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NEWS IN CHINA 

• China Implements Flexible Retirement System: China has implemented interim measures for a flexible retirement system, effective January 1, 2025, to gradually raise the statutory retirement age. The retirement age will increase over 15 years, with men retiring at 63 instead of 60, and women cadres at 58 instead of 55, while women blue-collar workers will retire at 55 instead of 50. This reform responds to changes since the 1950s, and aims to address the burden of elderly care and improve resource efficiency. The flexible system allows employees to choose their retirement timing and includes protections and optimized social security. This change is also due to China rapidly entering an aging society. The impact on the job market is expected to be small, and extending retirement age is common internationally. China's private pension system is being rolled out nationwide to supplement basic retirement insurance.

• World's Longest Expressway Tunnel Completed in Xinjiang: The Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, the world's longest expressway tunnel, is complete in China's Xinjiang region. This 22.13-kilometer tunnel will cut travel time across the Tianshan Mountains to about 20 minutes, and the Urumqi-Yuli Expressway will shorten the drive between Urumqi and Yuli County to just over three hours when completed in 2025. The project faced challenges including extreme cold, high altitudes and seismic activity, and it passes through 16 fault zones. The No. 2 ventilation shaft is 706 meters deep, taller than the Shanghai Tower. The tunnel is expected to also benefit drivers by preventing them from being stranded on icy mountain roads. A ceremony marked the completion of the tunnel, which links the northern and southern parts of Xinjiang.
  

• Xi and Putin Exchange New Year Greetings, Mark 75 Years of Relations: Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin exchanged New Year greetings, celebrating the 75th anniversary of China-Russia diplomatic relations. Xi highlighted the maturity of the relationship over the past 75 years, stating that the two countries had worked together without forming alliances or targeting third parties and that they have met and communicated frequently, discussing bilateral and international issues. Political trust and strategic coordination have advanced, and practical cooperation has resulted in projects like the China-Russia east-route natural gas pipeline, Xi added. Cultural exchanges have also strengthened the bond between the two nations. Both countries have supported each other in their roles as chairs of BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Xi expressed confidence in future cooperation, reaffirmed China's commitment to reforms and global peace, and stated his readiness to maintain close ties with Putin. The year 2025 is significant as it marks the end of China's 14th Five-Year Plan and the 80th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War.
  

• China's C919 Aircraft Begins Regular Flights to Hong Kong: China's domestically-produced C919 passenger jet began regular commercial flights between Shanghai and Hong Kong on January 1, 2025. The inaugural flight, operated by China Eastern Airlines, carried 157 passengers and was welcomed with a water salute in Hong Kong. There is now a daily round-trip flight between the two cities. The C919 is China's first self-developed trunk jetliner, with a capacity of up to 192 seats, and it meets international airworthiness standards. The project began in 2007, and the first aircraft was produced in 2015. The first commercial flight took place in May 2023 between Shanghai and Beijing, with that route becoming a regular service in January 2024. The C919 first visited Hong Kong in December 2023. In June 2024, a C919 flight transported Hong Kong students to Shanghai for an internship program. China Eastern Airlines is the first operator of the C919, with the largest fleet. This new route is expected to improve connectivity between the two financial hubs. The C919 has received over 1,000 orders. This new service is the first commercial C919 flight outside the Chinese mainland. 
  

• Mount Qomolangma Sees Doubled Foreign Tourist Numbers in 2024: In 2024, the Chinese side of Mount Qomolangma experienced a significant increase in foreign tourists, with numbers more than doubling compared to 2023. The area received 13,764 foreign tourists, a notable rise from the 6,500 in the previous year, which is attributed to China's relaxation of visa policies. Tourists primarily came from countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Germany, and France. China has provided visa-free access to travelers from 38 countries for stays up to 30 days. Additionally, the permitted stay period for visa-free transit has been extended to 240 hours. A tourist from Belarus noted that transportation and accommodations in the region were convenient and that the ecology is well-protected. Xizang lifted pandemic-era travel restrictions in 2023 and reopened to international tourists. The head of Dingri county believes that the region's further opening-up will make it even more convenient for tourists to visit Mount Qomolangma.
  
  
  

  SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

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  Netizens Share their Wishes for 2025: An article on Chinese media site Guancha asked users their wishes for the new year. The author of the piece wished that China’s stock market would become a big bull market in 2025. Many other users engaged and commented on the post sharing their wishes. Many users wished for their families’ health and happiness, while some focused on wishing for a better and more prosperous career. Like the author, many other users wished for the Chinese stock market to do well in 2025. One user also wished for a safer world with no more epidemics. Another user also expressed their wish for the ongoing wars to end and prayed for world peace. Netizens were enthusiastic and hopeful for 2025. 
  
  

  INDIA WATCH  

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  Chinese Media Reports on Quad’s Latest Joint Statement: A latest piece on Global Times reported that Quad's latest joint statement revealed internal divisions and a lack of momentum in its anti-China operations. The article stated that India, Japan, and Australia are reluctant to provoke China, given their improving relations, while maintaining coordination with the US and that this balancing act creates an awkward diplomatic stance within the group. Although the Quad statement did not directly mention China, some Indian media outlets have hyped an anti-China narrative, said the Global Times article. Chinese analysts suggested that the Quad's focus on China lacks momentum due to the instability of US politics, particularly the potential for a shift away from multilateral cooperation. According to the article, the Quad is viewed by China as a tool to contain China and perpetuate US hegemony and that despite US claims otherwise, China was a primary topic at the Quad summit. The author opined that the Quad's actions are viewed as treating the oceans as an arena for geopolitical games. The editorial concluded that groups like the Quad would not make a big wave against China’s global ambitions.

   

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.