https://www.scmp.com/rss/323681/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com He Huifeng He Huifeng Chinese citizens are facing growing inequality in wages and wealth, constraining the country’s “common prosperity” agenda at a time of slowing economic growth, a prominent economist has warned. Offering a rare glimpse into economic distribution beyond official statistics, research by Li Shi, dean of the Institute for Common Prosperity and Development at Zhejiang University, showed that China’s wealth Gini coefficient – a measure of inequality – rose from 0.45 in 1995 to above 0.7 in 2023. The... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352248/chinas-common-prosperity-push-faces-reality-check-inequality-rises-study?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352248/chinas-common-prosperity-push-faces-reality-check-inequality-rises-study?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 04:00:11 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai Hong Kong universities are rapidly gaining favour among mainland Chinese families as they shun the intense domestic competition of the gaokao and uncertainties stemming from Sino-US tensions, embracing the city’s generous non-local admission quotas. The Blue Book on Mainland Students Studying in Hong Kong released late last month underscores this trend, attributing it to geographic proximity, cultural familiarity, and pragmatic considerations regarding career prospects and residency planning,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352283/mainland-students-turn-hong-kong-universities-amid-gaokao-us-visa-worries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352283/mainland-students-turn-hong-kong-universities-amid-gaokao-us-visa-worries?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 02:00:22 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng The eight-year-old son of Guangzhou businessman Terry Fang recently arrived at a blunt conclusion: Chinese tech is “cool”. The boy’s impression was formed not in the classroom, or even online, but through repeated exposure to real-world industrial settings. Earlier this year, Fang took his children to a local low-altitude aviation company, where they watched electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft navigate and avoid obstacles in real time. For China’s urban middle class, hi-tech... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352023/how-chinas-industrial-tourism-boom-creating-new-generation-tech-savvy-children?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352023/how-chinas-industrial-tourism-boom-creating-new-generation-tech-savvy-children?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 03:00:14 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai At the December premiere of the Chinese-dubbed 1957 Billy Wilder classic Witness for the Prosecution in a Shanghai cinema, dubbing artist Qiao Zhen voiced a more immediate mystery: “Do you still enjoy Chinese-dubbed films?” When audience members, mainly nostalgia-seeking fans, responded with applause and shouts of “Yes!”, the 83-year-old veteran became emotional, offering a moving defence of his art form. “Several years ago we felt this profession had fallen into a low point,” he told the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352213/why-are-modern-chinese-film-audiences-shying-away-dubbed-films?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352213/why-are-modern-chinese-film-audiences-shying-away-dubbed-films?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 08:37:09 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu Beijing has pledged to expand vocational training for young jobseekers this year, as it looks to help millions of unemployed graduates find work in emerging industries such as robotics and AI. But the policy drive – which includes plans to encourage university graduates to return to technical school – has drawn mixed reactions from a generation already hit hard by China’s youth unemployment crunch. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security vowed on Tuesday to upskill 1 million young... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352006/china-sparks-backlash-plan-send-jobless-graduates-vocational-school?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352006/china-sparks-backlash-plan-send-jobless-graduates-vocational-school?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:00:09 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma Bai Chongen is a prominent Chinese economist and government adviser. He is the dean of Tsinghua University’s School of Economics and Management and serves concurrently as vice-chairman of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce. From 2015 to 2018, he was a member of the Chinese central bank’s monetary policy committee. Here, he discusses how China can avoid “Japanification”, what Beijing can do to help cultivate the next Elon Musk, and why the “China shock 2.0” phenomenon is often... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3351947/how-china-can-avoid-repeat-japans-lost-decades-eyes-top-economist?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3351947/how-china-can-avoid-repeat-japans-lost-decades-eyes-top-economist?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 05:15:08 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan Chinese teenagers dressed in camouflage uniforms express gratitude in front of cameras at a youth correction centre, but the off-camera reality tells a completely different story. According to a Chinese state media report they are beaten or sexually assaulted, leading to calls for better supervision and monitoring of such institutions. Such schools accept teenagers who are rebellious, weary of studying, addicted to playing electronic games, or suffer from depression. The institutions generally... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3350826/china-live-streams-expose-minors-undergoing-harsh-training-designed-rebellious-youth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3350826/china-live-streams-expose-minors-undergoing-harsh-training-designed-rebellious-youth?