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China society

China society
Latest news, features and opinion on all aspects of society in China, including crime, education, health, culture, technology and tourism, and the impact of the one-child policy, an ageing population and mass internal migration on the country and its people.
Young people line up at career guidance booths during a job fair in Beijing on March 14 as China’s youth unemployment rate grows amid a testing post-holiday labour market. Photo: Reuters
China jobs

China’s youth unemployment falls for sixth consecutive month in February

But young job-hunters say they are still struggling to find work in a testing post-holiday labour market amid rising global economic uncertainty.

Two Sessions 2026

Editorial | China’s ethnic unity law can foster a shared sense of belonging

Artificial intelligence

Opinion | China’s OpenClaw mania driven by fear of missing next tech gold rush

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Food and Drinks

Video | Robot goes haywire in hotpot restaurant and refuses to stop dancing

Three restaurant staffers try to restrain the robot, but are powerless to stop it.

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Chinese history

As I see it | Rescuing a key Confucian text from centuries of ignominy

The release of an authoritative translation of Kongzi Jia Yu finally places a once-suspected forgery among the traditional canon.

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China consumption

Beijing urged to boost rural pensions as lawmakers fight for farmers’ fair share

Appeals highlight a long-standing lack of benefits for elderly citizens outside cities, and proposals include leveraging state assets and new taxes to bridge the vast disparity.

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Video | Chinese dating app lets parents set up dates for their kids

‘Perfect In-laws’ allows parents to communicate with each other to set their kids up, often without them knowing.

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Ageing society

Being Chinese | In China, some of us are keeping elderly care in the family – for now

My extended family has taken time to reach a decision about my grandma’s daily care. As the rest of us age, I’m also preparing options.

Chinese history

Opinion | Why a TV hit in China about waging peace resonates so deeply

Swords into Ploughshares can tell us a lot about Beijing’s approach to the crisis in Iran, cross-strait relations and this year’s ‘two sessions’.

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Animal rights in China

Opinion | Quietly, steadily, animal rights campaigners are making headway in China

With national laws the ultimate goal, progress is being made, one local regulation and court case at a time.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
China consumption

Boom or bust? China’s Lunar New Year spending data is in – here is what we know

Initial figures show record travel, shifting spending patterns and a weak box office.

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Customers choose mobile phones at a consumer electronics store in Zaozhuang, east China’s Shandong province, on Saturday. Local authorities rolled out a series of stimulus programmes and policies to help boost consumer spending during the holiday. Photo: Xinhua
Sexual harassment and assault

Video | Is ‘family’ becoming a legal shield for rape in China?

More troubling concerns surface in a high-profile case involving a man who fathered children with a mentally ill woman, lawyers say.

Chinese culture

Opinion | Lunar New Year doesn’t need a home-cooked feast to be full of flavour

The most important thing isn’t if you cooked the food yourself or followed tradition to the letter – it’s being with people you care about.

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Lunar New Year

Video | Chinese tourists have a new favourite country this Lunar New Year

Arrivals by Chinese tourists to South Korea are expected to rise by 52% in February 2026.

South Korea now tops the list of Lunar New Year destinations for Chinese travellers amid heightened tensions between China and the former top destination, Japan.
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China consumption

China’s Spring Festival box office faces plot twist after 2025 smashed records

Home-grown films lead the charge but fail to meet the phenomenal success of last year’s Ne Zha 2, which attracted record-breaking crowds.

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Moviegoers walked past posters for 2025 blockbusters Ne Zha 2 and Captain America: Brave New World at a cinema in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. Photo: SCMP
Australia

My Take | Social media’s ‘becoming Chinese’ trend can only be a force for good

Respectful experimentation with Chinese lifestyle habits can further understanding and engagement between people of different cultures.

Mainland China

Video | Dating in China as a senior citizen

Although in their golden years, seniors remain hopeful they can find someone to spend the rest of their lives with.

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China's population

Glimmer of hope? Why China’s marriage uptick could spark 2026 birth rebound

Double-digit jump in registration rate, boosted by policy and cultural tradition, offers modest upturn, but demographers are wary of weak fertility intentions.

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A couple participates in a group wedding in August, in China’s Guangdong province. Photo: Getty Images
China's ageing population

Opinion | A loneliness crisis is the price China is paying for rapid modernisation

As migrant workers head home for the Lunar New Year break, it is a good time to reflect on how the loneliness that has gripped Chinese society can be alleviated.

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Science

How old is Chinese civilisation? A scholar says it really dates back 8,000 years

Leading scholar’s argument stretches the timeline back beyond the widely accepted figure of 5,000 years.

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China travel

China’s visa-free waivers spark Korean travel boom, underpin tourism revival

Shanghai bookings surge as visitors flock to cosmopolitan streets and affordable dining, with analysts predicting the trend will spread inland.

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A food seller prepares dishes at a restaurant in Shanghai on January 21. Photo: AFP
Mainland China

Video | The quadriplegic man who runs a smart farm with just 1 finger

36-year-old Li Xia operates a high-tech farm in southwestern China with just one finger and one toe, using sensors, cameras and a computer.

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Photo: AFP
China's population

Letters | Fewer newborns in China may point to a more humane future

Readers discuss why a shrinking population is not a policy failure, and the bottled water procurement scandal.

China's population

‘Loneliness economy’: how China is adapting to a rapid rise in solo living

The viral success of check-in app Are You Dead? has exposed the vast demand for services catering to China’s rapidly growing single population.

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China travel

Foreigners flock to China’s ice and snow sights, with 130% inbound tourism spike

Freezing temperatures will not dampen the spirits of snow seekers, as China cements its reputation as the world’s ultimate winter playground.

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The moon rises above illuminated ice sculptures during the opening ceremony of the 42nd Harbin China International Ice and Snow Festival at Harbin in northeastern China’s Heilongjiang province on January 5. Photo: AFP
China jobs

China’s youth jobless rate edges down – but labour market strains persist

Beijing vows to prioritise job market in 2026, the first year of new five-year plan.

China’s youth jobless rate has grown in recent years, with many graduates struggling to find work that matches their qualifications. Photo: Shutterstock
Women and gender

Opinion | In China, the pressure on women to marry is deadly serious

Wedding-day death of Henan teacher highlights desperation of young women caught between modern hopes and traditional expectations.

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China consumption

China’s consumers refuse to open their wallets. Is ‘luxury-phobia’ the problem?

Chinese households are not splashing out on luxury goods partly because they feel ‘stigmatised’ for doing so, scholar argues.

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