How can influencers contribute to bringing China and ASEAN countries closer together As part of the ASEAN-China Year of People-to-People Exchanges, influencers from 10 ASEAN countries with a total of nearly 100 million followers traveled to Sanya, Lingshui and Qionghai, among other places, in South China's Hainan Province, over the last week to discover China's development from this picturesque island. They shared their personal stories and experiences in China through videos they made, fostering friendly exchanges and solidarity between China and ASEAN.  

From interviews with several influencers from ASEAN, reporters from the Global Times learned about their efforts to promote exchanges between China and ASEAN countries and the benefits of China-ASEAN cooperation.

Becoming ambassadors of goodwill

Shi Zhongjun, secretary-general of the ASEAN-China Centre, said at the conference that just as a lush canopy needs strong roots, the friendship between ASEAN and China cannot go far without the solid support of both peoples. 

Influencers are the best standing testimony to the current blossoming of ASEAN-China relations, and they can become ambassadors of goodwill to present the real story of win-win cooperation between ASEAN and China to the international community, while gathering positive energy for regional development to convey to the world the confidence of ASEAN and China in cooperation and development in a truthful, accurate and comprehensive manner, Shi said.

The first stop of the influencers' trip was the Haikou Fullsing Internet Industrial Park in the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP), where they gained a detailed understanding of the development prospects, key industry directions, tax incentives, as well as the scale and layout of the Hainan FTP. 

Hainan FTP enjoys favorable policies, a great environment and a highly potential tourism consumption market that deserves to be known by more people, Shantay, an influencer from Singapore, told the Global Times. "Some of my followers are businessmen, and numerous companies in my country are keen on investing in China. I believe that if I share videos on social media, it will be highly appealing to them," Shantay said.

Influencers also explored several traditional attractions in Hainan, experienced Chinese craftsmanship and enjoyed local delicacies.

They strolled on the Qilou Old Street in Haikou, South China's Hainan Province, where rows of buildings encompass a blend of architectural styles. The influencers were in good spirits, snapping pictures while walking, and even dancing joyfully on the street.

"I feel it's a pity that many Malaysians don't know such a wonderful destination featuring Southeast Asian style in China. I can't wait to share this journey with my followers through my camera," Malaysian influencer Rosshanaz told the Global Times, adding that people from ASEAN countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore will resonate strongly with this attraction.

In the Betel Nut Valley, or Binglang Valley, a large park dedicated to Hainan Li and Miao minority culture, the influencers from ASEAN countries watched a Li and Mao ethnic culture-themed performance with large-scale and original ecological features and applauded the performers for their wonderful performance. They also experienced the rhythm of the Bamboo Dance of the Li ethnic group and enjoyed the delicious cuisine of the Li ethnic group.

The profound cultural heritage and diverse interactive experiences offered the influencers a vibrant and dynamic source of creative inspiration.

Rosshanaz said that she is pleasantly surprised to see how well China's traditional culture is preserved and how effectively its history is passed down. China and Malaysia share many similarities in traditions and customs. Therefore, she hopes that the people of Malaysia can strengthen communication with China, which will help in the preservation of Malaysian culture and promote cultural exchange between the two nations, Rosshanaz added.

Shantay said she is always longing to try traditional Chinese dresses, and this experience in the Betel Nut Valley gave her the perfect opportunity. "My followers are predominantly females, and they are all very interested in beautiful clothing and fashion. I believe that once I post my video, many people will come to experience traditional attire of Li ethnic group," Shantay told the Global Times.

"I have always believed that food is the quickest way to foster connections between people of different nationalities and an effective means to bridge distances. I often share my food-tasting stories on social media, so I am confident that the unique cuisine of the Li ethnic group will become a new trend," Muangphum Harnsiripetch, known as Han Bing in China, a Thai influencer who previously studied at Nanjing University, told the Global Times.