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 01:00:09 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu Despite China’s stronger-than-expected first-quarter economic growth, young jobseekers found little respite as March brought a rise in youth unemployment across urban areas, snapping six straight months of decline. The jobless rate for the 16-to-24 age group, excluding students, edged up to 16.9 per cent in March from 16.1 per cent in February, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Tuesday. The job market, weighed down by deflationary pressures and external... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350813/chinas-youth-unemployment-crunch-deepens-record-graduation-season-looms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350813/chinas-youth-unemployment-crunch-deepens-record-graduation-season-looms?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 03:53:36 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang China has launched a national action plan to embed AI across its education system, in a strategic push to future-proof its workforce amid intensifying global competition in advanced technologies. The “AI+ Education” action plan, unveiled by the Ministry of Education and four other ministerial-level bodies, mandates the integration of artificial intelligence at every stage of learning – from primary schools to lifelong education. The initiative builds on China’s long-term education plan to the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3349832/amid-fierce-global-competition-china-launches-national-plan-boost-ai-education?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3349832/amid-fierce-global-competition-china-launches-national-plan-boost-ai-education?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 02:57:32 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun In classrooms and training centres across China, a growing number of students from Southeast Asia, Africa and beyond are learning not just the Chinese language, but how the country’s factories operate, how supply chains are managed and how products are marketed and sold across borders. Hebei Software Institute, in the northern city of Baoding, has been at the forefront of the push. The vocational college said it had established multiple overseas-oriented programmes in recent years, particularly... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3349616/vocational-schools-new-front-chinas-strategy-support-businesses-global-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3349616/vocational-schools-new-front-chinas-strategy-support-businesses-global-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 22:00:11 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang Chinese secondary schoolteachers have introduced a new way of motivating pupils by awarding them “digital pets” that they can adopt online. The move has gained widespread attention and support. Recently, primary and secondary schoolteachers across China introduced an innovative “class pet-raising programme” in which pupils earn points for good behaviour to “feed” and nurture virtual pets. At the start of the new school semester, Liu Qianqian, a class head teacher at Hangzhou Shenglan Middle... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3347866/new-china-school-system-rewards-diligent-pupils-digital-pets-motivate-them?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3347866/new-china-school-system-rewards-diligent-pupils-digital-pets-motivate-them?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 06:00:10 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang Top Chinese education influencer Zhang Xuefeng, who had over 30 million online followers, died on March 24 at the age of 41 after suffering a cardiac arrest. His studio announced the news in an obituary, while CCTV News reported that Zhang felt unwell after a run and was rushed to the hospital. Doctors were unable to revive him and ruled cardiac arrest was the cause of his death. Possible triggers include strenuous exercise after staying up late or sharp emotional swings. For years, Zhang... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3347974/once-poor-village-boy-famous-china-educational-guru-zhang-xuefeng-dies-41-after-run?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3347974/once-poor-village-boy-famous-china-educational-guru-zhang-xuefeng-dies-41-after-run?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 10:00:17 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu China’s urban youth unemployment rate fell in February for the sixth consecutive month, though the marginal improvement provides little reprieve for jobseekers in a challenging post-holiday labour market. The jobless rate for the 16-to-24 age group, excluding students, edged down to 16.1 per cent in February from 16.3 per cent in January, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Thursday. The figure has been gradually declining since August, when a record 12.2 million... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346838/chinas-youth-unemployment-falls-sixth-consecutive-month-february?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346838/chinas-youth-unemployment-falls-sixth-consecutive-month-february?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 07:57:31 +0000 Wency Chen,Zhang Tong Wency Chen,Zhang Tong China is counting on artificial intelligence (AI) to help the 450 million people living in rural areas left behind by the nation’s economic boom. Farmers are already benefiting from the technology, using AI offerings such as DeepSeek or ByteDance’s Doubao for help with issues like pig rearing, pest control and government subsidies. The State Council’s “No 1 document” of 2026, extended a push for the “digital upgrading” of farming, with an emphasis on the greater integration of AI, drones, robots... https://www.scmp.com/plus/tech/tech-trends/article/3346713/ai-narrow-chinas-rural-urban-economic-divide?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/tech/tech-trends/article/3346713/ai-narrow-chinas-rural-urban-economic-divide?