https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/326212/feed en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Ann Cao Ann Cao Alibaba Group Holding’s research arm, Damo Academy, has open-sourced an artificial intelligence model capable of identifying nearly 150 abdominal conditions – including cancers – by reading computed tomography (CT) scans, marking the latest step in the firm’s growing medical AI efforts. The vision-language model, called Damo Radar, was designed to analyse contrast-enhanced CT scans covering 18 abdominal organs and identify a broad range of diseases and other abnormalities, such as malignant... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3368055/alibaba-open-sources-medical-ai-model-can-detect-cancer-and-nearly-150-conditions https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3368055/alibaba-open-sources-medical-ai-model-can-detect-cancer-and-nearly-150-conditions Fri, 18 Sep 2026 14:30:05 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu While the Chinese idiom, “Having ink in their stomach”, serves as a metaphor to commend the knowledgeable, the act of ingesting ink was a common practice among ancient literati. The earliest documentation of ink drinking dates back to the Northern and Southern dynasties (420–589), where it was used as a sanctioned punishment for scholars with illegible handwriting. According to the Book of Sui, the official history of the Sui dynasty (581–618), during an exam administered by a palace attendant... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3367876/ancient-chinese-scholars-drank-ink-poetic-inspiration-or-poor-handwriting-penalties https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3367876/ancient-chinese-scholars-drank-ink-poetic-inspiration-or-poor-handwriting-penalties Thu, 17 Sep 2026 10:27:18 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang British pharmaceutical company GSK is turning to patient data gathered from the 88 million residents of the Greater Bay Area’s 11 cities to speed up drug development in vaccines and cancer care, as officials push for closer cross-border medical cooperation. GSK Hong Kong and Macau general manager Nicholas Teo said patient data was very important because it could form “supplementary evidence” to support regulatory filings and potential label expansions, and also help to “discover benefits other... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/companies/article/3367404/data-greater-bay-areas-88-million-residents-help-improve-healthcare-policy-gsk https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/companies/article/3367404/data-greater-bay-areas-88-million-residents-help-improve-healthcare-policy-gsk Mon, 14 Sep 2026 04:59:04 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu Young dieters in China are increasingly turning away from low-calorie foods in favour of a new trend: chewy snacks. On social media, they are sharing their new-found favourites, including beef jerky, frozen buns, and even baby teething biscuits – each characterised by their toughness and chewiness. Many prefer chewy foods as a way to keep their mouths busy and trick their brains into feeling satisfied, reducing the urge to eat more. For these dieters, taste is not the top priority; instead, the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3367339/forget-low-calorie-food-chinese-youth-turn-tasteless-chewy-snacks-lose-weight https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3367339/forget-low-calorie-food-chinese-youth-turn-tasteless-chewy-snacks-lose-weight Sun, 13 Sep 2026 06:16:29 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A 106-year-old man in eastern China has inspired many online with his unconventional lifestyle and enduring marriage. Wang Dinggao, from Rui’an in Zhejiang province, remains remarkably independent despite experiencing some hearing loss, according to the mainland media outlet Daxiang News. In contrast to most people, he adheres to a “reverse schedule”: sleeping around 4 or 5pm, waking at 1am, enjoying breakfast at 3am before embarking on his morning walk. His son has adapted to this unusual... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3367118/chinese-man-106-embraces-reverse-schedule-celebrated-alongside-wife-model-couple https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3367118/chinese-man-106-embraces-reverse-schedule-celebrated-alongside-wife-model-couple Fri, 11 Sep 2026 01:14:03 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Two laboratories in central China have been shut down for alleged surrogacy activities, an underground practice that persists despite repeated crackdowns. On Wednesday, the health bureau in Changsha, Hunan province, said six people were detained after a tip about a “laboratory that illegally uses assisted reproductive technologies”, according to state news agency Xinhua. A day earlier, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission, in neighbouring Hubei province, announced that an illegal lab had been... