https://www.scmp.com/rss/322889/feed Viola is a multimedia producer at Inkstone. Prior to that, she wrote about Chinese politics for the South China Morning Post. She has also interned at Reuters and covered Hong Kong's democracy protests. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Despite a rising awareness in China of domestic abuse and legislation to protect victims, the recent brutal killing of Lhamo, a Tibetan woman who ran a video blog, by her ex-husband has highlighted the country’s struggle to curb deadly violence against women. On the evening of September 14, Tang Lu – the man Lhamo had divorced less than three months earlier – made a surprise visit to her home on the edge of the Tibetan plateau in southwest China. He was carrying a knife and a bucket of petrol.... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3113293/what-rural-woman-chinas-horrific-killing-says-about?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3113293/what-rural-woman-chinas-horrific-killing-says-about?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Dec 2020 21:15:13 +0000 Having survived repeated beatings by her ex-husband, Lhamo, a young Tibetan woman, was turning her life around when the unthinkable happened.  On the evening of September 14, the man she had divorced less than three months ago made a surprise visit to her home on the edge of the Tibetan plateau in southwestern China. He was carrying a knife and a bucket of gasoline.  Tang Lu doused his ex-wife and set her on fire. Two weeks later, the 30-year-old mother of two died in a coma, with burns covering... https://www.scmp.com/society/murder-perfect-victim-exposes-societal-failure-protect-women/article/3112937?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/murder-perfect-victim-exposes-societal-failure-protect-women/article/3112937?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Dec 2020 11:27:11 +0000 After a rise in conflict between pet owners and those without animals, including incidents where unaccompanied dogs have bitten people, a county in China came up with a solution akin to “three strikes and you’re out” laws in the United States – get caught walking your dog in public three times, and the pooch gets it. In a notice published last week, according to Chinese media company Sixth Tone, Weixin county in the southwestern province of Yunnan said all dogs were to be kept... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3110506/three-strikes-and-youre-out-law-pets-kill-policy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3110506/three-strikes-and-youre-out-law-pets-kill-policy?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Nov 2020 12:15:12 +0000 A Chinese county is reconsidering a controversial policy that would have required authorities to capture and kill dogs if their owner walked them in public three times. In a notice published last week, Weixin county in the southwestern province of Yunnan said all dogs must be kept in captivity and it issued harsh punishments for people who violated the new rule.   First-time “dog walker” offenders would be subject to warnings while people caught a second time could be fined between 50 to 200... https://www.scmp.com/society/walking-your-dog-could-get-your-dog-killed-yunnan/article/3110209?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/walking-your-dog-could-get-your-dog-killed-yunnan/article/3110209?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Nov 2020 11:06:28 +0000 A recent study published in medical journal The Lancet suggests that, while genetics play a part in the height of a person, nutrition and the environment can play a bigger role. Within a few generations, the height of migrant descendants typically catches up to the height of non-migrant children in their new country. The study, which came out this month, analyses the physical growth of children in different countries by pooling height and body mass index data from 193 countries. It notes that... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3109542/why-children-some-countries-are-taller-others-diet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3109542/why-children-some-countries-are-taller-others-diet?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Nov 2020 04:15:09 +0000 China Trends takes the pulse of the Chinese social media to keep you in the loop of what the world’s biggest internet population is talking about. ‘Versailles literature’  “Versailles literature” refers to a social media writing technique that allows one to flaunt their wealth or success in a subtle way.  Social media has made it easy for people to compare their lives with others, and like internet users elsewhere, many Chinese share what they do online as a way of showing off.  One method is to... https://www.scmp.com/society/china-trends-versailles-style-mocked-social-media/article/3109588?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/china-trends-versailles-style-mocked-social-media/article/3109588?