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 07:00:11 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Chinese billionaire Jack Ma and the core leadership of Alibaba Group Holding and Ant Group spent over an hour with teachers in Hangzhou on Tuesday, discussing the profound challenges and opportunities brought about by artificial intelligence. Ma told the group that the impact of AI was “immense”, but so were the “opportunities” and that teenagers held the greatest hope and opportunity for adapting to and enabling transformation in the AI era, according to a statement issued by Hangzhou Yungu... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3345343/jack-ma-alibaba-executives-meet-teachers-discuss-how-education-should-adapt-ai-era?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3345343/jack-ma-alibaba-executives-meet-teachers-discuss-how-education-should-adapt-ai-era?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 03:37:00 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang Chinese military academics have stepped up calls to overhaul defence language training, arguing that linguistic proficiency has become as critical as firepower in modern warfare – a lesson starkly underscored by the Ukraine war. Among them is Lu Danyun, a professor at the military-affiliated National University of Defence Technology and a representative on China’s top lawmaking body, the National People’s Congress. In a report published in the official People’s Liberation Army (PLA) newspaper,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345144/language-weapon-pla-academics-push-training-overhaul-cite-ukraine-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345144/language-weapon-pla-academics-push-training-overhaul-cite-ukraine-war?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 01:00:10 +0000 Christine Choi Christine Choi This week, Hong Kong is honoured to play host to the Asia-Pacific Association for International Education (APAIE) Conference and Exhibition, one of the most significant gatherings in the global higher education arena. For us, this is not merely a conference; it is a homecoming for international collaboration and a resounding statement of intent. As delegates from across the globe arrive in our city, we are reminded that education knows no borders, and Hong Kong remains the pivotal bridge... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3344080/bridging-east-and-west-hong-kong-offers-talent-best-both-worlds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3344080/bridging-east-and-west-hong-kong-offers-talent-best-both-worlds?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu When the results of China’s gruelling National Higher Education Entrance Examination – or gaokao – were released last summer, Lin Gangming was surprised to learn that he had scored high enough to attend some of the country’s top universities. But instead of chasing prestige, the student from Yangjiang, a small coastal city in Guangdong province, chose a different path: Shenzhen Polytechnic University – a public undergraduate vocational college in the province. Stories like Lin’s, covered by the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344145/chinas-vocational-degrees-rising-students-seek-skills-over-prestigious-universities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344145/chinas-vocational-degrees-rising-students-seek-skills-over-prestigious-universities?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Feb 2026 02:00:09 +0000 Futao Huang Futao Huang Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi entered office with an unusually strong political mandate following her decisive election victory on February 8. Among her early signals was a renewed emphasis on science, including a call for a substantial expansion of investment in basic research. For a country grappling with demographic decline, fiscal pressure and intensifying technological competition, the message was clear: knowledge and talent are once again central to national strategy. The political... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3343625/universities-japan-and-china-are-becoming-tools-national-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3343625/universities-japan-and-china-are-becoming-tools-national-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 01:30:08 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng The People’s Liberation Army has been urged to overhaul English language teaching at its military schools and recruit professionals to improve soldiers’ communication skills on the international stage. Three senior lecturers from the PLA Air Force Early Warning Academy made the call in an article published in the February edition of official Military-to-Civilian in China magazine, which is administered by the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence. Li Yan,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3343799/chinese-military-urged-overhaul-english-teaching-improve-language-skills?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3343799/chinese-military-urged-overhaul-english-teaching-improve-language-skills?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 22:00:18 +0000 Li Cheng,Tony Xiuye Zhao Li Cheng,Tony Xiuye Zhao The perpetual question of “who governs” finds stark expression in today’s US-China rivalry. As the two powers compete, the contrast between governance-by-technocrats in China and the predominance of lawyers in the United States is shaping each country’s respective development path. China is set to approve its 15th five-year plan, which will set development goals and strategies through 2030. It prioritises critical technological breakthroughs and industrial integration. Meanwhile, in the Trump... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3343150/how-washingtons-lawyers-stack-against-beijings-technocrats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3343150/how-washingtons-lawyers-stack-against-beijings-technocrats?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 12:30:09 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang Some parents in China are embracing a new way to motivate their children by printing giant homework papers, sparking laughter across the internet. In January, a mother from Hubei province, central China, said that she printed oversized test papers for her son, saying: “This way, he will not miss any questions.” Photographs showed her young son lying on the floor, working on a Chinese language test paper nearly one metre long, with blank spaces almost as big as his hand. The mother said she had... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3341426/china-parents-use-giant-homework-papers-motivate-kids-divide-public-opinion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3341426/china-parents-use-giant-homework-papers-motivate-kids-divide-public-opinion?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 06:01:45 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun Defying a tight domestic job market, a record wave of overseas graduates is flooding back to China, eager to snatch up opportunities in its fast-growing tech and advanced manufacturing sectors. The influx, up 12 per cent in 2025 to an eight-year high, signals “determined confidence” among globally trained talent, according to findings by job-recruitment platform Zhaopin. And the robustness of this homecoming trend, at 2.25 times the 2018 level, points to a “sustained trend” in domestic... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342123/more-overseas-chinese-grads-return-brain-gain-powers-future-home-grown-frontiers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342123/more-overseas-chinese-grads-return-brain-gain-powers-future-home-grown-frontiers?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 15:00:15 +0000 Josephine Ma Josephine Ma Lawrence J. Lau is a Hong Kong economist specialising in economic development and East Asian economies. He was an economics professor at Stanford University in the United States before becoming vice-chancellor and president of the Chinese University of Hong Kong until 2010. Lau has held the Ralph and Claire Landau Professor of Economics chair at the university since 2007. For other interviews in the series, click here. SCMP Plus readers get early access to articles in the Open Questions series.... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3341714/china-needs-more-education-higher-wages-advance-lawrence-lau-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3341714/china-needs-more-education-higher-wages-advance-lawrence-lau-says?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 02:00:15 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow Education in China’s countryside should shift away from rote-based learning to focus on nurturing curiosity and creativity in the artificial intelligence era, Alibaba Group Holding founder Jack Ma said in a meeting with rural teachers on Monday. In remarks published by the Jack Ma Foundation on Tuesday, former English teacher Ma said the dawn of the AI era posed a challenge for rural education, but also presented an opportunity to “return to the fundamentals of education”. Alibaba owns the South... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3341543/teach-our-children-well-jack-ma-urges-changes-chinas-rural-education-ai-era?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3341543/teach-our-children-well-jack-ma-urges-changes-chinas-rural-education-ai-era?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 11:00:09 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang China appears to have sent a message to the market with a recent 67 million yuan (US$9.7 million) fine on an unregistered education firm: the government is not planning to reverse its ban on after-school tutoring any time soon. With Beijing striving to boost consumption and create jobs, there had been growing speculation that authorities might relax their restrictions on private academic tutoring – an industry that had been worth tens of billions of dollars before the 2021 ban. But that now... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341405/china-crushes-rumours-after-school-tutoring-comeback-huge-fine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341405/china-crushes-rumours-after-school-tutoring-comeback-huge-fine?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 00:00:13 +0000 Kandy Wong,Alice Li Kandy Wong,Alice Li China’s youth unemployment rate fell slightly in December for the fourth consecutive month, though competition for jobs remains intense as policymakers confront deflationary pressures and a labour market marked by a growing mismatch between skills and vacancies. The jobless rate for those aged 16 to 24, excluding students, fell to 16.5 per cent last month from 16.9 per cent in November, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Thursday. That figure has eased since... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3340807/chinas-youth-unemployment-rate-falls-slightly-december-beijing-pledges-more-support?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3340807/chinas-youth-unemployment-rate-falls-slightly-december-beijing-pledges-more-support?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 07:09:20 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan An 11-year-old girl in China who often sends text messages to her dead grandfather has moved millions of internet users in the country. According to a report by media outlet The Cover, the girl’s mother known as Han, who lives in the southwestern Sichuan province, discovered the messages on her daughter’s phone-watch. The little girl has a careless personality and seldom talks about the grandfather’s death. As a result, Han was surprised and touched when she found the messages. She later shared... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3339155/china-girl-writes-love-messages-late-grandpa-leads-calls-better-grief-education?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3339155/china-girl-writes-love-messages-late-grandpa-leads-calls-better-grief-education?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 10:00:12 +0000 Anthony W.D. Anastasi Anthony W.D. Anastasi If you were asked which middle-income country has one of the lowest levels of educational attainment, very few would say China. We continually hear stories about mass university expansion, record numbers of annual graduates and elite institutions that rank among the world’s best. Despite these impressive strides, gaps in education remain a large roadblock for China’s further economic development. The country remains largely undereducated for its level of economic development: only about 31 per... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3339187/why-chinas-next-development-priority-must-be-secondary-education?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3339187/why-chinas-next-development-priority-must-be-secondary-education?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 21:30:09 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang A Chinese civil service exam tutoring company has sparked controversy by claiming that they can help clients pass the test and then demand an additional 200,000 yuan (US$29,000) in bride price. On December 28, a netizen posted a video claiming that a civil service exam tutoring institution in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, northern China, had used a controversial banner to promote its business. The Inner Mongolia branch of Beijing Chongzheng Education Consulting Co., Ltd., was established in October... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3338287/china-tutoring-schools-promotion-links-civil-service-exam-success-higher-bride-prices?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3338287/china-tutoring-schools-promotion-links-civil-service-exam-success-higher-bride-prices?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Jan 2026 01:00:09 +0000 Mark Pirie,Christopher Tang Mark Pirie,Christopher Tang Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly shaping educational practices across Hong Kong, mainland China and beyond, yet the rapid integration of AI into learning environments reveals significant risks that cannot be overlooked. Protecting young users requires coordinated action: parents, policymakers and AI developers must work together to strengthen safety standards and ensure responsible deployment. AI is no longer merely a virtual tutor that supports students’ learning. It is increasingly... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3338315/why-reducing-ai-harm-requires-more-tech-firms-empty-promises?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3338315/why-reducing-ai-harm-requires-more-tech-firms-empty-promises?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Jan 2026 12:30:13 +0000 Wang Huiyao Wang Huiyao Few developments over the past quarter century have been as consequential or widely debated as China’s ascent to global prominence as the vanguard of a rising Global South. To understand this change, we must look not only at outcomes but at the underlying drivers that made them possible. China’s development over the last 25 years did not occur by accident. It was not the result of any single policy. Rather, it was the cumulative product of farsighted design and vision as well as an evolving... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3338103/key-lessons-chinas-ascent-over-past-25-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3338103/key-lessons-chinas-ascent-over-past-25-years?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Jan 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A teacher in eastern China has turned her tardy students into an online sensation after transforming their punishment into a viral dance performance. When several 15-year-old boys from Dezhou, Shandong province arrived late for class, their teacher, surnamed Feng, came up with a creative and lighthearted idea. Instead of a typical reprimand, she made the boys stand on a podium and shake their bodies to the 2009 hit Mistake. For many young listeners, the catchy melody and sincere yet somewhat... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3337068/china-teacher-turns-tardy-boys-wrongdoers-boy-band-dance-video-garners-million-likes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3337068/china-teacher-turns-tardy-boys-wrongdoers-boy-band-dance-video-garners-million-likes?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Dec 2025 01:00:09 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A privately run college in China has come under fire for asking students who failed exams to pay as much as 79,800 yuan (US$11,000) to join a nonexistent “micro study abroad” programme to have their fail record removed. Xian Technology and Business College, financed by Beijing Northern Investment Group, is a little-known institute in Xian, Shaanxi province, northwestern China. In mid-December, some parents complained to the news outlet Benliu News that teachers at the school coerced them into... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3336748/china-university-offers-us11000-micro-overseas-study-help-students-pass-failed-courses?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3336748/china-university-offers-us11000-micro-overseas-study-help-students-pass-failed-courses?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Dec 2025 06:00:08 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial One thing China has in abundance is people. An economic strategy to invest more in them, including in education, therefore has important implications. The ultimate goal is to stimulate their spending and generate more domestic economic activity to reduce reliance on exports. The idea gained momentum among proposals for the 15th five-year plan beginning next year, which will be considered by the “two sessions” of the country’s top legislature and political advisory body early next year. It was... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3337454/chinas-resolve-invest-people-economic-good-sense?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3337454/chinas-resolve-invest-people-economic-good-sense?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Dec 2025 23:15:11 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A secondary school in China has awarded stellar pupils with tailor-made quilt covers, bedsheets and blankets. The move has won praise from internet users for understanding juvenile psychology. The decision to shun traditional red paper-made merit certificates was taken by Yucai Dachengbei School in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, eastern China. Instead, it awarded its pupils with various bedclothes which bear the names of individual pupils and their specific award titles, Chao News reported. In... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3336647/china-school-awards-top-and-hardworking-pupils-merit-certificates-imprinted-bedding-sets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3336647/china-school-awards-top-and-hardworking-pupils-merit-certificates-imprinted-bedding-sets?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Dec 2025 10:00:08 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A nine-year-old boy from northwestern China who bravely confronted bullies during a class meeting has received praise online and apologies from his tormentors. According to the mainland media outlet, Shanshi News, the boy, Mao Shilin, is from Xian in Shaanxi province and is a primary school class monitor. His mother, surnamed Zhang, described him as a brave, upright and responsible leader despite his shy nature. Recently, during a cruel prank, someone wrote “2B”, meaning “fool”, on the back of... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3335724/china-boy-addresses-bullies-class-meeting-earns-admiration-apologies-tormentors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3335724/china-boy-addresses-bullies-class-meeting-earns-admiration-apologies-tormentors?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Dec 2025 06:00:08 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu China’s youth-unemployment rate ticked lower in November, though competition remains fierce for university graduates trying to find work that matches their qualifications. The jobless rate for those aged 16 to 24, excluding students, fell to 16.9 per cent in November from 17.3 per cent in October, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Thursday. The rate has eased since August, when the graduation of a record 12.2 million university students over the summer pushed it... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3336857/chinas-jobless-rate-young-people-eases-169-graduates-settle-less?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3336857/chinas-jobless-rate-young-people-eases-169-graduates-settle-less?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Dec 2025 04:00:11 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu China has launched a national-level service platform to help returning overseas students find work and start businesses, as the country steps up its efforts to attract talent and the number of returnees surges. The Ministry of Education has partnered with 50 organisations to provide returnees with entrepreneurial mentors and match them directly with local government and corporate needs. The measures show the value of overseas returnees is still recognised at the national level, despite recent... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3336586/china-offers-more-support-returning-overseas-students-influx-grows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3336586/china-offers-more-support-returning-overseas-students-influx-grows?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Dec 2025 07:00:09 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li Northern regions across China are introducing “snow breaks” this winter as part of broader efforts to stimulate domestic tourism and spending amid deflationary pressures. Northeastern Jilin province is the latest to announce the initiative, with plans to give primary and secondary school pupils a short holiday from Wednesday to Sunday. The additional days off will not shorten the traditional winter and summer holidays, the local government said. Government agencies, enterprises and public... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3334792/china-turns-school-snow-breaks-warm-winter-tourism-industry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3334792/china-turns-school-snow-breaks-warm-winter-tourism-industry?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Dec 2025 03:00:11 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo China is preparing for an unprecedented wave of new university graduates next summer – a record 12.7 million outgoing students – intensifying pressure on an already strained job market and a slowing economy. The 2026 cohort will be about 4 per cent larger than the 12.22 million graduates in 2025 – an additional 480,000 young people competing for jobs, according to the Ministry of Education. It announced the figures on Thursday, as it launched new campaigns to ensure sufficient opportunities. The... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3333652/china-braces-record-127-million-graduates-entering-tight-job-market-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3333652/china-braces-record-127-million-graduates-entering-tight-job-market-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Nov 2025 07:00:08 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang A Chinese teenager who bravely battled a rare disease, even sketching trains to symbolise his university journey for self-encouragement during chemotherapy, died shortly after receiving his admission letter. The student, 18-year-old Zhan from Anqing in eastern China’s Anhui province, succumbed to his illness on November 10 after developing complications following a stem cell transplant. His father shared that during this year’s college entrance examination, or gaokao, Zhan suffered from a fever.... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3333136/sick-china-teen-draws-train-symbolise-university-trip-after-getting-acceptance-letter-dies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3333136/sick-china-teen-draws-train-symbolise-university-trip-after-getting-acceptance-letter-dies?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Nov 2025 01:00:18 +0000 Zhou Xin Zhou Xin Chinese artificial intelligence scientist Yang Hongxia, a professor at Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), is seeking to democratise large language models (LLMs) by empowering hospitals and various enterprises to train their own AI systems. Yang, who previously worked on AI models at ByteDance and Alibaba Group Holding’s Damo Academy, said in a recent interview with the South China Morning Post that her newly formed start-up, InfiX.ai, envisioned a world in which various businesses could... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3333293/hong-kong-polyus-top-ai-scientist-yang-hongxia-eyes-last-mile-generative-ai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3333293/hong-kong-polyus-top-ai-scientist-yang-hongxia-eyes-last-mile-generative-ai?