CiCM 17th November 2024

NEWS IN CHINA

China to host the 2026 APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting: Xi Jinping announced on November 16 that China will host the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in 2026. Xi said that China is eager to collaborate with all stakeholders to strengthen Asia-Pacific cooperation. 2026 will be the third time that China will host the meeting since APEC’s founding in 1989. China has previously hosted APEC leaders in 2001 and 2014. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said that China offered to host the meeting in 2026 and that China’s offer to host the meeting was welcomed and received the endorsement of leaders at the recently held 31st APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Lima. The spokesperson added that China was prepared to improve communication and cooperation with other parties when hosting APEC in 2026 and looked forward to jointly implementing the Putrajaya Vision 2040, advancing the development of an Asia-Pacific community and the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific.
China turns on a hypergravity machine that could help solve complex engineering issues: China has turned on the most sophisticated hypergravity machine in the world, which can produce forces thousands of times stronger than the gravity of the Earth's surface. Scientists say this will help them better understand events like the rise of mountains and natural disasters like dam collapses. With the biggest hypergravity centrifuge in the world, the Centrifugal Hypergravity and Interdisciplinary Experiment Facility (CHIEF) will provide a multidisciplinary science platform that will aid in resolving challenging engineering issues in several fields once it is fully operational. Due to their capacity to produce extreme physical conditions not found in normal settings, hypergravity centrifuges are regarded as groundbreaking research instruments. Chen Yunmin, a professor at Zhejiang University and a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, stated in a 2019 article outlining the proposal and design for CHIEF that such facilities could "compress" time and space, enabling research into a variety of intricate physics problems and serving a broad range of engineering purposes.
China’s first deep-ocean drilling vessel enters service: The Meng Xiang, China's first domestically designed and constructed deep-ocean drilling vessel was formally put into service in Guangzhou, a city in southern China, on November 17. The vessel has a maximum drilling depth of 11 kilometers. The Meng Xiang has a gross tonnage of 33,000 tonnes, a length of 179.8 meters, a beam of 32.8 meters, and a range of up to 15,000 nautical miles. It can operate continuously for 120 days. With the ability to drill ultra-deepwater down to 11 kilometers, it is currently the only drilling vessel in the world to be able to perform this. The vessel was developed by the China Geological Survey under the Ministry of Natural Resources, in cooperation with the China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited and other entities. By the end of this year, it is scheduled to go on its first drilling expedition. Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter for the official commissioning of the Meng Xiang.
China issues guidelines to enhance the ‘juveniles mode’ on mobile internet: The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) has published a set of rules regarding the development of an enhanced juvenile mode on the nation's mobile internet in an attempt to improve cyber safety for children and prevent cyber addiction. In addition to enhancing the protection of minors in cyberspace through better management of online content and safety, as well as the amount of time spent online by minors, these guidelines outline efforts to support and encourage smart mobile terminals, mobile applications, and their distribution platforms to work together in the development of juveniles mode. According to the rules, users can limit how much time minors can spend online each day in the enhanced juveniles mode. Further, an age-based recommendation standard has been implemented to give priority to providing corresponding content that is suitable for five age groups among juveniles. The guidelines also outline efforts to reduce addictive services and features on mobile internet while giving more customised internet services that offer increased convenience and safety.
Chinese Mainland eases travel to Hong Kong and Macao: With the introduction of "certificate-free" clearance for travellers, China has made another move to speed up residents' travels between the Chinese mainland and the special administrative territories of Hong Kong and Macao. The Shenzhen Bay Port and the Gongbei Port, both in Guangdong province, have been chosen to implement the new strategy, the National Immigration Administration announced in a statement on November 15. Residents of the mainland who are aged 14 or above and possess a valid travel document to Hong Kong and Macao, along with an endorsement for multiple entry to Hong Kong or Macao, will be permitted to pass through the two ports without presenting the necessary documentation starting November 20. The travellers, instead, would need to undergo facial and fingerprint clearance. This also applies to residents of Hong Kong and Macao who are 14 years of age or older and have a valid mainland travel permit, including non-Chinese residents. According to the administration, the changes are intended to make travel between the mainland, Hong Kong and Macao easier. However, mainland citizens who possess an exit and entrance pass for public affairs are exempt from the measures.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Netizens react to celebrity boxer Jake Paul beating legendary boxer Mike Tyson in a heavyweight showdown: The much-anticipated boxing match between celebrity boxer Jake Paul and Boxing Champion Mike Tyson was held on November 15 at the AT&T Arena in Arlington, Texas, USA. The match lasted eight rounds and Tyson lost to Paul by a score of 74 to 78. Netizens on the Chinese media site Guancha had mixed reactions to the match. Many users commented that it was just a commercial exhibition or a gamble, and the purpose of the match was just to make money. One user criticised Jake Paul for always making fun of elderly people. Some other users sided with Tyson and said that he only lost because of his old age, and if he were in his prime, Jake Paul would not have stood a chance against him

INDIA WATCH

Guancha reports on the Khalistani protests in Canada: Guancha reported on recent protests in Canada involving Khalistani groups, citing Canadian sources. The ‘Nagar Kirtan’ march took place in Surrey, British Columbia, and featured Indian music and Khalistan flags. A Canadian journalist, Daniel Bordman, shared a video of the event on X (formerly Twitter), showing a protester making controversial remarks, including accusations against white Canadians. While no one else joined in these statements, the individual was not interrupted, according to Guancha. The video sparked mixed reactions online. While some Canadians expressed outrage, others questioned its authenticity, with one X user suggesting the accent of the individual seemed inauthentic, possibly hinting at a prank. This event follows reports of tensions in Brampton, Greater Toronto, where a group of individuals disrupted a Hindu worship gathering at a local temple. The Indian government has called on Canadian authorities to address these incidents decisively amid growing international concern. Guancha's article noted the uncertain future of such protests and urged vigilance around community gatherings during weekends.

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.