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NEWS IN CHINA

• China’s Foreign Ministry Pushes Back Against U.S. Anti-China Provisions in Defense Legislation: China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed strong dissatisfaction and firmly opposed the U.S. Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which ratifies into law measures that China considers a threat to its sovereignty and security interests. At a regular press conference on December 19, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun urged the United States not to enforce the anti-China measures. He stated that China has also lodged formal representations with the U.S. side on multiple occasions on this matter. He argued that the bill exaggerates a “China threat” and destabilises their bilateral relations. Guo stated that China’s position is that the U.S. should view China’s progress through a rational lens and work together to implement the consensus reached by both heads of state during a recent summit in Busan, South Korea. He further warned that if the U.S. persists in implementing these defense measures, China will take strong actions to safeguard its sovereignty, security, and development.
  
  
• Routine Patrols Conducted Near Kinmen Island: The Fujian Coast Guard conducted routine law enforcement patrols in waters near Kinmen Island on December 19, reinforcing maritime control and safety in the strait. According to Zhu Anqing, a spokesperson for the East China Sea Bureau of the China Coast Guard, the patrols included formation maneuvers, identification and verification procedures, and radio warnings in strategic waters. The patrols were carried out “in accordance with the law” and are part of regular measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of fishermen from both sides of the Taiwan Strait. They further reported that enhanced maritime control measures this year have improved security and stability in relevant waters, contributing to “safer navigation and operational order.”
  
  
• High Influenza Levels Plague the Nation: The National Health Commission held a press conference on December 19 and stated that influenza activity across China remains at a high level nationwide, despite a recent slight decline in some regions. The officials stated that influenza viruses are currently the leading cause of acute respiratory infections in the country, with the H3N2 subtype of influenza A dominating the circulating strains. Data from sentinel hospitals show that influenza has been observed at especially high rates among patients who have been hospitalized in the emergency department with acute respiratory distress. Other viruses, such as the respiratory syncytial virus and rhinovirus, are also widely circulating. Experts noted that the seasonal peak in the southern provinces occurred slightly later than in the north, and that sealed indoor environments in schools and childcare facilities heighten the risk of infection during the winter season. Therefore, health authorities advised implementing enhanced ventilation in schools and an increase in personal protective measures, especially in closed environments like the home and crowded offices.
  
  
• New Minimum-Wage Classification Standards Introduced: China’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security introduced new minimum wage classification standards for skilled workers. The new framework deviates from a set minimum wage and towards differentiated categories that reflect hard work and skill levels. The framework states that wages for basic positions must be at least 105 percent of the local statutory minimum wage, while important positions are set at no less than 120 percent, key positions at a minimum of 150 percent, and core positions at no less than 200 percent. Additionally, it also introduces a clear upgrade within the same job category, with minimum pay rising with each increase in skill level. In particular, the minimum wages for master technicians and chief technicians are generally required to match or exceed the lowest salary levels of senior professional, technical, or managerial staff in the same region and industry.
  
  
• Chinese Scientists Achieve Breakthrough in Next-Gen Optical Computing Chips: According to a December 19 report in Sina News, Chinese scientists at Shanghai Jiao Tong University achieved a breakthrough in next-generation optical computing chips, successfully creating an all-optical chip capable of supporting large-scale intelligent semantic vision generation models. The research, published in the prestigious journal Science, describes the LightGen chip, which can perform end-to-end optical processing for complex generative AI tasks such as high-resolution image and video synthesis. Unlike traditional electronic or hybrid optical-electronic chips, LightGen integrates over a million optical neural units on a single device and performs full optical dimension conversion and semantic processing without relying on conventional electronic computing. The LightGen architecture achieved comparable generative quality to state-of-the-art digital chips while providing improvements in speed and energy efficiency. Developers say the technology opens new avenues for “energy-efficient” AI hardware innovation, particularly for large-scale generative models.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Netizens React to U.S. Retaliatory Strikes on Syria: A Beijing Daily Weibo post reported that U.S. President Donald Trump announced on December 19 that the United States had launched a retaliatory military operation against ISIS targets in Syria, following the killing of U.S. personnel. According to the post, the U.S. military carried out large-scale airstrikes against dozens of ISIS-linked targets. The post clarified that President Trump stated that the strikes were aimed at ISIS strongholds and described the operation as a direct response to terrorist attacks on Americans. He also claimed that Syria’s transitional government supported the action and was cooperating to restore stability. The operation followed an incident in which two U.S. soldiers and a civilian translator were killed in Syria. While the U.S. said the attacker was an ISIS member, Syria’s authorities suggested the suspect was a local security personnel. The comment section was rife with strong skepticism and criticism. Some users questioned why American soldiers were positioned in Syria. Another user expressed that they believed that the U.S. would use this as an excuse to invade the region again, and some others stated that they believed that the U.S. was the “real extremist organization” that should be punished.

INDIA WATCH

China Files Complaint with WTO Against India: On December 19, China formally requested meetings with India at the World Trade Organization (WTO) in relation to the tariff measures implemented by India on information and communication products, and subsidies for photovoltaic solar products. According to the Ministry of Commerce, the Indian import substitution policies violate multiple WTO obligations, including set tariff rates and the principle of national treatment. Additionally, the report stated that the Indian policies also provide an unfair advantage to their own domestic companies while discriminating against foreign suppliers. China’s Ministry of Commerce argued that these measures explicitly harm Chinese exporters and undermine their national interests. The spokesperson also called on India to fulfill its WTO obligations and revise the measures accordingly.

Prepared By

Chitra Nair

Chitra Nair is a recent postgraduate in Chinese Studies from SOAS University of London, holding a bachelor’s degree in International Relations with a minor in Environmental Studies from FLAME University, India. Her research explores contemporary Chinese politics, digital activism, political expression and censorship. She is especially interested in how the state and citizens negotiate power and legitimacy, questions which she seeks to explore through a political sociology lens. She previously interned at the Institute of Chinese Studies, New Delhi, where she published work on media censorship and the queer community in China. Her dissertation, Digital Panopticon : Activism and State Surveillance in China, examines digital activism and censorship in China through three key case studies.