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/politics/article/3367023/why-surrogacy-china-proving-so-difficult-ban-despite-crackdown https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/politics/article/3367023/why-surrogacy-china-proving-so-difficult-ban-despite-crackdown Thu, 10 Sep 2026 07:56:02 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi China’s biotechnology market has “significantly” driven up the demand for primate experimental models as the market recovers, tightening the supply of laboratory monkeys, according to a leading biotech firm. The continued recovery of fundraising and out-licensing deals in innovative drugs in China this year has led to significant growth in the demand for primate experimental models, contract research firm Joinn Laboratories (China) said on Tuesday. Primate experiments typically use monkeys and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/companies/article/3366870/china-needs-monkeys-lab-animal-shortage-could-hinder-biotech-growth https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/companies/article/3366870/china-needs-monkeys-lab-animal-shortage-could-hinder-biotech-growth Wed, 09 Sep 2026 05:01:10 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A growing number of Chinese workers are sharing tips on social media to combat “office ageing.” Suggestions range from applying sunscreen and using full-face masks to setting up parasols at their desks. Recently, a RedNote user with the handle @lelehangmu from Jiangsu province in eastern China shared that just one month into his job, his complexion had noticeably darkened, and his eyes frequently felt strained. The post quickly resonated with others. Another user reported that she appeared... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3365987/chinese-workers-use-parasols-and-sunscreen-indoors-combat-office-ageing https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3365987/chinese-workers-use-parasols-and-sunscreen-indoors-combat-office-ageing Wed, 02 Sep 2026 01:00:16 +0000 Yulu Ao Yulu Ao WuXi Biologics, one of China’s largest contract drug developers, posted a 4.3 per cent increase in profit attributable to shareholders in the first half of the year, as stronger demand and improved capacity utilisation lifted revenue and margins. The Wuxi, Jiangsu-based company’s net profit attributable to shareholders rose to 2.44 billion yuan (US$363 million) in the six months ended June, according to its filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange on Tuesday. Revenue increased 18.4 per cent to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3365237/wuxi-biologics-posts-43-rise-first-half-profit-defying-biotech-headwinds https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3365237/wuxi-biologics-posts-43-rise-first-half-profit-defying-biotech-headwinds Tue, 25 Aug 2026 13:03:49 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Record-breaking cross-border deals helped make some formerly loss-making Chinese biotech companies profitable in the first half of the year, but multinational drugmakers are now signalling plans to tighten deal budgets. Analysts said deals with global partners had overtaken initial public offerings and pre-IPO fundraising as the main funding option for cash-starved Chinese biotech firms wanting to advance the discovery, clinical development and regulatory approval of new drugs. Yet questions... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3365125/global-drug-giants-grow-cautious-can-chinese-biotech-keep-cashing-out-licensing https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3365125/global-drug-giants-grow-cautious-can-chinese-biotech-keep-cashing-out-licensing Tue, 25 Aug 2026 05:00:08 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A woman from central China undertook a fasting regimen for half a month and lost 20kg, but ultimately suffered from a serious brain disorder from which she may never fully recover. The 31-year-old woman from Henan province, who wishes to remain anonymous, was recently reported by local media to have developed walking difficulties and memory deterioration after consuming nothing but water for 15 consecutive days. Standing at 160 cm tall, the woman, previously weighing 70kg, managed to shed 20kg... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3365140/chinese-woman-31-faces-lifelong-walking-issues-after-water-only-diet-cuts-20kg-weeks https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3365140/chinese-woman-31-faces-lifelong-walking-issues-after-water-only-diet-cuts-20kg-weeks Tue, 25 Aug 2026 03:41:17 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li Thanks to an efficiency edge that transcends simple cost advantages, China is set to see the emergence of a home-grown drug giant capable of competing with global players in a decade, analysts say. “For the past three decades, there was only one global research and development ecosystem, which was the US,” said Fu Wei, founder and CEO of CBC Group, a healthcare-dedicated asset management firm founded in Shanghai and now based in Singapore. “Over the past decade, a parallel ecosystem – China –... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3363531/china-set-compete-global-drug-giants-decade-analysts-say https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3363531/china-set-compete-global-drug-giants-decade-analysts-say Mon, 10 Aug 2026 12:00:07 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A 111-year-old grandmother in eastern China has captured the attention of social media by attributing her remarkable longevity to simple habits, such as viewing housework as a form of daily exercise. Wang Gaiying lives in Rugao, Jiangsu province, which is renowned as one of the country’s “longevity capitals.” As of February, the area was home to 672 centenarians, according to the Jianghai Evening News. Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Soil Science in Nanjing have... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3363358/111-year-old-chinese-grandma-reveals-secret-daily-workout-leading-her-longevity https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3363358/111-year-old-chinese-grandma-reveals-secret-daily-workout-leading-her-longevity Sat, 08 Aug 2026 01:00:14 +0000 Julie Zhang,Alice Li Julie Zhang,Alice Li Hong Kong is stepping up its efforts to invest in a cluster of biotech companies, positioning itself as a linchpin in Beijing’s push to reach new levels of innovation and challenge the United States for dominance in the global pharmaceutical market. Hong Kong Investment Corporation (HKIC), which manages about US$8 billion in assets and is wholly owned by the Hong Kong government, has built a biotech and healthcare technology investment portfolio covering both traditional Chinese and Western... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3363320/us-china-pharma-rivalry-heats-can-hong-kongs-us8b-fund-be-global-bridge https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3363320/us-china-pharma-rivalry-heats-can-hong-kongs-us8b-fund-be-global-bridge Fri, 07 Aug 2026 10:12:36 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed healthcare for hundreds of millions of people in China. AI-powered apps help them manage their health and seek care, while others help doctors better diagnose and treat their patients. AI analysis of routine scans detects cancers and other conditions physicians might have missed. Personalised cancer vaccines built on AI analysis will soon begin rolling off production lines in China. The country’s leading tech companies have poured resources into... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/big-tech/article/3362783/will-ai-healthcare-be-chinas-new-global-growth-engine https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/big-tech/article/3362783/will-ai-healthcare-be-chinas-new-global-growth-engine Mon, 03 Aug 2026 08:12:53 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat China has won approval for domestically developed surgical robots to be used in Vietnamese hospitals, marking a major step forward as the country’s high-end medical equipment makers push to challenge Western dominance overseas. The Chinese-made surgical robots had been registered and installed at several leading medical facilities in the Southeast Asian nation, according to China’s National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA). The two countries would also deepen cooperation in robotic... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3362395/chinese-surgical-robots-break-vietnam-market-beijing-takes-aim-us-dominance https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3362395/chinese-surgical-robots-break-vietnam-market-beijing-takes-aim-us-dominance Fri, 31 Jul 2026 02:00:21 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li China’s emergence as a global biotechnology innovation hub has become a source of strategic concern in the United States, prompting policymakers in Washington to re-evaluate how to respond to its growing influence, according to a recent report by a leading analytics firm. “The country’s latest biotechnology success is strategically important, with implications extending beyond healthcare innovation to include pharmaceutical supply-chain resilience, economic competitiveness and national... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3362144/record-chinese-biotech-out-licensing-meets-rising-us-scrutiny https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3362144/record-chinese-biotech-out-licensing-meets-rising-us-scrutiny Tue, 28 Jul 2026 15:00:09 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng China has seen a spike in Covid-19 in recent weeks, overtaking influenza as the top respiratory pathogen for the first time this year, but most patients experienced mild symptoms, while the medical authorities said data suggested the infection rate was significantly lower than last year’s peak. The spread of the Omicron NB.1.8.1 variant has reached a “moderate transmission level”, according to the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC does not give a weekly total of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/politics/article/3362131/whats-behind-chinas-recent-spike-covid-19-cases-and-it-anything-worry-about https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/politics/article/3362131/whats-behind-chinas-recent-spike-covid-19-cases-and-it-anything-worry-about Tue, 28 Jul 2026 11:00:12 +0000 Fan Hou Fan Hou China unveiled its 15th five-year plan for national health on July 7. Below are the key targets outlined in the blueprint. See original document in Chinese: 国民健康“十五五”规划 by scmp https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3361930/chinas-five-year-public-health-blueprint https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3361930/chinas-five-year-public-health-blueprint Mon, 27 Jul 2026 03:26:10 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan An unconventional weight-loss remedy of drinking a mixture of an external-use constipation medication with tea has trended on Chinese social media, sparking doctors to warn the public not to try it after receiving some emergency cases. The extreme slimming method has captivated social media in recent weeks because of claims that it has the remarkable effect of helping people shed 4kg of weight within just two days, Shangyou News reported. In some viral videos, influencers squeeze a glycerin... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3361803/chinese-weight-loss-trend-mixing-tea-enemas-sends-many-hospital https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3361803/chinese-weight-loss-trend-mixing-tea-enemas-sends-many-hospital Sat, 25 Jul 2026 01:00:20 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu Young people in China are homemaking kombucha, reviving a 1980s fad from the previous generation after the drink became a globally recognised health product. In recent years, kombucha has gone viral in Western countries as a commercial beverage, endorsed by stars such as Kourtney Kardashian and Lady Gaga. The trend has reached China and prompted some drinks makers to release kombucha products. Meanwhile, some Chinese youngsters are making their own kombucha at home and sharing their methods... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3361694/what-kombucha-and-why-are-chinese-youth-obsessed-fermentation-health-trend https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3361694/what-kombucha-and-why-are-chinese-youth-obsessed-fermentation-health-trend Fri, 24 Jul 2026 06:00:11 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A Chinese man suffered from vision loss after over a thousand mites infected his eyes, and it turned out that his life habits were to blame. The 36-year-old man in central Hubei province, surnamed Yu, experienced eye discomfort. His eyes felt dry, itchy and sticky for six months. He rubbed his eyes more vigorously, and bought eye drops, but they did not help. He then experienced a sharp decline in vision. He had his eyes checked at a clinic and was diagnosed with demodex blepharitis, an eyelid... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3361659/eye-rubbing-poor-hygiene-blame-chinese-mans-severe-mite-induced-vision-loss https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3361659/eye-rubbing-poor-hygiene-blame-chinese-mans-severe-mite-induced-vision-loss Fri, 24 Jul 2026 01:19:23 +0000 Emma Ma Emma Ma Soaring demand for preclinical testing in China’s biotech industry has created an unexpected windfall for the laboratories that breed monkeys used in drug trials. Beijing-based Joinn Laboratories, a contract research organisation (CRO) dual listed in Shanghai and Hong Kong, said on Wednesday that its first-half net profit attributable to shareholders would surge 1377.4 per cent from a year earlier, without giving the profit estimate figure. The biotech CRO cited higher pricing for its laboratory... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/article/3360803/lab-monkey-prices-record-highs-chinas-biotech-boom-fuels-windfall-breeders https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/article/3360803/lab-monkey-prices-record-highs-chinas-biotech-boom-fuels-windfall-breeders Thu, 16 Jul 2026 14:00:06 +0000 Charles Ng Charles Ng A profound demographic and economic shift is sweeping through Asia, quietly rewriting the rules of national development. The traditional paradigm of treating population ageing as a passive fiscal burden is being dismantled as Beijing makes the “silver economy” and proactive ageing strategies the pillars of national security and economic growth. China’s population aged 60 and above reached 320 million last year, accounting for 23 per cent of its citizenry. This is projected to climb to 400... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3359770/how-hong-kong-can-lead-longevity-medicine-silver-economy-grows https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3359770/how-hong-kong-can-lead-longevity-medicine-silver-economy-grows Sat, 11 Jul 2026 01:30:05 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu China is a country that boasts daily naps despite its stressful work rhythm. In fact, such breaks are a traditional practice dating back thousands of years. According to a survey by the China Sleep Research Society published in March, 72 per cent of Chinese people like an afternoon nap lasting at least 30 minutes. The benefits of afternoon naps have been documented in China’s earliest medicine text Huangdi Neijing, or the Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor, which is said to have been completed... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3359305/70-chinese-people-take-naps-daily-continuing-ancient-medical-tradition https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3359305/70-chinese-people-take-naps-daily-continuing-ancient-medical-tradition Fri, 03 Jul 2026 10:00:11 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A Chinese woman developed rashes and itching after applying extreme sun protection measures, including wearing a sunscreen product that covers her whole face. The woman from eastern China’s Jiangsu province was recently reported to have developed red and itchy skin while travelling. She applied sunscreen before wearing a hat and mask that covers her whole face, to screen herself from the strong sunlight. At the end of the day, she felt hot and had redness on her facial skin. The next morning,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3357409/chinese-woman-suffers-red-itchy-skin-after-extreme-full-face-coverage-sunscreen-use https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3357409/chinese-woman-suffers-red-itchy-skin-after-extreme-full-face-coverage-sunscreen-use Mon, 22 Jun 2026 01:00:09 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan Doctors in southern China had to remove two 10cm-long living worms from the arm of an anguished woman after she reported a big lump. The woman, surnamed Wang, said the lump, which first appeared on her arm a year ago, got bigger and bigger. Eventually, it ballooned to the size of a quail egg. Wang said the sharp pain from the swollen mass prompted her to seek medical treatment at Shenzhen People’s Hospital in Guangdong province, reported Shenzhen TV. Doctors said the two worms taken out of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3357310/chinese-doctors-remove-pair-10cm-live-worms-womans-arm-after-year-long-pain https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3357310/chinese-doctors-remove-pair-10cm-live-worms-womans-arm-after-year-long-pain Thu, 18 Jun 2026 10:00:06 +0000 Emma Ma Emma Ma A recent incident in Shenzhen that went viral has put China’s widespread smoking habit under renewed scrutiny, reviving a long-running debate over whether Beijing should raise tobacco taxes for the first time in more than a decade. On a rainy afternoon in April, a woman asked a smoker to put out a cigarette at a busy bus stop where nearly 10 people were waiting. The request led to a heated exchange, with the smoker arguing it was a public space, and ended with him throwing a plastic bottle at... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3356912/china-has-worlds-largest-smoking-population-it-harming-economy https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3356912/china-has-worlds-largest-smoking-population-it-harming-economy Sat, 13 Jun 2026 01:00:13 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A 25-year-old woman in China has been diagnosed with acute pancreatitis after she followed an extreme weight-loss regime which consisted of eating once a week and hardly eating a thing for the remaining six days. The woman, who uses the alias Qingqing and lives in Hangzhou, eastern Zhejiang province, is 1.55m tall. She previously weighed 55kg, the Xinmin Evening News reported. However, months ago, she made a rigorous plan to get slimmer. This involved eating little for six days a week and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3356489/chinese-woman-suffers-pancreatitis-after-6-day-starvation-binge-eating-once-weekly https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3356489/chinese-woman-suffers-pancreatitis-after-6-day-starvation-binge-eating-once-weekly Fri, 12 Jun 2026 01:00:11 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A young Chinese man suffered acute kidney failure after working out too intensely, prompting a doctor to warn fitness enthusiasts to slow down. The 23-year-old university student from central China’s Henan province reportedly developed rhabdomyolysis, a serious condition where damaged muscle fibres break down rapidly. He was also diagnosed with acute kidney failure, which is a complication of rhabdomyolysis. The reason behind his acute illness was fitness training. His doctor, nephrologist Liu... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3356456/chinese-man-suffers-acute-kidney-failure-requires-emergency-dialysis-after-intense-leg-workout https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3356456/chinese-man-suffers-acute-kidney-failure-requires-emergency-dialysis-after-intense-leg-workout Wed, 10 Jun 2026 06:00:07 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang For Beijing-based METiS TechBio CEO Lai Tsai-ta, ageing is comparable to bugs building up in a complex software system – it happens once errors begin to accumulate in the genetic code of human cells, such as their DNA sequences. “Those errors can be reprogrammed. It becomes possible to use AI to read, rewrite and reverse cells, or at least slow the ageing process,” Lai said in an interview with the South China Morning Post. The process could begin by fixing “immune cells, such as T cells, as... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3356154/targeting-us610-billion-longevity-market-biotech-firms-race-reverse-ageing https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3356154/targeting-us610-billion-longevity-market-biotech-firms-race-reverse-ageing Sat, 06 Jun 2026 00:00:20 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu When individuals are troubled by their greying hair, some may find plucking it to be the easiest solution. However, many Chinese people hesitate to do so for a specific reason. A prevalent folk belief suggests that plucking one white hair will lead to three more white strands growing in its place. Some even go as far as claiming that 10 white hairs will sprout after plucking just one. Medical experts have clarified that this notion is purely a superstition. Yang Dingquan, a trichologist at the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3355634/why-chinese-culture-fears-plucking-white-hair-and-traditional-remedies https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3355634/why-chinese-culture-fears-plucking-white-hair-and-traditional-remedies Wed, 03 Jun 2026 10:00:08 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat China has pledged to improve the accuracy, reliability and transparency of AI through a new national evaluation framework, as policymakers move to establish common standards for assessing the fast-evolving technology. New guidelines released by the central government said Beijing would create a common yardstick for AI, allowing models, computing power and data quality to be measured and compared under a unified national standard. The move comes as artificial intelligence plays an increasingly... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3355324/china-launches-ai-framework-improve-black-box-transparency-and-raise-standards https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3355324/china-launches-ai-framework-improve-black-box-transparency-and-raise-standards Sat, 30 May 2026 10:00:12 +0000 Emma Ma Emma Ma China is stepping up efforts to explore the potential of medically important marine plants and animals, a field already valued in the billions of US dollars, as it looks to bolster its pharmaceutical industry. The country’s first guideline for the marine biopharmaceutical industry, released by the Ministry of Natural Resources on Thursday, encouraged research institutions and drug makers to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to speed up the development of the sector. The road map... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3355313/china-extols-potential-ai-guideline-marine-biopharmaceuticals https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3355313/china-extols-potential-ai-guideline-marine-biopharmaceuticals Fri, 29 May 2026 09:31:11 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang China’s Innovent Biologics has signed a global collaboration with pharmaceutical giant Pfizer worth up to US$10.5 billion to jointly develop 12 cancer treatment programmes. The Hong Kong-listed drug maker said it would receive an upfront payment of US$650 million from Pfizer, and it is eligible for up to US$9.85 billion tied to development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments, according to an exchange filing on Friday. Innovent, which is based in Suzhou in China’s eastern Jiangsu... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3355269/chinas-innovent-biologics-signs-us105-billion-pfizer-deal-12-cancer-drug-trials https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3355269/chinas-innovent-biologics-signs-us105-billion-pfizer-deal-12-cancer-drug-trials Fri, 29 May 2026 05:29:03 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A Chinese man who endured three years of intense pain while urinating finally went to the hospital and discovered he had a 1.3kg stone in his bladder. The man, 56, from southern China’s Guangdong province, surnamed Chen, recently went to the Xuwen Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, to have his bladder checked. Chen had experienced frequent and painful urination for three years. The symptoms had become so serious recently that he dared not travel far during the day and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3354862/chinese-man-suffers-painful-urination-3-years-discovers-13kg-stone-his-bladder https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3354862/chinese-man-suffers-painful-urination-3-years-discovers-13kg-stone-his-bladder Wed, 27 May 2026 01:00:07 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A Chinese woman developed an eight centimetre throat ulcer after eating hotpot too quickly, prompting her doctor to warn about the risks of such behaviour. The 42-year-old, surnamed Wang, from Changsha in central China’s Hunan province, was diagnosed with an oesophageal ulcer after gulping down the food. She said she was too “hungry and carried away” while chatting with friends over hotpot on a cool day in March. She did not wait for the food to cool down after taking it from the pot, and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3354116/china-woman-develops-8cm-throat-ulcer-after-quickly-eating-hotpot-rupturing-digestive-system https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3354116/china-woman-develops-8cm-throat-ulcer-after-quickly-eating-hotpot-rupturing-digestive-system Thu, 21 May 2026 06:00:07 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A Shanghai doctor has gone viral because he weighs 150kg, with some internet users jokingly asking whether they should follow such a plump person’s prescriptions. Chest surgeon Xiang Ruilong, who was born in the 1980s, works at Shanghai Yueyang Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Western Medicine Hospital. Standing at 1.84m tall, he weighs in at 150kg, the Xinmin Evening News reported. Xiang said he was about 110kg when he started working as a resident doctor over 10 years ago. He... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3353520/occupational-bug-china-surgeon-goes-viral-weighing-150kg-due-work-stress-bad-diet https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3353520/occupational-bug-china-surgeon-goes-viral-weighing-150kg-due-work-stress-bad-diet Mon, 18 May 2026 06:00:06 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu Getting a proper sleep has been a problem for people throughout history and the ancient Chinese set up some rules and methods that are still believed to be effective today. In Chinese culture, sleep time is believed to be an important period for the body to absorb and restore energy. Ancient people were meticulous about the number of hours’ sleep they got and in what position they did so. For example, it is deemed important to get sufficient sleep during the Zi hour, 11pm to 1pm, and the Wu... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/article/3353385/china-practices-sleep-protection-and-better-quality-rest-include-use-scissors-walnuts https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/article/3353385/china-practices-sleep-protection-and-better-quality-rest-include-use-scissors-walnuts Thu, 14 May 2026 10:00:06 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng Chinese citizens are facing growing inequality in wages and wealth, constraining the country’s “common prosperity” agenda at a time of slowing economic growth, a prominent economist has warned. Offering a rare glimpse into economic distribution beyond official statistics, research by Li Shi, dean of the Institute for Common Prosperity and Development at Zhejiang University, showed that China’s wealth Gini coefficient – a measure of inequality – rose from 0.45 in 1995 to above 0.7 in 2023. The... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3352248/chinas-common-prosperity-push-faces-reality-check-inequality-rises-study https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3352248/chinas-common-prosperity-push-faces-reality-check-inequality-rises-study Mon, 04 May 2026 04:00:11 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Li Bin, a doctor at the First Hospital of Lanzhou University, was among the wave of Chinese consumers who snapped up Apple Mac Mini computers during the country’s frenzied adoption of the OpenClaw artificial intelligence agent earlier this year. The young surgeon from Lanzhou, the capital of northwestern China’s Gansu province, bought one to run the open-source program, using it to develop an app to extract and organise information from doctor-patient conversations and lab report photos into... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/article/3351334/just-what-doctor-ordered-how-ai-could-help-china-bridge-medical-resources-gap https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/article/3351334/just-what-doctor-ordered-how-ai-could-help-china-bridge-medical-resources-gap Sat, 25 Apr 2026 03:00:13 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang The State Council, China’s cabinet, has published guidelines on innovative drug pricing that a bank analyst has described as the “most significant” in a decade, as they aim to reward drug innovation and ease pricing tension for domestic and multinational pharmaceutical companies. The framework document published this month said patented innovative drugs would be supported through value-based pricing, while the prices of generic drugs would be driven down through market competition and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3350956/multinational-pharmaceutical-companies-benefit-new-china-guidelines-analysts https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3350956/multinational-pharmaceutical-companies-benefit-new-china-guidelines-analysts Wed, 22 Apr 2026 05:00:09 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang A 32-year-old Chinese man who went to hospital suffering from stomach pain was shocked to discover that a mercury thermometer he had swallowed 20 years ago was still inside him. The man, surnamed Wang, from Wenzhou in Zhejiang province, southeastern China, had sought treatment at the Longgang branch of The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University. A scan revealed a foreign object in his duodenum, which doctors highly suspected to be a mercury thermometer. As the tip of the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3349537/chinese-man-32-suffers-stomach-pain-discovers-thermometer-swallowed-child-still-inside-him https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3349537/chinese-man-32-suffers-stomach-pain-discovers-thermometer-swallowed-child-still-inside-him Tue, 14 Apr 2026 01:00:10 +0000 Kamala Thiagarajan Kamala Thiagarajan As Asia grappled with the impact of the Iran war, a major pharmaceutical milestone quietly made the headlines. On March 20, the patent for semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy drugs, expired in several countries, crucially India and China – two countries renowned for their production of generic drugs, which are drugs with the same active ingredient as the branded original but typically sold at much lower prices. Ozempic, first approved in 2017 by the US Food... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3349193/asias-flood-cheap-ozempic-generics-opens-gates-weight-loss-abuse https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3349193/asias-flood-cheap-ozempic-generics-opens-gates-weight-loss-abuse Wed, 08 Apr 2026 21:30:07 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Global pharmaceutical companies posted mixed earnings in China last year, with some firms warning that 2026 will be another tough year as Beijing pushes for affordable healthcare through price bargains. Multinational corporations (MNCs) with innovative drug pipelines and the ability to quickly address unmet medical needs were expected to outperform rivals relying on mature and off-patent products this year, according to Bruce Liu, senior partner at global consulting firm Simon-Kucher. His... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3349163/global-drug-makers-face-pricing-pressure-china-targets-affordable-healthcare https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3349163/global-drug-makers-face-pricing-pressure-china-targets-affordable-healthcare Wed, 08 Apr 2026 02:00:19 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang In an attempt to mimic cervical traction therapy used in hospitals, a new trend known as the “neck-hanging exercise” has emerged among young Chinese people. The exercise involves people hanging by their head from trees to relieve cervical spondylosis. According to the 2024 China Cervical Spine Health White Paper, more than 200 million people in China suffer from cervical spine disorders, with over 40 per cent of patients under the age of 30. The new hanging trend has been gaining traction... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3348773/doctors-warn-spinal-cord-damage-neck-hanging-exercise-trends-among-china-youth https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3348773/doctors-warn-spinal-cord-damage-neck-hanging-exercise-trends-among-china-youth Tue, 07 Apr 2026 06:00:08 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang By night, some young Chinese are swapping traditional cocktails for so-called traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) bars, where herbal-infused spirits promise everything from heartbreak cures to wellness boosts. In these dimly lit venues, R&B or rock music pulses through the speakers while behind the bar, drawers brim with herbs rather than bottles. Bartenders in white coats, often certified TCM practitioners, begin each visit by taking pulses and asking about lifestyle habits before crafting... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3348517/china-youth-flock-tcm-bars-prescription-cocktails-amid-rise-punk-wellness-lifestyle https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3348517/china-youth-flock-tcm-bars-prescription-cocktails-amid-rise-punk-wellness-lifestyle Thu, 02 Apr 2026 10:00:08 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren The cross-border outlicensing activities of Chinese biotech firms reached a record transaction value of US$60 billion in the first quarter of 2026, driven by multinational pharmaceutical companies’ growing appetite for the country’s promising drug candidates. The deal value represented a 73 per cent jump from the same period a year earlier, and accounted for nearly half of the total US$135.7 billion worth of agreements signed throughout 2025, the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA)... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3348295/china-biotech-deals-hit-record-innovative-drugs-draw-interest-multinationals https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3348295/china-biotech-deals-hit-record-innovative-drugs-draw-interest-multinationals Sun, 29 Mar 2026 11:26:21 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang An emerging form of therapy in China has stirred controversy over blurred boundaries by using sensory tools, touch and hugging to ease clients’ stress. Mainland media reports say workshops and services centred on “intimate touch” have spread across social media since late last year. In quiet, softly lit rooms, intimate touch therapists offer what they describe as emotional healing through light caresses, hugs and sensory tools such as feathers and velvet gloves. Customers typically remove some... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3346899/intimate-touch-therapists-spark-china-debate-using-sensory-objects-hugs-help-clients-relax https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3346899/intimate-touch-therapists-spark-china-debate-using-sensory-objects-hugs-help-clients-relax Fri, 20 Mar 2026 06:00:09 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang Long before calorie counting and healthy diets, women in ancient China were already under intense pressure to stay slim, even swallowing cacti or silk in pursuit of what was perceived as perfection. Many assume ancient Chinese women prized fuller figures, but the reality was more nuanced. The Tang dynasty (618–907) is often cited as the classic example, thanks in part to figures such as the female sovereign Wu Zetian and the consort Yang Yuhuan. Yet plumpness was never the sole ideal. In most... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/article/3347118/swallowing-pieces-silk-eating-cacti-or-just-1-meal-day-all-pursuit-thinness-ancient-china https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/article/3347118/swallowing-pieces-silk-eating-cacti-or-just-1-meal-day-all-pursuit-thinness-ancient-china Thu, 19 Mar 2026 10:00:13 +0000