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Nov 2020 10:26:10 +0000 Rapid economic growth in China has led to major improvements in quality of life and, according to a recent study, Chinese teenagers have achieved significant gains in height over the past 35 years. In 1985, the average height of 19-year-old women was 5.2 feet and that of 19-year-old men 5.5 feet. In 2019, the corresponding figures were 5.4 feet and 5.8 feet respectively.  According to the study, published in the medical journal The Lancet this month, the increase in boys’ height is the largest... https://www.scmp.com/health/chinese-children-are-becoming-taller-heres-why/article/3109554?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/health/chinese-children-are-becoming-taller-heres-why/article/3109554?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Nov 2020 10:26:06 +0000 Most Chinese children still do not receive sexuality education that meets international standards, and the recent passage of a law requiring schools and kindergartens to conduct sex education is unlikely to change that any time soon. The revised law on protecting minors, passed by China’s top legislative body on October 17, mandates “age-appropriate sex education”, but it is unclear how the Chinese government plans to implement it. According to Unesco guidelines, “comprehensive sexuality... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3109184/china-has-national-sexual-illiteracy-challenges-way?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3109184/china-has-national-sexual-illiteracy-challenges-way?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Nov 2020 21:15:17 +0000 China has made sex education mandatory for schoolchildren, as growing awareness of sexual harassment and gender inequality prompts calls from parents to improve the country’s sexual literacy.  For the first time, a revised law on protecting minors, passed by the top legislative body on October 17, requires schools and kindergartens to conduct “age-appropriate sex education” for children. It is unclear how the government plans to implement mandatory “sex education.” The law, which comes into... https://www.scmp.com/society/chinas-mandatory-sex-ed-classes-are-first-step-long-road/article/3108579?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/chinas-mandatory-sex-ed-classes-are-first-step-long-road/article/3108579?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Nov 2020 10:29:07 +0000 Hairy crabs, a popular delicacy famed for its creamy orange roe and juicy, protein-rich meat, are sought-after gifts in China during the fall season.  The crustaceans are so prized that they have in the past been used to bribe government officials. Like clockwork, the Communist Party’s corruption watchdog sounds the alarm every year and warns against potential legal troubles caused by sharing luxury crabs. Chinese authorities have published several officials during anti-graft campaigns for... https://www.scmp.com/food/hairy-crabs-make-unusual-tool-corruption-china/article/3108415?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/food/hairy-crabs-make-unusual-tool-corruption-china/article/3108415?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Nov 2020 11:37:08 +0000 One perk of graduating from school is the prospect of never having to do homework ever again. Or at least that’s the idea.  A viral video showing a parent complaining about her “assignments” from their children’s schools have prompted an online outcry against the so-called “parent chat groups.” In recent years, most urban schools in China have set up chat groups for parents on the ubiquitous messaging app WeChat, to facilitate the communication between parents and teachers.  But parents say the... https://www.scmp.com/society/parents-china-are-complaining-about-school-assignments-wechat-groups/article/3108106?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/parents-china-are-complaining-about-school-assignments-wechat-groups/article/3108106?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Nov 2020 11:36:06 +0000 Every Tuesday and Thursday, China Trends takes the pulse of the Chinese social media to keep you in the loop of what the world’s biggest internet population is talking about. The biggest population census The Chinese government is sending some seven million workers to collect information from every household for the country’s 7th national population census. The census, conducted every 10 years, is aimed at providing the most accurate information about the age, education, occupation, marital and... https://www.scmp.com/society/china-trends-chinas-massive-population-census-and-man-fired-cat-torture/article/3106448?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/china-trends-chinas-massive-population-census-and-man-fired-cat-torture/article/3106448?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Oct 2020 09:01:37 +0000 Every Tuesday and Thursday, China Trends takes the pulse of the Chinese social media to keep you in the loop of what the world’s biggest internet population is talking about. Idols or motherland? China’s BTS fans caught in online fury BTS fans in China are debating whether they should abandon their beloved idols after the group endorsed the alliance between South Korea and America in the Korean War.  