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NEWS IN CHINA

• Apple CEO Tim Cook Pledges Stronger Investment and Industrial Cooperation in China: Apple CEO Tim Cook reaffirmed the company’s long-term commitment to China during a meeting with Li Lecheng, China’s Minister of Industry and Information Technology, in Beijing on Wednesday. Cook said Apple will continue to expand its investment and cooperation in China, aiming for “mutual benefits and shared success.” Minister Li emphasized that China’s vast market, advanced manufacturing system, and robust supply chain offer tremendous potential for foreign enterprises like Apple. He underlined China’s commitment to high-level opening-up, promoting “intelligent industrialization” and “industrial intelligentialization,” which align closely with Apple’s focus on smart manufacturing and green innovation. Li also assured that China will keep improving its business environment for multinational firms. He encouraged Apple to play a greater role in China’s new industrialization drive, fostering innovation and collaboration across the technology and manufacturing sectors. Cook’s remarks underscore Apple’s continued reliance on China as a key production hub and consumer market amid global supply chain shifts.
  
  
• China-Malaysia Launch ‘Peace and Friendship-2025’ Joint Military Exercise: China and Malaysia officially launched their “Peace and Friendship-2025” joint military exercise in Malaysia on Wednesday, marking the start of a nine-day drill aimed at deepening defense cooperation and promoting regional stability. The opening ceremony, held at 10 a.m., featured remarks from Major General Datuk Mohamed Fauzi bin Kamis of Malaysia and Major General Dai Bin of China’s PLA Southern Theater Command. Both leaders emphasized that the exercise enhances coordinated operational capabilities, strengthens mutual trust, and reflects the two nations’ shared commitment to regional peace and humanitarian cooperation. Dai highlighted that the drill is a concrete step toward building a high-level China-Malaysia community with a shared future. According to the PLA’s China Military Bugle, the exercise focuses on humanitarian assistance, disaster relief (HADR), and maritime security, involving over 1,000 personnel from both countries. Training will take place across Puchong, Port Klang, Subang Air Base, and the Strait of Malacca. The exercise will also feature cultural exchanges and naval ship open days before concluding on October 23.
  
  
• PBOC Vows Stronger Market Guidance to Stabilize Yuan Amid Global Fluctuations: China’s central bank has pledged to enhance market guidance and curb exchange rate volatility to keep the yuan broadly stable, according to Financial News, a publication backed by the People’s Bank of China (PBOC). A senior official from the PBOC’s monetary policy department emphasized that China’s macroeconomic fundamentals remain resilient, with a balanced international payment position providing a solid foundation for long-term currency stability. The official highlighted that multiple domestic and global factors continue to influence exchange rate movements. In response, the PBOC will allow market forces to play a decisive role in determining the yuan’s value while maintaining flexibility in its formation mechanism. Reiterating its focus on “expectation management,” the central bank said it will actively guard against the risk of exchange rate overshooting sharp short-term fluctuations that can destabilize markets. The move reflects Beijing’s ongoing efforts to ensure financial stability and investor confidence amid persistent external pressures on the Chinese currency.
  
  
• China Hits Back at US “Smears” Over South China Sea Incident: Beijing sharply criticized Washington’s condemnation of the recent South China Sea confrontation, calling the US “the biggest source of risks undermining regional stability.” Responding to US accusations that Chinese coast guard ships used water cannons against Philippine vessels, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said the US was “turning a blind eye to facts” and “vilifying China’s lawful measures” to defend its sovereignty. Lin stressed that it was the Philippines that “initiated infringement and provocation,” intruding into the waters off Zhubi Jiao and causing the collision. He accused Washington of exploiting the 1951 US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty to “threaten China” and “stoke confrontation” in the region. The remarks followed a US State Department statement condemning China’s alleged “ramming and water cannoning” of a Philippine fisheries vessel on October 12. Lin reiterated that China would “firmly safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights” and urged Manila to stop provocations. He emphasized that maritime disputes should be resolved peacefully through direct dialogue between concerned states.
  
  
• The 138th Canton Fair Opens with Record Overseas Attendance and Innovation Focus: The 138th Canton Fair officially opened in Guangzhou on October 15, marking a major milestone in China’s trade calendar. This year’s edition set multiple records, with over 69,000 overseas buyers attending on the opening day alone reflecting strong global interest in Chinese manufacturing and innovation. Spanning 1.55 million square meters, the fair features 55 exhibition areas under 13 specialized sectors, hosting a record 32,000 exhibitors. Notably, more than 10,000 enterprises are recognized as high-tech, specialized, or leading in niche fields, highlighting China’s growing emphasis on quality-driven exports. Cutting-edge technologies from AI-powered home appliances to intelligent robots have become a centerpiece of the exhibition, showcasing China’s transition toward advanced and smart industries. Beyond trade showcases, the fair will host over 600 new product launches and 13 themed industry forums to discuss global market trends and foster brand competitiveness. The event underscores China’s drive to combine innovation with global trade expansion.
  
  

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Small Gold Bars Sell Out as Prices Soar, Netizens Buzz Over Investment Craze: As global gold prices surge to record highs, Shenzhen’s famed Shuibei jewelry market has become the epicenter of China’s latest investment frenzy. On October 14, 21st Century Business Herald reported that several Shuibei stores in Luohu District had sold out of small gold bars weighing 5 to 10 grams, as investors rushed to buy amid rising prices. Shopkeepers noted that even during weekday afternoons, counters were packed, with customers favoring investment bars over ornamental jewelry. Store owners revealed that only larger bars of 50 and 100 grams remained, while dealers struggled to restock smaller sizes. The trend reflects shifting consumer behavior; many are now treating gold as a short-term hedge rather than a luxury purchase. On Weibo, hashtags like #ShenzhenShuibeiStoresOutOfSmallGoldBars# and #ShuibeiStoreOwnerResponds# trended widely, garnering millions of views. Netizens joked that “gold has become the new savings account,” while others shared profits from selling bars bought last year. Some expressed anxiety over missing the “gold train,” turning the discussion into a microcosm of China’s growing middle-class anxiety and appetite for financial security amid economic uncertainty.

INDIA WATCH

Guancha Highlights 'Turning Point' in US-India Friendship: Guancha carried a striking analysis, interpreting the arrest of Ashley J. Tellis, a long-time architect of U.S.–India cooperation, as a tragic yet revealing episode. The author called it “ironic and symbolic” that the man who once ended India’s “nuclear pariah” status through the 2008 Civil Nuclear Deal is now accused of colluding with China, a charge that exposes the deepening mistrust within Washington. According to Guancha, Tellis’s arrest under the Trump administration is more than a legal case; it reflects a strategic recalibration of U.S. foreign policy. The piece argued that Trump’s America no longer views India as a trusted partner but as a power whose rise threatens U.S. interests. The commentary also highlighted how Trump’s “America First” approach has dismantled decades of bipartisan goodwill, replacing “strategic altruism” with suspicion and transactionalism. From an Indian perspective, the piece reads as a cautionary tale stating that New Delhi was long reliant on Washington’s strategic sympathy, but now faces an uncertain partner more concerned with economic leverage and domestic decline than geopolitical solidarity.

Prepared By

Lipun Kumar Sanbad

Lipun Kumar Sanbad, a postgraduate student of Politics and International Relations from Pondicherry University and a History and Political science graduate from University of Delhi. From the past three years working as a freelance researcher in the domain of global peace, conflict and security studies, and defence studies.