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NEWS IN CHINA

• Foreign Minister Wang Yi Meets Azerbaijani President in Baku: Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Baku to attend the seventh summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA). Wang noted that China and Azerbaijan have maintained mutual understanding and support, with bilateral relations showing strong development prospects. He stated that China would deepen cooperation with Azerbaijan on the Middle Corridor and remain a reliable long-term strategic partner. Wang also expressed support for Azerbaijan’s development and territorial integrity and called for closer coordination on regional and international affairs. President Aliyev expressed appreciation for China’s support for Azerbaijan’s economic and social development and said Chinese modernisation offers an example for developing countries. Aliyev highlighted Azerbaijan’s early participation in the Belt and Road Initiative and said bilateral cooperation projects had produced positive results. He called for closer cooperation in energy and connectivity, greater Chinese investment in Azerbaijan, and increased use of the mutual visa exemption agreement to promote people-to-people exchanges. He also reaffirmed Azerbaijan’s adherence to the one-China principle and support for China’s global initiatives. 
  
  
• China-Pakistan Joint Army Training Begins in Xinjiang: China and Pakistan have begun Karakoram 2026, their first joint army training exercise, at a military base in Korla, Xinjiang. The exercise focuses on joint counter-terrorism and clearance operations in high-altitude areas and will include training in UAV operations, target detection and firing, long-range sniping, joint command, and live-force exercises. According to the article, China has supplied all weapons and equipment being used during the exercise. The equipment includes Type 191 rifles, Type 201 squad machine guns, Type 11 armoured assault vehicles, Type 08 infantry fighting vehicles, artillery, and unmanned and anti-unmanned systems. Chinese military expert Wang Yunfei stated that the wheeled armoured vehicles used in the exercise are suitable for high-altitude operations because they offer greater mobility and are easier to maintain than tracked platforms. He also noted that Pakistan’s use of an entirely Chinese equipment lineup could provide an opportunity to assess the systems for possible future procurement. Additionally, Chinese expert, Zhang Jueshe highlighted areas for further cooperation, including intelligence sharing, technology transfers, equipment support, and exchanges of counter-terrorism experience. The exercise is expected to continue through mid- and late October.
  
  
• SAMR Issues New Standards for Hydrogen Energy Industry: China has introduced 15 new national standards covering key areas of its hydrogen energy industry, according to the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR). The standards span hydrogen production, storage and transportation, refuelling infrastructure, equipment testing, and safety monitoring, marking a broader effort to establish common technical requirements across the industry. The new standards address several technical gaps that have affected the expansion of hydrogen energy. They establish requirements for producing hydrogen through renewable-energy-powered water electrolysis and fuel conversion, while also setting specifications for hydrogen transportation through pipelines and natural gas networks. Standards for pipeline integrity, welding compatibility, and hydrogen turbine equipment are also included. For hydrogen refuelling stations, the standards cover components and processes including compressors, refuelling hoses, seals, fuel quality, vehicle connections, and hydrogen sampling. Separate requirements for leak detection and stationary hydrogen monitoring aim to strengthen safety controls across hydrogen-related facilities. The measures are expected to improve consistency in equipment manufacturing and raise technical and market-entry requirements for the sector. The standards are part of China’s broader efforts to develop its hydrogen industry and advance its green and low-carbon energy transition.
  
  
• President Xi Jinping Congratulates 140th Canton Fair: President Xi Jinping has sent a congratulatory letter to the 140th China Import and Export Fair, known as the Canton Fair, which will take place in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, from October 15 to November 4. In his letter, Xi highlighted the fair’s contribution to China’s international trade over the past seven decades. He noted that it has served as an important platform for strengthening commercial exchanges with other countries, expanding China’s opening up and supporting the development of an open global economy. Xi also outlined China’s willingness to work with countries worldwide amid changing global circumstances. He called for protecting the multilateral trading system and maintaining stable global industrial and supply chains. He further emphasised expanding mutually beneficial international economic and trade cooperation and promoting economic globalisation that delivers broader benefits and includes more participants.
  