Chinese nationalists were angered after the band’s leader RM told an awards ceremony that the... https://www.scmp.com/society/china-trends-bts-fans-caught-online-fury-and-woman-falls-love-fake-celebrity-account/article/3105488?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/china-trends-bts-fans-caught-online-fury-and-woman-falls-love-fake-celebrity-account/article/3105488?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Oct 2020 10:26:55 +0000 Onion farmer Chris Pawelski of Warwick, New York, was curious in July when he found a package in his postbox that he had not ordered. The shipping label indicated it came from Shenzhen, a technology hub in southern China. It was also printed with “wire connector” in English and “rings” in Chinese. When Pawelski, 53, opened it, he found neither a wire connector nor jewelry, but a tiny plastic bag of mixed seeds. He is one of the thousands of people worldwide who received such seeds in recent... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-mystery-how-unsolicited-seed-packages-fed-conspiracy-fears/article/3105278?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-mystery-how-unsolicited-seed-packages-fed-conspiracy-fears/article/3105278?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Oct 2020 11:10:47 +0000 Every Tuesday and Thursday, Inkstone Index features a single, illuminating number that helps you make sense of China. 637 million: the number of domestic trips made during China’s “golden week” holiday. Some 637 million visits to tourist spots were made during an eight-day national holiday that began on October 1, China’s National Day. Dubbed “golden week,” the holiday was the longest of the year and the first long break since the Covid-19 epidemic was contained in China, allowing people to eat... https://www.scmp.com/society/inkstone-index-chinas-post-covid-19-tourism-boom/article/3104898?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/inkstone-index-chinas-post-covid-19-tourism-boom/article/3104898?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Oct 2020 10:26:25 +0000 Onion farmer Chris Pawelski of Warwick, New York, was curious in July when he found a package in his postbox that he had not ordered. The shipping label indicated it came from Shenzhen, a technology hub in southern China. It was also printed with “wire connector” in English and “rings” in Chinese. When Pawelski, 53, opened it, he found neither a wire connector nor jewellery, but a tiny plastic bag of mixed seeds – one of thousands of people around the world who received such seeds in recent... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3104960/those-seeds-china-how-likely-marketing-tool-fed-conspiracy-fears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3104960/those-seeds-china-how-likely-marketing-tool-fed-conspiracy-fears?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Oct 2020 14:00:10 +0000 Every Tuesday and Thursday, Inkstone Index features a single, illuminating number that helps you make sense of China. 73%: the share of Americans who hold negative views about China.  Negative views of China have reached record levels among the public in 14 developed countries, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted from June to August.  In the United States, 73% of the respondents have an unfavorable view of China, up 13 percentage points since just last year. When the survey was... https://www.scmp.com/politics/inkstone-index-americas-wary-eye-china/article/3104527?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/politics/inkstone-index-americas-wary-eye-china/article/3104527?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Oct 2020 05:56:15 +0000 Every Tuesday and Thursday, China Trends takes the pulse of the Chinese social media to keep you in the loop of what the world’s biggest internet population is talking about. No mask, no take-off A flight in China was stranded at the airport for an hour because a passenger refused to put on a face mask. The plane was stranded at the airport in the central city of Changsha on October 3 because one passenger was reluctant to put on a face mask, according to a clip posted this week by video news... https://www.scmp.com/society/china-trends-flight-delayed-passenger-without-mask-and-peak-wedding-season-creates-money-problems/article/3104204?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/china-trends-flight-delayed-passenger-without-mask-and-peak-wedding-season-creates-money-problems/article/3104204?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Oct 2020 03:45:46 +0000 Reports of Trump’s positive test result for Covid-19 have been met with ridicule and glee on Chinese social media, underscoring the enmity many in China hold against a US president who has made blaming China a central theme of his re-election campaign. Trump said on Friday that he and first lady Melania Trump tested positive for the coronavirus. The announcement came hours after Hope Hicks, the president’s close adviser, was reported to have tested positive after developing symptoms this... https://www.scmp.com/politics/national-day-gift-chinese-internet-ridicules-trumps-covid-19-test-result/article/3103972?