The Best of Both Sides

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, noted in July's ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting that China and ASEAN, who are friendly neighbors and close partners, have seen the building of a China-ASEAN community with a shared future being steady and fruitful, benefiting 2 billion people on the two sides while greatly promoting common development, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

Han said that for him, the greatest benefit of China-ASEAN cooperation is the visa-free policy between China and Thailand. The visa waiver has made it easier for people to travel between the two countries, said Han, which has also boosted personal exchanges between both countries.

For her part, Bella, an internet influencer from Vietnam, said she has benefited considerably from the cooperation between China and Vietnam in the field of education. "Studying in China will bring a lot of opportunities, it is the cooperation between countries that makes educational exchanges possible."

Like what Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said in a video address to the conference, influencers are the ones who are best at telling engaging stories on the internet and social media. They have a unique and irreplaceable role in promoting mutual understanding among people of different countries. In this very era we live in, we expect more influencers to share more stories about the friendly exchanges between ordinary people of China and ASEAN countries, delivering more positive energy to consolidate and promote people-to-people exchanges between the two sides.

The US Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro on Wednesday revealed the US Navy's plans to upgrade the weaponry of its Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). These upgrades include equipping it with the MK-70 Payload Delivery System (PDS), with Del Toro expressing confidence that the LCS will play a crucial role in the future. However, a Chinese military expert told Global Times that whether this concept can play an important role remains to be seen.

According to the USNI News, the US Navy is planning a lethality upgrade on both classes of the LCS that includes the ability to launch larger missiles like the SM-6, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro said on Wednesday. 

"Today, the Littoral Combat Ship is equipped with the Naval Strike Missile (NSM), a long-range precision strike weapon. Eventually, many will receive the Mk 70 Payload Delivery System with vertical launch system technology," Del Toro said as he announced the service's efforts to upgun the Littoral Combat Ship with Naval Strike Missiles and containerized Mk.41 vertical launching systems at the Naval Institute's Defense Forum Washington.

On October 24, 2023, the US Navy's Independence-variant LCS, the USS Savannah (LCS 28), conducted a live-fire demonstration on October 24 in the Eastern Pacific Ocean utilizing a containerized launching system that fired an SM-6 missile at a designated target. 

The USNI News report said that the US Navy plans to install the two systems on Freedom and Independence Littoral Combat Ships under the Over-the-Horizon (OTH) Weapons System upgrade, which looks to deliver enhanced maritime strike capabilities to the class. Compared to the NSM, a low-observable missile that can strike targets more than 100 miles away, the containerized four-cell MK-41 vertical launch system can support the multi-role SM-6 and the intermediate ranged Tomahawk Land Attack Missile.

Del Toro claimed the MK-70 PDS would give the service "tremendous firepower and even more technical advantage over our adversaries."

Lockheed Martin also presented concepts that integrate NSM and up to three Mk 70 PDS onto the Freedom-class at Surface Navy Association 2024, USNI News reported.

Del Toro expressed confidence in the combat potential of the upgraded LCS. However, whether it can truly deliver "a strong comeback" with enhanced lethality remains uncertain. Chinese military expert Zhang Junshe told Global Times on Thursday that the LCS was originally introduced by the US Navy in the early 21st century to meet its operational requirements for a "from the sea to the land" strategy, focusing on operations in littoral areas. 

The LCS features modular mission execution capabilities, enabling it to perform mine-clearing and anti-submarine tasks in challenging hydrographic and meteorological conditions. However, it suffers from significant limitations in air defense and anti-ship capabilities, Zhang noted.

Zhang pointed out that the LCS was deployed to locations such as Singapore in the Far East, but during this period, it experienced frequent malfunctions. The modular mission execution performed poorly, and the ships faced issues like hull leaks and unstable electrical systems, often leaving them stranded. As a result, the LCS has been criticized within the US Navy. 

"With the growing far seas combat capabilities of some the US competitors, the US Navy's strategy has shifted back to the traditional goal of sea control, rendering the LCS ill-suited for the latest combat doctrines. This led to plans to retire the LCS from active service," Zhang added.