  
• China Launches Eight AI Computing Satellites: China has launched eight AI computing satellites as part of its plan to establish a 2,800-satellite space-based computing constellation. The satellites were deployed on Wednesday aboard a Zhuque-2E Y4 rocket developed by commercial aerospace company LandSpace, alongside two experimental laser communication satellites. Developed by ADA Space, the satellites belong to the second group of its Star Compute programme. The planned constellation will comprise 2,400 satellites for AI inference and 400 for AI model training. The latest mission will test the training of AI foundation models in orbit, high-speed laser communications and advanced cooling systems. The satellites carry high-performance computing payloads, laser communication equipment and Earth observation instruments. Experiments will also assess a 10-kilowatt liquid cooling system and deployable radiator panels designed to manage the heat generated by computing equipment in space. Unlike conventional satellites that transmit collected data to Earth for processing, computing satellites can perform calculations directly in orbit. This could reduce reliance on ground-based data centres and enable faster processing of space-generated information. ADA Space plans to deploy around 1,000 satellites and begin commercial operations before 2030, with the full constellation targeted for completion before 2035. The mission marks another step in China's development of space-based AI infrastructure.
  
  

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Weibo Debate on Equal Retirement Ages and Pension Sustainability: A post discussing gender-based retirement ages and China’s social security pressures is going viral on Weibo. According to the post, aligning retirement ages for men and women could help ease pension funding challenges by increasing women’s contribution periods and reducing the duration of pension payments. The post also proposed maternity compensation, allowing women to retire earlier based on the number of children they have. Many users supported linking early retirement to childbirth, noting “two years of earlier retirement for each child, capped at six years.” Another user argued that “different retirement ages should apply only to specific occupations, particularly physically demanding jobs, rather than being determined by gender.”  Some users highlighted unemployment among young people and workers over 35, arguing that “limited job opportunities and declining willingness to contribute to social security were more pressing concerns.” One user cautioned that “extending women’s working lives could further restrict employment opportunities for younger workers.” Others raised concerns about childcare, noting that “retired women often help families care for grandchildren.” Some also argued that “equal retirement ages could increase childcare costs unless public childcare services were expanded.” Another user viewed the “existing retirement gap as a disadvantage for women in career advancement, as employers might favour male candidates approaching retirement age.” Several commentators further questioned the fairness of pension arrangements, “citing differences in contribution periods, life expectancy and benefit duration.”

INDIA WATCH

Finance Sina Discusses India’s Plans to Introduce New Policy for Data Centres: An article in Finance Sina discussed the Indian government’s decision on October 14 to introduce a new policy for the data centre industry amid concerns over rising power consumption. According to the article, Deputy Minister of Information Technology Jitin Prasada announced the plan, although he did not disclose its specific scope or launch date. It noted that the policy aims to address the pressure created by the rapid expansion of data centres and prevent higher electricity costs for consumers resulting from increased demand. The article highlighted that local opposition to data centre projects has already emerged in some cities. It further stated that residents in Mumbai and Visakhapatnam have opposed projects by Amazon and Google, citing concerns over water consumption, pressure on power supplies, and environmental impacts. According to the article, India currently lacks a dedicated policy framework for the data centre industry. It emphasised that approvals are largely based on existing environmental regulations and building codes, while some state governments have introduced their own incentives to attract investment. The article concluded that the proposed policy signals an effort by the central government to establish a more specific framework for an industry whose expansion is creating growing pressure on electricity and other resources.

Prepared By

Neha Maurya

Neha Maurya is a Project Assistant at Organisation for Research on China and Asia (ORCA). A recent graduate of FLAME University with a major in International Studies and a minor in Public Policy, her research interests include strategic studies, governance, and education policy. She is interested in contributing to research that informs effective policy design and implementation.