1. 94th Anniversary of September 18th “Mukden Incident” Commemorated Across China

Official media posters commemorating the “Mukden Incident.”

This week, China is commemorating the 94th anniversary of the so-called September 18th Incident (九一八事变), also known as the Mukden Incident. The incident, which occurred in 1931, marked the beginning of Japan’s invasion of Northeast China and the start of 14 years of Chinese resistance against Japanese occupation. In Liaoning Province, sirens sounded at exactly 9:18 AM, with citizens stopping to observe moments of silence. Social media was flooded with posts using hashtags like “Never Forget National Humiliation” (勿忘国耻) and calls for national strength and unity. The commemoration comes as China continues to emphasize historical education and national defense awareness among its citizens.

Manya’s Take:
The widespread focus on this particular historical anniversary is part of a greater official campaign in China to bring the historical memories of World War II in China to the forefront of the public memory. From social media hashtags to the military parade to cinema movies, the repeated message is: “Never forget” and “Always remember”, emphasizing that China’s suffering has brought the victory that led to its current status in the world today.

2. Film “731” Breaks Multiple Box Office Records on Opening Day

The movie posters for 731.

The much-anticipated war movie “731” shattered 10 box office records on its opening day, rapidly surpassing 200 million yuan in ticket sales. The movie, directed by Zhao Linshan (赵林山), depicts the horrific human experiments conducted by Japan’s Unit 731 during World War II in Northeast China. The film features actor Jiang Wu (姜武) in a leading role and has sparked widespread discussion about this particularly dark chapter of Second Sino-Japanese War. The movie’s initial success reflects continued Chinese interest in wartime history and the ongoing effort to preserve historical memory of Japanese war crimes. More about this in the upcoming newsletter.

3. Actor Xie Mengwei Detained for Livestreaming in Police Uniform

The actor during his livestream and the police report.

Chinese actor Xie Mengwei (谢孟伟), popularly known as “Gazige” (嘎子哥) due to his childhood role in the patriotic war drama Little Soldier Zhang Ga (小兵张嘎), was “administratively detained” for seven days for hosting a commercial livestream on the Chinese app Kuaishou while wearing police uniform. The actor was reportedly livestreaming during a break while on the set of upcoming Chinese anti-drugs film Drug Storm (缉毒风暴). Legal experts emphasize that police uniforms and equipment are restricted to official use only, and unauthorized wear violates public security regulations.

Xie claimed the uniform was a costume for the movie, but authorities rejected the explanation, stating the attire was worn outside filming and without proper clearance. The public video apology he gave was also criticized for failing to acknowledge the actual legal violation. In response to the controversy, the film’s producers have announced a complete reshoot of Xie’s scenes with a new actor. The actor also saw his livestream account on Kuaishou banned (#嘎子谢孟伟账号被封#).

Manya’s Take:
It’s clear that Xie has been turned into an example for other livestreamers in China, as authorities have taken a series of measures over the past few years to contain this thriving industry and ensure content stays in line with official guidelines. Xie’s case is now a cautionary tale, highlighting the Chinese government’s zero-tolerance stance on the misuse of state symbols. For Xie, the punishment is particularly harsh—not just the detainment, but practically the end of his career, as his name is now ‘tainted’ because of this scandal (see our article on Chinese ‘tainted celebrities’ here).

4. Peking University Vice President Under Investigation for Serious Violations

Ren Yuzhong (任羽中), image via Guancha.

Ren Yuzhong (任羽中), Executive Vice President and Standing Committee Member of the Communist Party Committee at China’s renowned Peking University (北京大学), has voluntarily turned himself in and is currently under disciplinary and supervisory investigation by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (中央纪委) and the National Supervisory Commission (国家监委) for suspected serious violations of law and party discipline. The announcement was made public on September 17.

Ren, born in 1980, rose from being a top scorer in Sichuan’s college entrance exam to earning his PhD from Peking University, eventually becoming the university’s first post-1980s vice president. He had only held the position since March 2024. Analysts view this as a deepening of China’s anti-corruption push into the education sector. Notably, his profile was removed from Peking University’s website a month before the announcement, and he had been absent from official meetings since July.

Manya’s Take:
Is this going to be the year of tackling corruption in Chinese academic circles? Earlier this year, a major scandal at Peking Union Medical College, a prestigious medical institution in Beijing, already triggered nationwide anger about fairness in education and corruption in academia. The dismissal of Ren Yuzhong is applauded by many who see it as a sign that even those in the higher positions at such renowned institutions cannot get away with corruption. “Check them, check them all!” some popular comments said.

5. After Deadly Incident, Hangzhou Authorities Track Down Abandoned Chemical Source

The demolished site in Yuhang where the woman went farming when she stepped on the plastic constainer. Image via The Paper.

Earlier this week, the death of a 52-year-old woman from Hangzhou drew national attention in China after she died from exposure to hydrofluoric acid, a highly toxic industrial chemical that netizens also refer to as “bone-dissolving water” (化骨水). On September 9, while she was out in a an abandoned area in Yuhang District (余杭区), she stepped on an old plastic barrel, causing residual acid from the barrel to splash onto her leg. Despite emergency hospital treatment, the woman died five days later from poisoning and organ failure.

Hangzhou authorities have now successfully identified the owner of the abandoned hydrofluoric acid. The man, a wall-cleaning contractor, illegally abandoned three barrels containing the highly dangerous acids back in 2015, when his father lived in the area. He has been detained and faces charges under China’s environmental protection and criminal laws.

Manya’s Take:
This case has mainly attracted so much attention due to widespread worries over the public’s lack of awareness regarding toxic chemicals and the ease with which such substances can be purchased online. In this case, one woman died — but the consequences can impact many more families. In 2016, for example, dozens of children fell seriously ill after their school had moved to a new ground that later turned out to be affected by toxic chemicals from a nearby chemical plant. About the current suspect in the Yuhang case, some netizens say he didn’t just kill one woman: “He put all of us in danger.”