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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.
The AI-themed AGI Bar in Beijing’s Zhongguancun tech hub. Photo: Reuters
Artificial intelligence

Not a token effort: beer meets AI at bar in China’s capital

The AGI Bar in Beijing’s Zhongguancun tech hub offers free tokens to customers who order a drink.

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China birth rate

Even in the fertility heartland, China can’t stop its birth rate from falling

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China's population

China needs 600% child subsidy rise to prevent deeper birth crisis: scholars

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Mainland China

Opinion | How a Chinese kitchen in the Middle East could stir up global cinema

Upending Hollywood’s ‘saviour-hero’ convention in war films, a tale about a humble chef offers a quiet, distinctly Chinese perspective.

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A still from the Chinese film Once Upon a Time in the Middle East. Photo: Dirty Monkeys
Women and gender

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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Wellness

When the child you raised cuts you off. Why parental estrangement is on the rise

As more adult children in Hong Kong and beyond break contact with their parents, experts talk about causes and how to rebuild relationships.

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Mainland China

Video | Live eels spill out on train floor in China

Viral video shows passengers trying, but failing, to retrieve the slippery eels from the floor of the commuter train.

Viral video shows passengers trying, but failing, to retrieve the slippery eels from the floor of the commuter train
China economy

Opinion | As China shows, liberal capitalism is not the only path

China has disproved one of the post-Cold War era’s most confident assumptions: that the Western model is the only route to modernity.

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Asian cinema: Chinese films

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

Niu Lai’s runaway success is not an endorsement of its quality. Audiences are paying for the perverse enjoyment of seeing how bad it gets.

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Social media

Chinamaxxing: is it really about China or Gen Z fleeing Western fatigue?

From viral candy wrappers to hot water routines, Western Gen Z appears obsessed with all things China. But is it true love?

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Illustration: Dennis Yip
Chinese overseas

Why are some Chinese students choosing Spain despite its tough job market?

Relatively low tuition rates and a more relaxed lifestyle appeal to young adults, while scarce work, high rents and expanding Chinese investment shape their prospects.

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A pair of people are seen enjoying ice cream in Spain. Photo: Getty Images
China consumption

High-spending counties offer a rare bright spot amid China’s weak demand

Lower costs, lighter debt and return-migrant capital are boosting household purchasing power in China’s smaller cities.

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Video | Why China sees ‘lying flat’ as a security threat

Nation’s spy agency accuses foreign forces of ‘brainwashing’ young people, but critics say ‘lying flat’ is a rational response to a broken system.

Lessons from China's history

Reflections | How Chinese society’s resilient moral framework has lasted nearly 3,000 years

The Zhou-dynasty ideals of family responsibility, propriety and self-cultivation remain woven into the very fabric of China today.

The family has long lay at the centre of Chinese society’s moral universe, with respect for parents, harmony between siblings and the fulfilment of family obligations elevated from private virtues to the very foundations of society. Photo: Shutterstock
China’s internet censorship

China targets pseudo-history conspiracists who claim civilisations were stolen

Zhejiang agency says pseudo-historical claims – made worse by AI – reflect ignorance and fracture social cognition.

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The Acropolis in Athens. A social media account linked to a Chinese provincial government has criticised pseudo-historical theories denying the existence of figures such as Aristotle. Photo: EPA
Obituaries

Video | Remembering Zhu Rongji

Zhu had a major role in reshaping China’s economy, first as vice-premier and then as premier.

China jobs

China’s viral ‘dream job’: tight labour market fuels rush for alternative work

A highly-coveted mountaintop gig has exposed the sobering economic realities facing young jobseekers.

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Mobile gaming

Being Chinese | Don’t you dare come between Chinese women and our virtual boyfriends

An unexpected game character inspired a revolt by disappointed female fans. To understand why, we need to look at Chinese digital culture.

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A wallpaper featuring Xavier, a male character in Love and Deepspace. The Chinese mobile romance game combines cinematic 3D graphics, combat and an ambitious science fiction story with in-game dating. Photo: Papergames
China travel

China tops South Korea’s outbound travel charts as short-haul tourism surges

About 1.7 million South Koreans visited China in the first half of this year, up 16 per cent from the same period last year.

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China's population

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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China consumption

Haidilao takes on McDonald’s, KFC with burger brand amid slowing hotpot growth

As burger outlets crowd the domestic market, Haidilao attempts to expand amid declining demand for hotpot.

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Haidilao launched its Fresh Burger store in Wuhan last month. Photo: Handout
China economy

Opinion | China’s economic shift may hinge on what migrant workers do next

Where migrant workers go, what sectors they serve and how many stay employed will shape whether productivity gains go beyond the most advanced sectors.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
Chinese culture

VIP, APP, PPT: Are English abbreviations harming China’s cultural confidence?

Commentators worry that loanwords are becoming too common, especially for new tech, leaving no space for Chinese to grow.

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Asian diaspora

Opinion | Why global migration data should recognise subgroups like the Teochew

Until our data systems see past broad labels like Asian or Chinese, and recognise subgroups, our picture of global migration is incomplete.

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China jobs

Stronger social security? Gig workers push back on proposed law

With China’s flexible workforce estimated at nearly 300 million, Beijing pledges to strengthen their safety, wages and basic social security.

A food delivery man opens a door with taped glass at a restaurant in Hangzhou, eastern Zhejiang province , as people prepare for the approaching Typhoon Bavi to hit the region on July 11, 2026. Photo: AFP
China deflation

The upside of downsizing: Chinese youth head for more affordable small towns

Fast-paced corporate jobs leave Millennials, Gen Z burnt-out and seeking simpler lives with fewer luxuries outside China’s megacities.

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China’s young people are increasingly quitting stressful corporate jobs and choosing simpler, cheaper lives in scenic rural towns. Pictured is the entrance archway to Mengzi Rice Noodle Town in Yunnan province. Photo: Getty Images
China consumption

China’s 15th five-year plan for consumption

Officials have set a target for retail sales to hit 60 trillion yuan, or US$8.9 trillion, by 2030 under a plan approved by the State Council.

China's population

China’s five-year public health blueprint

Officials target raising life expectancy to 80 years by 2030 in national health blueprint under 15th five-year plan.

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