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/politics/national-day-gift-chinese-internet-ridicules-trumps-covid-19-test-result/article/3103972?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Oct 2020 10:52:42 +0000 Every Tuesday and Thursday, Inkstone Explains unravels the ideas and context behind the headlines to help you understand news about China. Foreign domestic helpers play an indispensable part in many Hong Kong households. Typically Filipino or Indonesian women, they cook for family members, take children to schools and care for the elderly.  The Hong Kong government and households have long been criticized for exploiting and discriminating against these workers despite the important role they... https://www.scmp.com/society/inkstone-explains-hidden-engine-hong-kongs-economy/article/3103289?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/inkstone-explains-hidden-engine-hong-kongs-economy/article/3103289?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Oct 2020 07:48:01 +0000 Every Tuesday and Thursday, Inkstone Index features a single, illuminating number that helps you make sense of China. 800: The number of calories in a lotus paste mooncake with double egg yolks. Chinese people eat more than a billion mooncakes around the annual Mid-Autumn Festival to celebrate the full moon and the coming together of families and friends. The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. Its exact origin is a mystery, but people in China have been marking... https://www.scmp.com/food/inkstone-index-little-cake-full-love-delight-and-calories/article/3103639?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/food/inkstone-index-little-cake-full-love-delight-and-calories/article/3103639?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Oct 2020 07:48:00 +0000 Every Tuesday and Thursday, China Trends takes the pulse of the Chinese social media to keep you in the loop of what the world’s biggest internet population is talking about. Tibetan woman set on fire by ex-husband A Tibetan live-streaming host has been hospitalized after her ex-husband set her on fire when she was at her home in southwestern China.  The woman, Lhamo, went into a coma after her ex-husband attacked her with gasoline and flames at her home in Ngawa, Sichuan province on the night... https://www.scmp.com/society/china-trends-tibetan-live-streamer-burned-ex-husband-and-students-protest-lockdowns/article/3102691?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/china-trends-tibetan-live-streamer-burned-ex-husband-and-students-protest-lockdowns/article/3102691?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2020 03:43:46 +0000 Every Tuesday and Thursday, Inkstone Index features a single, illuminating number that helps you make sense of China. 773 million: the number of people using short-video apps in China.  The popularity of Chinese short-video platforms such as Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, has grown rapidly over the past five years.  The craze over seconds-long videos has turned farmers and delivery drivers into influencers and given rise to two Chinese unicorns.  China had more than 773 million short-video... https://www.scmp.com/tech/inkstone-index-chinas-substantial-short-video-population/article/3102388?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/inkstone-index-chinas-substantial-short-video-population/article/3102388?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Sep 2020 08:26:49 +0000 Every Tuesday and Thursday, China Trends takes the pulse of the Chinese social media to keep you in the loop of what the world’s biggest internet population is talking about. American citizen accused of rape to be deported A Chinese-American lawyer will be deported from China after rape accusations against him prompted public outrage. In one of the most talked-about sexual assault cases this year, a Chinese woman told reporters in May that lawyer Bao Yuming, who was her “fostered father,”... https://www.scmp.com/society/china-trends-lawyer-accused-rape-be-deported-and-students-protest-campus-lockdowns/article/3101785?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/china-trends-lawyer-accused-rape-be-deported-and-students-protest-campus-lockdowns/article/3101785?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Sep 2020 10:47:08 +0000 Every Tuesday and Thursday, Inkstone Explains unravels the ideas and context behind the headlines to help you understand news about China. Cheap and quick food delivery was popular in China even before widespread travel restrictions turned it into an essential part of urban life for many globally. But as demand for the service has risen in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, public scrutiny is putting pressure on China’s tech giants to show consideration for the workers who risk their lives to... https://www.scmp.com/tech/inkstone-explains-dark-side-chinas-food-delivery-boom/article/3101216?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/inkstone-explains-dark-side-chinas-food-delivery-boom/article/3101216?