Subsequently, under the OTH weapons upgrade program, the US Navy sought to deploy air defense and anti-ship missiles on the LCS to address its inherent weaknesses. Zhang explained that the SM-6 missile can perform both air defense and maritime strike missions, while the Tomahawk cruise missile, with a range exceeding 2,000 kilometers, can strike deep into maritime targets, enhancing air defense and maritime strike capabilities. 

However, Zhang argued, "This concept may be 'ambitious in design but constrained in reality.' 

With a displacement of only about 3,000 tons—smaller than most frigates—whether the LCS can accommodate the MK-70 PDS and its associated missile payload while maintaining stability remains a challenge, Zhang said, noting that "the feasibility of effectively launching so many missiles is also in question. Based on the US descriptions, this is a classic example of 'overloading a small cart with a big load,' making it difficult to achieve sufficient combat capability. This warrants further observation."

Notably, NSMs have already been installed on forward-deployed Independence-class LCSs in the "Indo-Pacific" region. "We have every intent to deploy them aggressively. Everywhere around the globe. And the Persian Gulf, obviously with the mine-sweeping capability, and everywhere else its needed. Particularly in the Pacific with these added capabilities," said Del Toro. 

According to the USNI News, the US Navy plans to field a fleet of 25 Littoral Combat Ships - 15 Independence-class ships equipped with a mine countermeasures mission package that will eventually replace the legacy Avenger-class MCM ships based in Bahrain and Japan and 10 Freedom-class ships that will field a variation of the surface warfare package that will include Naval Strike Missile and Hellfire AGM-114L Longbow strike missiles in addition to the MK-70 launchers.

In response, Zhang highlighted that this reflects the US military's operational priorities in "the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and Europe." Del Toro's mention of the Persian Gulf and Pacific underscores the strategic focus on small watercraft maneuverability in the mine-laden waters of the Persian Gulf, where the LCS's small size and flexibility are advantageous. 

Meanwhile, in the Pacific, the US Navy's strategy revolves around countering "competitors" in littoral regions, aiming to strike both surface ships and land-based targets. This deployment strategy demonstrates the Navy's evolving strategic doctrine, Zhang said.

Former Chinese national football team head coach Li Tie was sentenced to 20 years in prison in a first-instance verdict on Friday for a number of charges including offering and accepting bribes.

The verdict was made by the Intermediate People's Court of Xianning, Central China's Hubei Province.

From 2019 to 2021, Li, taking advantage of his position as the head coach of the Chinese men's national football team, accepted bribes totaling over 50.89 million yuan ($7.04 million), the Beijing Daily reported, citing revelations from the courts.

On the same day, Du Zhaocai, former deputy director of the General Administration of Sport of China and former Party secretary of the Chinese Football Association, was sentenced to 14 years in prison and fined 4 million yuan for accepting bribes.

The Wuhan Intermediate People's Court in Central China's Hubei Province publicly sentenced Du in a first-instance trial for accepting bribes worth over 43 million yuan, according to the CCTV news.

Du used his position to seek improper benefits for football clubs in matters such as relocating home stadiums and player transfers, severely disrupting the fair competition order and industry environment in the football field. He also sought job promotions and adjustments for others, which warranted a heavier sentence.

After Li and Du's sentencing, Chinese Football Association (CFA) Vice President Yang Xu on Friday reaffirmed the zero-tolerance stance on corruption in football at a media briefing on the domestic football leagues. He highlighted the CFA's efforts to combat illegal practices during the 2024 season.

"We will continue to adopt a high-pressure approach to combat match-fixing, gambling, and other illegal activities," Yang said.

Yang also emphasized the importance of tightening admission standards for financial management to ensure financial stability for clubs and safeguard the rights of players, clubs, and youth training institutions.

"We must further tighten the league admission standards … Efforts to address unpaid wages and overdue payments will protect the legitimate rights of players, clubs, and training institutions," Yang was quoted as saying by the Xinhua News Agency.