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5050

5050
The latest news, analysis and opinion on 5050. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
China’s drinking culture has deep roots. Photo: Getty Images
China society

Opinion | Forcing women to drink at business dinners has no place in modern China

The alleged assault of a female employee in Hangzhou exposes how such unsavoury practices persist amid Beijing’s anti-extravagance campaign.

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China society

Opinion | Why Chinese film-goers are flocking to a movie they hate

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US-China tech war

Opinion | A US ban on Chinese optical transceivers would highlight tech war direction

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Hong Kong society

Opinion | Hong Kong’s 5-year plan can’t just be a laundry list

Repackaging familiar initiatives is not enough – city leaders must deliver clear directions, tangible targets and real accountability.

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llustration: Huy Truong
China’s soft power

Opinion | China’s brands must outgrow diaspora bubble to hit soft power potential

Only through commercial independence and deep localisation can Chinese firms abroad forge a durable soft power that state policy can’t produce.

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China society

Opinion | China’s baby boom depends on gender equality, not cash handouts

To arrest its falling birth rate, China must ensure women do not have to choose between motherhood and the lives they have built.

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Hong Kong politics

Opinion | Legco-executive dialogue must deliver more than novelty for Hong Kong

While more communication between the Legislative Council and the government is welcome, what matters most are outcomes that improve Hongkongers’ lives.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee and Legco President Starry Lee are seen after a dialogue session between the chief executive and lawmakers on July 28. Photo: Jonathan Wong
South China Sea

Opinion | How China and the Philippines can avert clashes over a crumbling ship

Amid fresh clashes over the rusting BRP Sierra Madre, both sides accuse each other of infringing their 2024 agreement. But what did they actually agree to?

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Artificial intelligence

Opinion | China’s AI vision gives the Global South a seat at the table

A new global AI body gives Beijing the platform to push for affordable access and technological autonomy, framing AI as a public good.

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Hong Kong society

Opinion | Is Hong Kong doing enough to lose its top spot for expensive housing?

For all the city’s recent successes, the benefits are not translating to more affordable lives for many Hongkongers.

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The monthly rent for this cage home in Sham Shui Po, measuring less than 20 sq ft in size, was HK$2,500 in 2024. Photo: Dickson Lee
China-Africa relations

Coffee, chillies and cashews: a new recipe to rewrite China-Africa trade

Blanket relationship with all African nations is viewed as a precedent for partners like the EU.

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In Africa, some agricultural products, including coffee beans, that meet baseline requirements on pest risks, processing and safety are eligible for export to China, eliminating the need for country-by-country trade deals. Photo: Shutterstock
Hong Kong society

Opinion | Hong Kong’s new poverty metric blinds government to issue’s sources

While the government lauds its efforts, discarding the income-based poverty line obscures a full accounting of the problem.

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Hong Kong economy

Opinion | Invest in Hong Kong’s creativity and local brands to unlock soft power

Hong Kong is blessed with ambitious, creative local brands. Investing in them will help set the city apart from other shopping destinations.

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US-ally trade wars

Opinion | Many countries are ‘quiet quitting’ the US and China on trade

While the US and Chinese markets are essential, other countries are making deals with each other in search of more diversified trade.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
China society

Opinion | China’s ‘check-in culture’ tourists need a reality check

Superficial ‘check-in tourism’ focused on garnering likes on social media is adversely affecting the lives of locals and the facilities they use.

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Tourists take photos at the Mong Kok MTR Station on October 6, 2025. Photo: Sun Yeung
US-China relations

Opinion | Thanks to Trump, Chinese people have a more realistic view of America

The positive view many Chinese had for the US has been replaced with one of a complex society dealing with many challenges.

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Education in Hong Kong

Opinion | Teachers behaving badly should prompt reflection in Hong Kong

Outrage over videos of educators’ bullying behaviour ought to spark introspection on why people act this way.

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China-India relations

Opinion | Thaw in China-India ties is real, but don’t call it reconciliation

Beijing and New Delhi are slowly rebuilding relations, but deep-seated mistrust and geopolitical rivalry will constrain rapprochement.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visit the Vaan Irai Kal monument as part of informal summit talks in Mamallapuram, India, on October 11, 2019. Photo: dpa
China food security

Opinion | How Asian food security is shifting away from the West

The platform offers a future where Asian nations are less dependent on maritime chokepoints and Western-aligned supply chains.

Hong Kong housing

Opinion | Hong Kong housing: small shoebox flat wins not enough to fix big issues

While the current administration has made strides on the housing front, the wait for a proper place to live is harming Hongkongers’ mental health.

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TV shows and streaming video

‘It’s a Geena-sance’: Geena Davis on Netflix’s The Boroughs and Coachella skit

The Thelma & Louise star shares her delight in returning as a bellicose retiree in Netflix’s new sci-fi as she reflects on an iconic career.

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Geena Davis in a still from Netflix’s The Boroughs. Her role as Renee, a retiree itching to “kick some a**“ amid a string of murders in her community, is the latest in a long line of fierce woman characters the Hollywood icon has played during her decades-long career. Photo: Netflix
2026 Xi-Trump summits

Opinion | Xi-Trump summit: what ‘strategic stability’ means for US-China ties

The main question isn’t whether the summit resolved the China-US rivalry but if it created common ground for addressing disputes.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
Climate change

Opinion | How bad water management is turning up the heat on South Asia

Regional governments should stop blaming shortages on the failure of treaties, diverting attention from much-needed internal reforms.

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Food and Drinks

Asian-American mother challenges tough Chinese traditions for new mums

Clarissa Wei’s cookbook ‘Sitting the Month’ puts a modern spin on the traditional Chinese foods typically given to post-partum mothers.

TV shows and streaming video

Q&A | Elle Fanning, Michelle Pfeiffer talk motherhood in Margo’s Got Money Troubles

The Hollywood actresses join co-star Nick Offerman to discuss their new show about love – and OnlyFans – in a dysfunctional family.

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Michelle Pfeiffer (left) and Elle Fanning in a still from Margo’s Got Money Troubles. Photo: Apple TV
Food and Drinks

Meet the women in whiskey breaking the glass ceiling in male-dominated industry

A growing number of women are becoming leaders in the traditionally male-dominated US whiskey industry, from making it to promoting it.

Meghan Ireland blends whiskey in the lab at the WhistlePig whiskey distillery in Shoreham, in the US state of Vermont. Photo: AP
China society

Opinion | By voicing their needs, Chinese women are normalising them

In films and on social media, women in China are openly advocating for themselves and fighting taboos around women’s health.

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Hong Kong politics

Opinion | Hong Kong increasingly seen as a safe haven in troubled world

The city’s role is evolving and detractors must now acknowledge its strengths.

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