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Sep 2020 09:57:19 +0000 Every Tuesday and Thursday, China Trends takes the pulse of the Chinese social media to keep you in the loop of what the world’s biggest internet population is talking about. Extra time for food delivery workers A recent news report in China about the harsh working condition of food deliverers has prompted a delivery company to let users grant couriers more time to deliver their meals. A report this week by Chinese magazine Renwu highlighted how food delivery workers are often pressured to... https://www.scmp.com/society/china-trends-food-delivery-app-under-scrutiny-and-plan-save-marriages/article/3100846?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/china-trends-food-delivery-app-under-scrutiny-and-plan-save-marriages/article/3100846?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Sep 2020 09:51:04 +0000 Hit with bad reviews and accusations of complicity in China’s mistreatment of ethnic minorities, Mulan is getting no respite ahead of its opening in Chinese theaters. Disney’s live-action remake has racked up dismal advance ticket sales for its opening day in China on Friday, according to China’s largest film ticketing app Maoyan. As of Wednesday morning, the sales amounted to $307,000 after three days’ presale, a fraction of those of recent hit movies in the country. Love You Forever, a... https://www.scmp.com/arts/dismal-china-sales-portend-disaster-mulan-amid-criticism-over-xinjiang/article/3100834?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/arts/dismal-china-sales-portend-disaster-mulan-amid-criticism-over-xinjiang/article/3100834?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Sep 2020 10:09:54 +0000 Every Tuesday and Thursday, China Trends takes the pulse of the Chinese social media to keep you in the loop of what the world’s biggest internet population is talking about. Netflix to adapt The Three-Body Problem Netflix on Tuesday announced it plans to adapt Chinese science fiction trilogy Remembrance of Earth’s Past into an English-language series. Fans often call the series by the name of its first novel, The Three-Body Problem. The show will be led by Game of Thrones creators David Benioff... https://www.scmp.com/society/china-trends-netflix-adapt-hit-chinese-trilogy-and-female-students-told-cover/article/3099859?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/china-trends-netflix-adapt-hit-chinese-trilogy-and-female-students-told-cover/article/3099859?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Sep 2020 03:44:52 +0000 Every Tuesday and Thursday, Inkstone Index features a single, illuminating number that helps you make sense of China. 90%: the percentage of e-cigarettes made in China.  About nine in 10 e-cigarettes sold globally are produced in China, mostly in the southern tech hub of Shenzhen.  The surging popularity of e-cigarettes, especially in America, has in recent years set off an investment frenzy around vaping products in Shenzhen. In 2018, the e-cigarette industry in China employed more than 2... https://www.scmp.com/business/inkstone-index-center-worlds-e-cigarette-universe/article/3099653?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/inkstone-index-center-worlds-e-cigarette-universe/article/3099653?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Sep 2020 07:03:07 +0000 Ethnic Mongols in China are protesting a government decision to expand the use of Mandarin Chinese in schools attended by minority students. The regional government of Inner Mongolia, home to the world’s largest ethnic Mongol population, said last week it planned to have all Mongol pupils study three compulsory subjects – literature, history and ethics – in Chinese. Other subjects, such as maths and arts, will continue be taught in Mongolian. The announcement prompted strong discontent among... https://www.scmp.com/society/dont-try-tame-me-mongols-china-protest-plan-teach-chinese/article/3099606?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/dont-try-tame-me-mongols-china-protest-plan-teach-chinese/article/3099606?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Aug 2020 12:42:36 +0000 China has relaxed some Covid-19 lockdown measures on the city of Urumqi in Xinjiang following a surge of complaints about their severity on Chinese social media. The city of 3.5 million people, which has been in strict lockdown since mid-July, has reported no new cases of the disease since August 16. Xinjiang residents flooded social media platform Weibo with complaints about the restrictions which had kept them trapped at home for more than a month. There have also been claims people were... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3099031/xinjiang-starts-ease-covid-19-lockdown-after-surge-social-media?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3099031/xinjiang-starts-ease-covid-19-lockdown-after-surge-social-media?