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NEWS IN CHINA

• Commerce Ministry Imposes Strict Export Controls on Rare Earths Technologies: China’s Ministry of Commerce announced on Thursday immediate export control measures on technologies related to rare earths, covering mining, smelting, separation, metal smelting, magnetic material manufacturing and recycling from secondary sources. Exports of related technologies, production line equipment and carriers will require prior approval. The ministry emphasized that dual-use items, which can serve both civilian and military purposes, will also need an export license. Exports to overseas military users, or to entities on control and watch lists, will generally be blocked. China will also apply controls to certain overseas items containing Chinese rare earth components, while facilitating compliant trade through multilateral and bilateral dialogue mechanisms. Licensing facilitation measures will be implemented, and applications meeting regulations will be approved. Humanitarian exports for emergency medical care, public health and disaster relief are exempted from licensing.

• China-Malaysia to Hold ‘Peace and Friendship-2025’ Joint Military Exercise in October: China’s Defense Ministry announced that the “Peace and Friendship-2025” joint military exercise will be held in Malaysia and nearby waters from October 15 to 23, aiming to strengthen cooperation in humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and maritime security. Over 1,000 personnel and over 500 equipment including ships, helicopters and unmanned systems will participate. The Chinese forces departed from Zhanjiang, Sanya, and Hong Kong, featuring key vessels such as Type 052D destroyer Yinchuan, Type 071 landing ship Jinggangshan and Type 056A corvette Jingmen. According to the Defense Ministry, the exercise, in its sixth edition since 2014, also includes cultural and sports exchanges and an open-day event, with ASEAN countries being invited as observers. Military expert Zhang Junshe noted that both nations face shared maritime challenges like piracy and natural disasters, making such cooperation essential for regional peace and stability.

• China Reports Steady Consumption Growth During National Day Holiday: During the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, China reported steady growth in consumption, fueled by diverse spending patterns, official data revealed on October 8. Key retail and catering enterprises saw a 2.7 percent year-on-year increase in sales, according to the Ministry of Commerce. Passenger traffic in 78 monitored pedestrian streets and business districts rose 8.8 percent, while business revenues grew 6 percent compared with the same period last year. New consumption trends emerged, with green and smart products gaining popularity. Sales of green organic food surged 27.9 percent, smart home appliances rose 14.3 percent, and China-chic clothing increased 14.1 percent year-on-year. The holiday period also reflected consumers’ shift toward healthy choices, with low-sugar and low-fat mooncakes becoming more popular. Services consumption flourished as high-quality domestic films drove a holiday box office exceeding 1.79 billion yuan, while sports and cultural events boosted spending on catering and creative products.

• China-Europe Freight Trains via Central Corridor Cross 3,000 Mark in Record Time: The 1,293rd China-Europe freight train departed from the Erenhot Railway Port in Inner Mongolia, marking the 3,000th train to pass through the Central Corridor this year. It is the third consecutive year that Erenhot has recorded over 3,000 freight trains. Currently, 74 routes operate through the port, linking more than 70 cities across over 10 countries. Since its launch in 2013, Erenhot has handled nearly 21,000 China-Europe trains. The range of goods has also evolved significantly: high-value items such as new energy vehicles, electronics and precision machinery now account for over 40% of shipments, up from less than 10% in the early years. Officials said the growing efficiency and diversification of cargo reflect the deepening trade integration between China and Europe, with the Central Corridor emerging as a strategic artery for cross-continental commerce.

• China Development Bank Issues 978.1 Billion Yuan in Urban Village Renovation Loans: The China Development Bank (CDB) has issued 978.1 billion yuan in special loans for urban village renovation during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. The initiative forms part of the bank’s broader effort to support the three major projects: affordable housing, urban village renewal and dual-use public infrastructure. By the end of August 2025, CDB’s funding had supported 816 renovation projects, helping to build or upgrade 1.769 million resettlement houses, benefiting 942,000 urban village households. In addition, 4.8 billion yuan in affordable housing loans backed 74 projects creating 62,000 housing units, while 40.7 billion yuan in infrastructure loans supported 180 dual-use projects. To ensure effective implementation, CDB has established two-tiered working groups at both head office and branch levels, strengthened coordination with ministries and local governments, and created a fast-track approval mechanism to meet financing needs efficiently.

• China and Italy Pledge to Deepen Strategic Cooperation: The 12th China-Italy Government Committee meeting was held in Rome, co-chaired by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. Wang emphasized that the China-Italy Committee, the first intergovernmental cooperation mechanism China established with a European nation, has, over 21 years, played a vital role in deepening bilateral relations. During the meeting, both sides outlined future goals to upgrade the mechanism to a more systematic and effective “Version 2.0”. Reviewing the progress since the issuance of the China-Italy Action Plan and a series of high-level visits from Italian leaders, Wang highlighted growing practical cooperation marking the 55th anniversary of diplomatic ties. Deputy PM Tajani praised the enduring friendship between the two nations, reaffirming Italy’s commitment to deepening cooperation in trade, investment, technology, culture and sports. He stressed Italy’s support for free trade, smooth supply chains, and peaceful resolution of disputes through dialogue.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Netizens Discuss Guangdong Resident’s Punishment for Refusing Military Service: A man from Dinghu District in Guangdong, identified as Huang Moumou, has been fined 29,936 yuan and permanently blacklisted after refusing to serve in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) despite voluntarily enlisting earlier this year. According to an official notice released on October 8, Huang, a university graduate, joined a Tibet-based brigade in March 2025 but soon displayed “a negative attitude” and refused to adapt to military discipline. After repeated counseling, authorities expelled him and imposed several penalties including revoking family benefits, restricting future education, overseas travel and public employment. His refusal will also remain permanently recorded in his household registration and personal credit record. The incident has become a trending topic on Chinese social media platforms like Weibo, drawing millions of views. While many users condemned Huang’s behavior as “dishonorable” and “unpatriotic”, others questioned the harshness of the punishment, debating whether mandatory service should allow for more psychological support and flexibility. Others argued that such severe penalties could discourage voluntary enlistment and also questioned whether lifelong blacklisting was proportionate, urging authorities to balance discipline with compassion. The case has reignited nationwide discussions on youth responsibility and patriotism in modern China.

INDIA WATCH

Chinese Media Highlights India’s Plan to Launch Digital Currency: Chinese platform Sina reports that at a business roundtable in Qatar, India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal revealed plans for a digital currency e-rupee to be issued and guaranteed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The article notes that the minister clarified the parity between digital currency and conventional money in terms of purpose and use, but further mentions that the new form of currency would exist entirely in electronic form. Unlike private cryptocurrencies, the RBI-backed version would be state-guaranteed, aiming to streamline transactions, cut paper use and enable faster payments. The article explains that the initiative will employ blockchain technology to enhance transparency and curb illegal financial activity by ensuring each transaction is traceable. It also states India’s vision of positioning its model as a secure, efficient and fully regulated digital alternative amidst the rise of other emerging currency forms such as foreign stablecoins. 

Prepared By

Lipun Kumar Sanbad

Lipun Kumar Sanbad, a postgraduate student of Politics and International Relations from Pondicherry University and a History and Political science graduate from University of Delhi. From the past three years working as a freelance researcher in the domain of global peace, conflict and security studies, and defence studies.