CiCM 27th December 2024

NEWS IN CHINA

C919 to Fly Shanghai-Hong Kong Route: China Eastern Airlines will begin operating the C919, China's self-developed jet, on a regular route between Shanghai and Hong Kong starting January 1, 2025. This marks the first commercial flight for the C919 to destinations outside of mainland China. China Eastern is the first global customer of the C919 and has purchased 105 of these aircraft from the manufacturer, Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC). China Eastern currently operates the largest C919 fleet globally. The Shanghai-Hong Kong route will be a daily flight, with tickets available for purchase on China Eastern's official website and app. Hong Kong will be the ninth city where China Eastern's C919 fleet operates. The other eight cities are Shanghai, Beijing, Chongqing, Chengdu, Xi'an, Guangzhou, Taiyuan, and Wuhan.
CPC Leadership Stresses Strengthening Party Discipline: A recent meeting of the Communist Party of China (CPC) leadership emphasized the importance of strengthening Party discipline and urged senior leaders to lead by example in following Party rules. The meeting, chaired by Xi Jinping, involved criticism and self-criticism among members of the Political Bureau. This discussion focused on reinforcing the results of the Party-wide discipline education campaign that took place from April to July. Key issues addressed included maintaining the authority of the Party Central Committee, serving the people, implementing central decisions, studying Party discipline, and ensuring strict self-supervision and governance. Xi Jinping praised the discipline education campaign for enhancing Party members' awareness of discipline, integrity, self-discipline and responsibility. He stated the meeting was successful and will help the Political Bureau strengthen unity and improve its work.
China Launches First Electromagnetic Catapult-Equipped Amphibious Assault Ship: China launched its first Type 076 amphibious assault ship, the Sichuan, which is the world's first of its kind equipped with electromagnetic catapult and arresting technology on December 27. This technology allows the vessel to launch both manned and unmanned combat aircraft, in addition to helicopters, similar to an aircraft carrier. The Sichuan has a full load displacement of over 40,000 tons and is equipped with a double island superstructure and full longitudinal flight deck. The Type 076 has a large displacement, enabling it to carry more weapons and equipment, and have a longer range. It can also carry an amphibious combat battalion. This new vessel is expected to significantly enhance the PLA Navy's combat capabilities, especially in far seas operations. It is considered a culmination of various technologies, including the radars of destroyers and frigates, the electromagnetic catapult of the Fujian aircraft carrier, and the concept of the Type 075 amphibious assault ship.
Localities Get More Say With Special Bonds: China gives local governments more autonomy in how they use special-purpose bonds, which are a key source of financing to boost investment. Localities can now direct these bonds toward a wider range of projects as long as they are not on a "negative list" from the State Council. This includes infrastructure supporting emerging industries like information technology and new materials, urban redevelopment, and public service facilities. Furthermore, special-purpose bonds can now make up to 30% of a project's overall investment as equity capital, up from 7.6% nationwide in 2024. To speed up the process, some provincial-level regions can now approve their projects without seeking prior approval from national bodies. These changes aim to boost domestic demand and economic growth. The quota for new local government special-purpose bonds is expected to rise to 4.5 trillion yuan in 2025. Over 41% of funds raised through these bonds between 2017 and 2022 were used for infrastructure construction.
China Enhances Legal Framework for Property Rights: China's Supreme People's Court (SPC) has released a five-year reform outline focused on judicial protection of property rights. This initiative aims to improve the rule of law within the country's business environment and covers the period from 2024 to 2028. The plan emphasizes equal protection for all forms of ownership. It mandates that infringements on property rights and legitimate interests be accounted for and punished. The outline also seeks to improve the handling of cases that have criminal, administrative, and civil elements, as well as clarifying the boundaries between criminal and non-criminal conduct in cases involving enterprises. A mechanism will be established to prevent and correct unjust charges or sentences in enterprise-related cases. Preservation procedures are to be strictly regulated, with innovative methods explored. The reforms are designed to ensure equal access to production factors, participation in market competition, and legal protection for all. These measures aim to enhance entrepreneurs' confidence and security. The outline includes over 200 tasks for courts across nine major areas.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Netizens React to Smoking Restrictions in China: A recent article on Guancha sparked lively discussions about the growing restrictions on smoking in public spaces across China. The author, a smoker, expressed frustration over the lack of designated smoking areas in locations such as airports and train stations. The writer shared experiences of being harshly treated, including instances of being chased out of bathrooms for smoking. Advocating for a more balanced approach, the author suggested that designated smoking areas should comprise at least 10% of the total space in public venues, emphasizing that smokers are not criminals and deserve accommodations that respect their needs alongside those of non-smokers. However, many Guancha users strongly disagreed. Critics argue that smoking releases harmful toxins into the environment, endangering others. Some urged smokers to quit and engage in healthier, more productive activities, while others adopted a more lenient stance, noting that smoking is acceptable as long as smokers are considerate of those around them. The debate highlights the ongoing tension between public health priorities and the rights of individuals in shared spaces.

INDIA WATCH

Chinese Media Reports on a Right-Wing Hindu Leader’s Call For More Babies in India: South China Morning Post (SCMP) reports on a controversy in India sparked by a Hindu nationalist leader's call for families to have more children. The article frames this as a debate about whether India should continue to expand its population to maintain its demographic advantage. Mohan Bhagwat, chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), argued that India needed to increase its population due to declining fertility rates, the article reported. India’s fertility rate has fallen from 5.9 children per woman in 1950 to 2.01 currently, which is below the replacement level of 2.1. SCMP reports Bhagwat’s concern about this decline, and his claim that societies with rates below 2.1 "vanish from the earth." Experts caution against seeing India's declining fertility rate as a crisis, suggesting that Mohan Bhagwat's comments reflect other concerns, the article reports. They suggest that Bhagwat's comments may reflect concerns about the Hindu majority being overtaken by Muslim minorities, or India's economy slowing down like Japan and China, which are aging due to declining fertility rates.

Prepared By

Ananya Tandon

Ananya Tandon is a third-year undergraduate student at FLAME University, majoring in International Studies and minoring in Journalism. With a keen interest in political journalism, she gained valuable hands-on experience through her internship at NDTV, where she had the opportunity to explore the field. She is passionate about staying up-to-date on issues that shape the global community.