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Aug 2020 05:05:00 +0000 Every Tuesday and Thursday, Inkstone Explains unravels the ideas and context behind the headlines to help you understand news about China. Citing China’s treatment of its ethnic minorities in Xinjiang, the US government in July sanctioned several Chinese officials and organizations believed to be responsible for alleged human rights abuses in the far western region. The sanctions put a spotlight on the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, or XPCC, one of the country’s most secretive and... https://www.scmp.com/politics/inkstone-explains-what-xpcc-powerful-chinese-group-facing-us-sanctions/article/3098877?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/politics/inkstone-explains-what-xpcc-powerful-chinese-group-facing-us-sanctions/article/3098877?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Aug 2020 09:20:09 +0000 Every Tuesday and Thursday, Inkstone Index features a single, illuminating number that helps you make sense of China. 373mph: the speed of the maglev train China is trying to build. The Chinese government is building high-speed maglev trains that can run at a speed of 373mph (600km/h) – approaching the record speed set by a train in Japan. Unlike conventional trains, which run on steel wheels on metal tracks, maglev trains hover above the track and are propelled forward by powerful... https://www.scmp.com/tech/inkstone-index-china-racing-build-worlds-fastest-train/article/3098550?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/inkstone-index-china-racing-build-worlds-fastest-train/article/3098550?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Aug 2020 06:42:10 +0000 Residents in China’s Xinjiang region say they are confined to their homes and forced to take herbal medicines during a blanket lockdown to contain a recent coronavirus outbreak, measures that they say are harsher than those elsewhere in the country. In Urumqi, the capital of the far western border region, most residents have been banned from leaving their apartments since July 16, when a fresh Covid-19 outbreak was discovered. To date, the virus has infected about 900 people in a city of 3.5... https://www.scmp.com/health/xinjiang-residents-grapple-sweeping-coronavirus-measures/article/3098326?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/health/xinjiang-residents-grapple-sweeping-coronavirus-measures/article/3098326?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Aug 2020 11:16:22 +0000 Every Tuesday and Thursday, China Trends takes the pulse of the Chinese social media to keep you in the loop of what the world’s biggest internet population is talking about. Li Ziqi’s snail rice noodles factory  Internet superstar Li Ziqi is investing in a factory for popular snail rice noodles in the southern city of Liuzhou.  A delicacy of Liuzhou, snail rice noodles feature a soup base made of boiled snails and typically include sour bamboo shoots, mushrooms and rice noodles. It is famous... https://www.scmp.com/society/china-trends-li-ziqis-rice-noodle-factory-and-more-floods-along-yangtze/article/3097961?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/china-trends-li-ziqis-rice-noodle-factory-and-more-floods-along-yangtze/article/3097961?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Aug 2020 09:26:48 +0000 Every Tuesday and Thursday, Inkstone Explains unravels the ideas and context behind the headlines to help you understand news about China. About as big as the United States, China is home to more than four times more people than the American population. Like America, China is divided into dozens of regions. How powers are shared between China’s central and regional governments is crucial to managing the country’s vast and populous territory. The People’s Republic of China can be broken down into... https://www.scmp.com/politics/inkstone-explains-chinese-provinces-and-administrative-units/article/3097697?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/politics/inkstone-explains-chinese-provinces-and-administrative-units/article/3097697?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Aug 2020 06:38:03 +0000 Every Tuesday and Thursday, Inkstone Index features a single, illuminating number that helps you make sense of China. 11.4%: the share of adults in China who did not have an active bank account by 2018.  Having access to the banking system is a key indicator of financial inclusion. The World Bank views access to bank accounts as crucial for escaping poverty because it helps people prepare for emergencies, start businesses, and pay for education or health care services. In China, an account is... https://www.scmp.com/business/inkstone-index-unbanked-people-china/article/3097671?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/inkstone-index-unbanked-people-china/article/3097671?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Aug 2020 06:38:01 +0000 Every Tuesday and Thursday, China Trends takes the pulse of the Chinese social media to keep you in the loop of what the world’s biggest internet population is talking about. ‘N-1’ banquets Large banquets in China where hosts order more food than anyone can eat, sometimes to show generosity, may soon be reined in. As part of President Xi Jinping’s campaign against food waste, an industrial group in Wuhan is asking restaurants to provide “frugal” meals to customers. The group has advocated for... https://www.scmp.com/society/china-trends-chinas-anti-food-waste-campaign-and-anniversary-tianjin-explosions/article/3097062?