NEWS IN CHINA


  • China Plans to Accelerate High-Speed Rail Expansion by 2030: China is set to expand its high-speed rail network to approximately 60,000 km by 2030, up from 48,000 km at the end of 2024, according to China Railway. The overall railway network is expected to grow to 180,000 km from 162,000 km within the same period. Fixed-asset investment in the sector is projected to reach 590 billion yuan (about $82.08 billion USD) in 2025, with 2,600 km of new tracks slated for operation. In 2024, China's railways achieved record-breaking milestones, including 4.08 billion passenger trips, a 10.8 percent increase from 2023, and 3.99 billion tonnes of cargo transported, marking an eighth consecutive year of growth. These figures are expected to rise further in 2025, with passenger trips potentially reaching 4.28 billion. Fixed-asset investment in 2024 grew by 11.3 percent year-on-year, totalling 850.6 billion yuan. Additionally, China-Europe freight trains completed 19,000 trips in 2024, a 10 percent increase, transporting 2.07 million TEU containers, up by 9 percent year-on-year.

 

  • The PLA Kicks Off 2025 with Intensive Combat Training: The People's Liberation Army (PLA) has commenced its annual training sessions on Thursday, emphasizing enhanced combat readiness across its forces. A brigade of the PLA Ground Force's 76th Group Army launched New Year training on a plateau in northwestern China, involving live-fire and tactical drills. Similarly, the 73rd Group Army conducted tactical training for infantry and armoured vehicle units. The South Sea Fleet's destroyer squadron initiated a combat exercise featuring advanced guided-missile destroyers, including the Type 055-class CNS Yan'an. Complementing this, a ship-borne helicopter group carried out maneuvers from an island airport in the South China Sea. The PLA Air Force engaged its fighter jet brigades in air combat contests to sharpen pilot skills, while an air-defense missile brigade executed drills targeting "hostile aircraft". Concurrently, the PLA Rocket Force deployed missile launch teams for multi-location exercises. These exercises mark a pivotal year for the PLA, as 2025 concludes the military's 14th Five-Year Plan and progresses toward the goals set for its 100th founding anniversary in August 2027. A PLA Daily editorial emphasized the importance of heightened morale, task focus and mission success to meet these objectives.

 

  • Hong Kong Launches Advanced Carbon Fiber Passenger Ferry: The Xin Ming Zhu III, a high-speed passenger ferry with a capacity of 500, has officially been delivered in Hong Kong. This boat is touted as the largest carbon fiber vessel in China by passenger capacity. Built with advanced lightweight carbon fiber materials, the ferry is 44.75 meters long and 11 meters wide, offering advantages such as reduced weight, corrosion resistance, lower fuel consumption and quieter operation which greatly improve environmental sustainability, cuts emissions and maintenance costs. Optimized for Hong Kong's island routes, the vessel provides structural strength to make it capable of handling diverse conditions, including safe operations in winds up to force 8. Equipped with lithium battery and solar panels, it reduces fuel usage while still maintaining essential electrical systems when docked. This is the eighth of 11 ferries commissioned to Guangzhou Shipbuilding Industry Corp. under the Hong Kong Outlying Islands project, highlighting the vital role of ferries in Hong Kong's transportation. Operated by Hong Kong Sun Ferry Company, passenger ferries serve around 12 million passengers annually.

 

  • China Sanctions 10 U.S. Firms Over Taiwan Arms Sales: China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOC) has added 10 U.S. companies, including Lockheed Martin entities, to its unreliable entities list for supplying arms to Taiwan. The sanctions ban these firms from import/export activities and new investments in China. Senior executives from these companies also face travel bans, revocation of work permits and rejection of potential visa applications. The MOC stated that these companies violated the one-China principle and three China-U.S. joint communiques, and thereby, undermined China’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and stability across the Taiwan Strait. These companies, highlighted by the ministry, are expected to face legal consequences under Chinese laws. The MOC states that these laws target only specific foreign entities that are harming China’s security, while reaffirming its commitment to providing a stable and predictable business environment for other foreign companies.

 

  • Zhangzhou Nuclear Reactor Commences Commercial Operations: China's nuclear power industry achieved a significant milestone on New Year’s Day with the first Hualong One reactor at the Zhangzhou plant in Fujian province beginning large-scale commercial operation. This marks the debut of China's third-generation nuclear reactor technology feeding power into the national grid. The Zhangzhou plant is poised to become China's largest third-generation nuclear facility, with plans for six reactors, each boasting a capacity of over 1 million kilowatts. The first reactor, which passed safety evaluations, is operational, while four are under construction. The state-owned China National Nuclear Corporation developed the Hualong One reactor to reduce dependence on foreign technology and bolster China’s clean energy capabilities. Each reactor generates approximately 10 billion kilowatt-hours annually, meeting the energy needs of 1 million people. Additionally, a single reactor can cut coal consumption by 3.12 million tons per year, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 8.16 million tons.

 

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER IN CHINA


  • A Risky Trend in Mental Health Emerges on Chinese Social Media: In China, short-video platforms are popularizing psychological "diagnostic" content, raising concerns about misinformation and wrong self-diagnosis. Videos highlighting traits like narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) or dissociative disorders often appear to oversimplify and stigmatize mental health issues. For instance, vloggers describe NPD as an "incurable personality cancer," encouraging unnecessary avoidance of those with the condition. Often, these videos portray common feelings like feeling “spaced out” or senseless in a crisis as a symptom of mental disorders. Influenced by these videos, comments get filled with anxious viewers comparing their own behaviors to symptoms, despite lacking professional guidance. Experts like Ding Ruyi, a psychology professor at Sun Yat-sen University, warn that these videos lack scientific basis, oversimplify complex conditions and might discourage individuals from seeking proper care. Symptoms like temporary low moods are found to be misinterpreted as disorders, leading to unnecessary emotional stress, particularly amongst young viewers who wrongfully equate personal traits to psychological problems.

 

INDIA WATCH 


  • Chinese Media Shares Perspective on India as the ‘Next China’ Narrative: Chinese media expressed its persepctive on foreign media reports about India becoming the "next China" owing to its population, market potential and geopolitical advantages. Chinese analysts remain skeptical about India's ability to replace China as the world's manufacturing and economic powerhouse. Chinese scholars, including Qian Feng from Tsinghua University, view this narrative as politically motivated, claiming that Western nations appear to be promoting India’s rise in order to counterbalance China’s growing influence in the global supply chain. Meanwhile, Chinese media cites reports like those from Switzerland’s New Zurich which highlight India’s infrastructure and education gaps, hindering its ability to match China's rapid industrialization. Chinese media also often mention India’s slower economic growth, bureaucratic complexities and limited technological capacity as reasons behind India’s inability to counter China. Multiple Chinese reports have underscored China’s industrial leadership as being driven by decades of reforms, skilled labor and a robust manufacturing ecosystem. On the other hand, Vietnam, also cited as an alternative, is portrayed as a complement to China rather than a threat. Chinese experts believe that the idea of India or Vietnam "replacing" China oversimplifies the environment of global trade. For now, they highlight, "the next China is still China," given its sustained economic growth and industrial competitiveness.

Prepared By

Taasha Mistry is a third year undergraduate student at FLAME University, pursuing a major in International Studies with a minor in Advertising & Branding. After having completed an internship at International SOS, she has found her interests to lie in security and strategic studies. Intrigued by the ever changing dynamics in the modern day world, she keeps herself updated with daily news and events.

CiCM 2nd January 2025

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