charitable trust sector. The 26 article document clarifies who is responsible for information disclosure and through which channels it must be carried out, requiring trustees to disclose information in accordance with the law and mandating that all disclosures be published on the national charity information disclosure platform established by the Ministry of Civil Affairs. It also refines disclosure requirements by specifying what information must be made public, including the handling of trust affairs, financial conditions, major developments and related party transactions, as well as the time limits for disclosure during the establishment, modification, re registration and termination of charitable trusts. In addition, the measures strengthen supervision by encouraging organizations, individuals, the public and the media to report or expose violations related to information disclosure, while clearly defining the regulatory responsibilities and penalties of civil affairs departments and financial regulators to form a more comprehensive supervision system for charitable trusts.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Wu Peici’s Mother-in-Law Detained in the US Triggers Heated Online Discussion: News that the mother of businessman Ji Xiaobo, widely known as the mother-in-law of actress Wu Peici, was detained in the United States has quickly climbed social media trending lists in weibo and sparked intense discussion among netizens. According to reports, Cui Lijie, a 68-year-old Chinese citizen and former major shareholder of Hong Kong-listed Bohua Pacific International Holdings, was taken into custody by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement on January 13 local time on suspicion of violating US immigration laws. Cui, who had long lived in Hong Kong, is reported to be a core operator behind a luxury casino project in Saipan, once holding controlling shares in Bohua Pacific, which later went bankrupt after its casino was shut down amid investigations into illegal employment, financial irregularities and alleged bribery. As details of the case circulated online, comments flooded in, with many netizens focusing less on the legal case itself and more on Wu Peici’s personal choices. In the comments section, users wrote remarks such as “Going to the US didn’t bring good results,” and “Not getting married was actually the best protection for her and the kids.” Others expressed shock at the scale of money involved, saying “What does 600 million dollars even mean, you could buy the whole Saipan,” while some stated vested interests were at play claiming that “The US has a hundred reasons when it wants to target rich Chinese.”

INDIA WATCH

Chinese Media reports on Tesla’s Struggles to Gain Traction in India Amid High Prices: A Guancha article, citing a January 15 report by Bloomberg, said Tesla is facing a lukewarm response in the Indian market, with weak demand forcing the company to discount unsold vehicles. According to sources, Tesla shipped about 300 Model Y cars to India four months ago, but around 100 remain unsold, prompting discounts of up to 200,000 rupees on limited inventory of the Model Y Standard Range. The report noted that Tesla officially entered India last July, but high import tariffs of up to 110 percent have pushed the starting price of the Model Y close to 70,000 US dollars, limiting consumer acceptance. The report said that Tesla’s brand exposure in India remains limited and many potential buyers turned to cheaper or better equipped alternatives, including BMW’s iX1 and BYD’s Sealion 7. Despite early interest, Tesla reportedly received only about 600 Model Y orders, many of which did not translate into deliveries, and official Indian registration data showed just 227 Teslas registered in 2025. The report contrasted Tesla’s slow progress with stronger growth by other automakers in India, including BMW and BYD, whose electric vehicle sales in the country have risen rapidly in recent years.

Prepared By

Mohit Singh Mehra

Mohit Singh Mehra is a Master’s student of International Relations at South Asian University, New Delhi. His academic and research interests focus on China, Himalayan geopolitics, and border dynamics, with a particular emphasis on strategic, security, and political developments in the region. He is interested in understanding how geography, power, and policy interact in shaping regional order in Asia.