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/china-trends-chinas-anti-food-waste-campaign-and-anniversary-tianjin-explosions/article/3097062?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Aug 2020 08:13:28 +0000 Every Tuesday and Thursday, Inkstone Explains unravels the ideas and context behind the headlines to help you understand news about China. The Chinese government has started large-scale testing of its digital currency, bringing Beijing a step closer to taking greater control over the country’s financial system – everything that a decentralized cryptocurrency like bitcoin was built to avoid. What is China’s digital currency? China’s sovereign digital currency program is officially called the... https://www.scmp.com/business/inkstone-explains-what-dcep-chinas-digital-currency/article/3097071?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/inkstone-explains-what-dcep-chinas-digital-currency/article/3097071?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Aug 2020 08:13:26 +0000 Coronaviruses were widespread in some wild animal trade networks, according to a new study that highlights the increased risk of transmitting diseases such as Covid-19 to humans. The study was based on an analysis of animals collected in southern Vietnam between 2013 and 2014, in which scientists found various coronavirus strains in bats and rats sold for food. “Human behaviour is facilitating the spillover of viruses, such as coronavirus, from animals to people,“ the study said. “The wildlife... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3096961/coronaviruses-are-widespread-among-bats-and-rats-sold-food-study?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3096961/coronaviruses-are-widespread-among-bats-and-rats-sold-food-study?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Aug 2020 23:00:25 +0000 Every Tuesday and Thursday, Inkstone Index features a single, illuminating number that helps you make sense of China. 32.8%: the decline in Chinese people’s spending on food and drinks in the first half of 2020.  Retail sales of consumer goods in China have dropped by 11.4% during the first half of 2020, according to the Chinese National Bureau of Statistics.  Most consumer goods industries have been hit hard by the Covid-19 outbreaks, as people cut back social activities and travel... https://www.scmp.com/business/inkstone-index-decline-restaurant-spending/article/3096471?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/inkstone-index-decline-restaurant-spending/article/3096471?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Aug 2020 03:54:14 +0000 Every Tuesday and Thursday, Inkstone Explains unravels the ideas and context behind the headlines to help you understand news about China. An unusual alliance is forming between democracy advocates in Southeast Asia and East Asia.  On the 31st anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, some Thai students joined their Hong Kong counterparts in mourning demonstrators killed in central Beijing. Anti-government protesters in Hong Kong have backed Thai activists' call for democracy in the... https://www.scmp.com/politics/inkstone-explains-milkteaalliance-connects-asian-protesters/article/3096130?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/politics/inkstone-explains-milkteaalliance-connects-asian-protesters/article/3096130?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Aug 2020 03:46:02 +0000 Every Tuesday and Thursday, China Trends takes the pulse of the Chinese social media to keep you in the loop of what the world’s biggest internet population is talking about. Man wrongly jailed for 27 years A Chinese man was exonerated and freed after spending nearly 27 years in jail for murder, sparking widespread sympathy and anger online.  Zhang Yuhuan, now 53, was accused of killing two children in 1993. He was given a suspended death sentence in 1995, despite telling the court that police... https://www.scmp.com/politics/china-trends-man-exonerated-after-27-years-jail-and-rural-students-archaeology-dream/article/3096137?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/politics/china-trends-man-exonerated-after-27-years-jail-and-rural-students-archaeology-dream/article/3096137?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Aug 2020 03:45:59 +0000 Every Tuesday and Thursday, Inkstone Index features a single, illuminating number that helps you make sense of China. 66 million: the number of mobile phones in China connected to 5G networks as of June. About 66 million phones in China were connected to 5G networks by June, according to the country’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.  The number of 5G users had been growing in China and more than 400,000 5G base stations have been built, a ministry official said at a press... https://www.scmp.com/tech/inkstone-index-millions-phones-china-are-now-connected-5g/article/3095897?