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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.
A food delivery drone takes off from a site near Shenzhen Bay Park in Shenzhen on January 17. Photo: VCG via Getty Images
Shenzhen

Being Chinese | Once, I was proud of the Shenzhen miracle. Now I’m not so sure

The Taiwanese-influenced accent my voice carries is a relic of the 2000s and hints at how differently my generation understands modernity.

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China's economic recovery

China expands migrant workers’ access to public services

China’s private sector

A new battlefront for KFC and its Chinese rivals: the lighter meal

China’s Communist Party

Video | How a rural French town became the cradle of Chinese communism

Late paramount leader Deng Xiaoping was among the many Chinese students who studied in Montargis in the early 20th century.

Late paramount leader Deng Xiaoping was among the many Chinese students who studied in Montargis in the early 20th century
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Britain

My Take | Chinese orchids bring a message of hope to Chelsea Flower Show

Exhibits carried a deeper meaning about conservation and the ability to bring people from around the world together.

China consumption

HSBC cuts China retail sales forecast by nearly half on property, job pressures

Consumption is facing renewed pressure as a weak labour market and diminishing returns from subsidies cloud outlook, the bank says.

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Trending in China

Every dog has its day: stray puppy steals show at Chinese university sports event

Student runner broke the 3,000-metre race record with the fluffy campus resident guiding her to victory like a professional pacer.

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A stray puppy became an overnight internet sensation after a video of it entering the track to accompany a female student at the end of her 3,000-metre race gained millions of views. Photo: bjnews.com.cn
Chinese language cinema

Opinion | A Teochew hit film shows what’s ailing Chinese entertainment

A new box-office surprise is a warning to the industry that visually stunning fare featuring ‘traffic stars’ is not good enough.

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China's population

China’s marriage numbers plunge to Covid-era low as population woes deepen

Fewer than 1.7 million couples tied the knot in the first quarter, the lowest total for the same period since lockdown-dominated 2020.

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US-China relations

As I see it | Has China just ended the end of history?

As China continues to thrive, Western observers are beginning to rethink past assumptions about the country’s future.

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Tourists visit the Huangyao ancient town in Zhaoping county, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, on May 3. Photo: Xinhua
China economy

Editorial | China fireworks factory blast sharpens focus on workplace safety

China’s safety record has improved but concerns persist about under-reporting and uneven compliance.

Rescuers work on site after an explosion at a fireworks plant in Liuyang, central China’s Hunan province, on May 5. Photo: Xinhua
China travel

China’s record travel volume meets cautious spending in May Day holiday surge

Thousands of domestic train services added on last day of ‘golden week’ to meet record demand, and high energy costs affect consumer spending.

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Accidents and disasters in China

Video | Deadly blast at Chinese fireworks factory

State media reports say the blast occurred on May 4 in Liuyang, Hunan province.

US-China relations

The ageing dilemma: why robots can’t save us but China-US cooperation might

US medical anthropologist Arthur Kleinman looks for path out of a social paradox: longer lives without a defined social role.

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Arthur Kleinman, a founding father of modern medical anthropology, says retirees in China may face decades without a defined social purpose. Photo: Shutterstock
China economy

Opinion | China moves towards better protecting its gig workers

Platforms have outrun legislation but Beijing is pledging better protections for gig workers. Hong Kong is also updating relevant laws.

Delivery riders sit on scooters while waiting for orders at an intersection on March 24 in Shenzhen. Photo: Getty Images
China jobs

Back to the factory? China to retrain 1 million jobless graduates as technicians

China aims to solve its graduate jobs crisis by sending academic students to vocational school. But many young people remain sceptical.

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China travel

China braces for record Labour Day travel surge as tourism demand remains robust

China expects to handle a record 304 million cross-regional trips per day over the holiday, as the government focuses on boosting consumption.

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China’s Communist Party

China must ‘strengthen education’ of Tibetan Buddhists, Beijing official says

On inspection tour, Li Ganjie urges local authorities to promote new ‘unity’ law to ethnic minority groups.

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Li Ganjie is head of the Communist Party’s United Front Work Department and a member of the now 22-man Politburo. Photo: Xinhua
China jobs

China’s youth unemployment crunch deepens as record graduation season looms

China’s official youth jobless rate climbed to 16.9 per cent in March, with another 12.7 million graduates set to enter the job market this summer.

China jobs

Shanghai mobilises seniors to work longer amid China’s demographic crisis

With one in three residents above retirement age, Shanghai’s 28-department plan aims to mobilise retirees to offset shrinking payrolls and rising pension strains.

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Gender

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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Women eat lunch in a female co-living space in Hangzhou, in eastern China’s Zhejiang province, on July 14, 2025. Photo: AFP
China’s Communist Party

The winners from China’s growing intercity football rivalries may surprise you

Lighthearted contests between areas with different customs, dialects and cuisine encourage local pride but ultimate control is elsewhere.

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Supporters cheer during the final of the 2025 Jiangsu Football City League between Taizhou and Nantong on November 1. Photo: VCG via Getty Images
Chinese culture

Opinion | Chinese youth are embracing Ching Ming with cultural confidence

Young people visiting the graves of historical figures reflects a cultural shift and the pursuit of a sense of continuity with the past.

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US-China relations

Growing Pains meets the ‘kill line’: a new Chinese hot take on the American dream

Internet commenters retrofit the viral metaphor to US movies and TV to highlight financial and social insecurity.

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Mainland China

Video | Paper AI robot offerings for tomb-sweeping festival

One online review notes ‘times change fast, I hope my grandfather likes it’ for paper OpenClaw offering.

Retailers have been gearing up for the Ching Ming Festival on April 5, 2026, with creative paper offerings that represent some of the latest technology including AI and robotics.
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China property

Opinion | Reinflate the property sector? No, China wants an ambitious redesign

Beijing is attempting a difficult pivot: transforming real estate from a debt-driven growth engine into a pillar of a consumption-led economy.

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Flats under construction in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, in eastern China on February 13. Photo: AFP
China inflation

Video | Iran war sends Chinese costs soaring

Businesses contend with soaring energy, raw material and freight costs, while Chinese consumers queue at petrol stations amid price hike fears.

Mainland China

Opinion | Why China’s AI automation push is a risky social experiment

Without reforms to improve wages, housing access and childcare, automation could entrench a low-fertility crisis and destabilise the social contract.

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