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Nov 2025 01:00:16 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li China’s urban youth unemployment rate continued to ease last month, though fierce labour market competition remains a challenge for many jobseekers. The jobless rate for those aged 16 to 24, excluding students, slightly decreased to 17.3 per cent in October from 17.7 per cent in September, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Tuesday. Following a record 12.2 million graduates entering the job market over the summer, the youth unemployment rate rose in August to its... https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3333273/chinas-urban-youth-unemployment-rate-falls-slightly-tough-job-market-graduates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3333273/chinas-urban-youth-unemployment-rate-falls-slightly-tough-job-market-graduates?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Nov 2025 11:00:10 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo Xiao Mei, a kindergarten teaching assistant living in the suburbs of Hangzhou in eastern China, has barely seen her income rise for three years and is not optimistic about her chances of getting a pay rise any time soon. Still, she counts herself as relatively fortunate. “At least I haven’t had my pay cut or lost my job,” she said, adding that several of her friends had suffered such setbacks recently. Earning around 6,000 yuan (US$845) a month – well below the local average of 13,500 yuan for... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3333084/800-million-how-china-plans-double-its-middle-income-population?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3333084/800-million-how-china-plans-double-its-middle-income-population?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Nov 2025 08:12:04 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo A county-level sanitation office in southern China has invited ridicule and stoked a public debate after posting a job that requires a PhD to supervise garbage trucks and landfills – an unusual demand that critics say epitomises China’s runaway degree inflation. The posting in Guangdong province, by the office that manages urban environmental sanitation for Shixing county, appeared online last week under a notice for “urgently needed high-level talent for public institutions” issued by the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3333076/wanted-china-garbage-supervisor-phd?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3333076/wanted-china-garbage-supervisor-phd?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Nov 2025 07:49:42 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai Defying global geopolitical currents, China’s business schools are actively resisting the mounting risks of decoupling from the West, according to a leading accreditation body. Instead of retreating into isolation amid rising US-China tensions, Chinese institutions remained deeply committed to internationalisation as they prioritised global talent and diverse cultural backgrounds to boost their competitive edge. “No [Chinese business] school that I visited expressed resistance to international... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3332217/defying-politics-how-chinas-business-schools-are-innovating-keep-talent-pipeline-open?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3332217/defying-politics-how-chinas-business-schools-are-innovating-keep-talent-pipeline-open?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Nov 2025 12:00:11 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A viral video of primary school pupils in eastern China saluting teachers on cold mornings has sparked a storm of outrage online. The incident happened at Jianqiao Primary School in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, a century-old institution known for its status as a key local school and a model of civility. In the clip, four pupils wearing patrol armbands stand at attention at the school gate. Each time a teacher’s car drives in, they salute and shout “good morning”. In less than a minute, they... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3332330/china-school-slammed-making-pupils-salute-teachers-arriving-cars-cold-mornings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3332330/china-school-slammed-making-pupils-salute-teachers-arriving-cars-cold-mornings?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Nov 2025 08:00:11 +0000 Futao Huang Futao Huang Hong Kong’s government has repeatedly declared its ambition to turn the city into an international education hub. In speeches, policy documents and investment plans, this vision is portrayed as central to boosting competitiveness, revitalising the economy and deepening integration with the Greater Bay Area development zone. Can Hong Kong truly achieve this goal, and under what conditions? For decades, Hong Kong’s universities have stood among Asia’s finest. With strong English-language... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3331635/5-ways-hong-kong-can-stand-out-global-education-hub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3331635/5-ways-hong-kong-can-stand-out-global-education-hub?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Nov 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu China’s ancient imperial examination, which was no easier than today’s competitive college entrance exam, took into account candidates’ looks when selecting. The ancient exam, which lasted from the Sui dynasty (581-618) to the late Qing dynasty (1644-1912) before its abolition in 1905, was a system that selected state bureaucrats based on their merit rather than blood. As the system became well established in the Song dynasty (960-1279), the exam was held once every three years. The content of... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3330919/why-ancient-chinese-imperial-exam-rated-candidates-looks-among-selection-criteria?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3330919/why-ancient-chinese-imperial-exam-rated-candidates-looks-among-selection-criteria?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Nov 2025 08:00:12 +0000