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/inkstone-index-millions-phones-china-are-now-connected-5g/article/3095897?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Aug 2020 07:11:03 +0000 Every Tuesday and Thursday, China Trends takes the pulse of the Chinese social media to keep you in the loop of what the world’s biggest internet population is talking about. Caught in US-China consulate clash The food writer wife of the US consul general in Chengdu has come under fire on Chinese social media as the consulate dispute between Beijing and Washington caused another spike of anti-US sentiment in China.  Tze-i Chuang, a Taiwanese food writer and wife of US diplomat Jim Mullinax, has... https://www.scmp.com/society/china-trends-wife-us-consul-general-under-attack-and-female-cosplayers-indecent-pose/article/3095206?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/china-trends-wife-us-consul-general-under-attack-and-female-cosplayers-indecent-pose/article/3095206?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Jul 2020 10:02:57 +0000 A series of cases in which husbands reportedly killed their wives in China have prompted online outrage over persistent domestic violence and the lack of legal protection for women. Domestic violence has been a persistent problem in China, and a new generation of feminists are pushing back against what they say is structural gender inequality that leads to women’s vulnerability to spousal violence.  More women are reporting domestic violence incidents and expressing outrage over a new law that... https://www.scmp.com/society/deaths-wives-prompt-outrage-over-violence-against-women/article/3095132?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/deaths-wives-prompt-outrage-over-violence-against-women/article/3095132?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Jul 2020 10:48:52 +0000 A prominent Chinese tycoon who was jailed for 16 years for bribery and embezzlement will be released in less than two months, after having more than two years shaved off his sentence. Zhou Zhengyi, also known in Hong Kong as Chau Ching-ngai, was once named the richest man in Shanghai and the 11th richest in mainland China, with an estimated net worth of US$320 million. Born into a working class family in Shanghai in 1961, Zhou amassed enormous wealth from property development and stock market... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3095031/fallen-chinese-tycoon-zhou-zhengyi-be-given-early-release-prison?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3095031/fallen-chinese-tycoon-zhou-zhengyi-be-given-early-release-prison?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Jul 2020 23:00:23 +0000 Every Tuesday and Thursday, Inkstone Explains unravels the ideas and context behind the headlines to help you understand news about China. US media outlets have reported that the White House was considering no longer granting visas to Chinese Communist Party members and their families. The nearly 92 million members of the party are often blamed for supporting the suppressive policies of its leadership. Now they are increasingly caught up in the tensions between Beijing and other... https://www.scmp.com/politics/inkstone-explains-who-are-92-million-chinese-communist-party-members/article/3094862?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/politics/inkstone-explains-who-are-92-million-chinese-communist-party-members/article/3094862?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Jul 2020 09:33:56 +0000 The Chinese government ordered the closure of the US consulate in the southwestern city of Chengdu on Friday, a retaliation against Washington’s order to close the Chinese consulate in Houston.  The controversy surrounding Washington’s decision to shut the Houston consulate, which was the first Chinese consulate opened after the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1979, is the latest flashpoint in the two countries’ spiraling relationship.  Since the start of the 2018 trade war,... https://www.scmp.com/politics/timeline-what-happened-us-china-consulate-dispute/article/3094532?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/politics/timeline-what-happened-us-china-consulate-dispute/article/3094532?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Jul 2020 09:52:44 +0000 Every Tuesday and Thursday, China Trends takes the pulse of the Chinese social media to keep you in the loop of what the world’s biggest internet population is talking about. University under fire for not expelling sex offender A prestigious university in China is facing an online backlash over its decision not to expel a student who was convicted of rape.  The male student at Zhejiang University in the eastern city of Hangzhou was in April given a suspended sentence of 1.5 years in jail.  Last... https://www.scmp.com/society/china-trends-university-rape-case-controversy-and-shock-tv-viewer/article/3094237?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/china-trends-university-rape-case-controversy-and-shock-tv-viewer/article/3094237?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Jul 2020 03:20:38 +0000