https://www.scmp.com/rss/510094/feed Ziyu Zhang is studying journalism and sociology at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. She is a summer intern on the China desk at the Post. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Ziyu Zhang Ziyu Zhang Starwave Dancing Academy hosted a special dance workshop for students with Down’s syndrome or autism — together with their parents — as part of a collaboration with a local charity, with sponsorship from Operation Santa Claus (OSC). “Some students were shy at first, but they were also tempted to try something new with their parents’ company,” said Dera Hung So-fong, an educational supervisor at Starwave, who ran the two-session workshop in November. The classes had included coordination,... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/hong-kong/article/3164662/hong-kong-dance-academy-provides-arts-workshops?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/hong-kong/article/3164662/hong-kong-dance-academy-provides-arts-workshops?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Jan 2022 09:18:22 +0000 Starwave Dancing Academy hosted a special dance workshop for students with Down’s syndrome or autism — together with their parents — as part of a collaboration with a local charity, with sponsorship from Operation Santa Claus (OSC). “Some students were shy at first, but they were also tempted to try something new with their parents’ company,” said Dera Hung So-fong, an educational supervisor at Starwave, who ran the two-session workshop in November. The classes had included coordination,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3164601/hong-kong-dance-academy-provides-confidence-boosting-arts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3164601/hong-kong-dance-academy-provides-confidence-boosting-arts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Jan 2022 02:00:26 +0000 Fifteen children from underprivileged Hong Kong families enjoyed an early Christmas last month when they crafted gingerbread men for the first time at a hotel in Tuen Mun. After each of the children was given six packs of large, plain gingerbread men, 15 pairs of creative hands began to decorate the confections: white, red and green-tinted icing became festive clothing, candy sprinkles substituted for dazzling jewellery and chocolate beads were used for eyes. Management and staff at the Hong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3160528/hong-kong-children-bring-gingerbread-men-life-gold-coast?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3160528/hong-kong-children-bring-gingerbread-men-life-gold-coast?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Dec 2021 02:00:11 +0000 On a warm, sunny afternoon in early December, 20 children from underprivileged families gathered on the rooftop farm of an office tower in Hong Kong to try their hand at harvesting vegetables. The activity on December 5 was arranged by The Hub Hong Kong and conglomerate Sino Group under Operation Santa Claus (OSC), an annual charity campaign jointly organised by the South China Morning Post and RTHK since 1988. The Hub Hong Kong – one of OSC’s 18 beneficiaries this year – offers assistance in... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3160421/operation-santa-claus-hong-kong-children-try-their-hand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3160421/operation-santa-claus-hong-kong-children-try-their-hand?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Dec 2021 02:00:19 +0000 Changing a light bulb may be a simple task for most, but it can be a challenge for the elderly and the disabled, prompting a Hong Kong property giant to lend a hand. Chinachem Group has established a team of volunteers to check in on residents with mobility issues and help them out with minor repairs – including changing light bulbs – aimed at making their flats safer and more suitable to their needs. For the past three years, the team has been paying regular home visits and making phone calls... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3159662/chinachem-group-offers-helping-hand-both-hong-kongs-elderly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3159662/chinachem-group-offers-helping-hand-both-hong-kongs-elderly?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Dec 2021 02:00:15 +0000 Children from low-income families in Hong Kong discovered the charm of traditional Chinese folk dances through a four-session workshop under a charity programme last month. Accompanied by a light melody, 12 children dressed in colourful traditional costumes turned and spun around as they performed an ethnic Korean dance celebrating a plentiful apple harvest in northern China. The children imitated the actions of picking apples and storing them in barrels. When the music changed, the children... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3159520/operation-santa-claus-hong-kong-children-get-taste-cultural?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3159520/operation-santa-claus-hong-kong-children-get-taste-cultural?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Dec 2021 02:00:18 +0000 After six weeks of fierce competition in which 1,814 entrants traded volleys across more than 1,300 matches, the Chinese Recreation Club Tennis Open 2021 came to an end on Monday, having raised nearly HK$40,000 (US$5,130) for a good cause along the way. Tennis star Jack Wong Hong-kit, 23, shone brightest on the court, bagging the men’s open singles championship title, then later capturing the men’s doubles title with partner Kevin Wong Chun-hun. The 73rd edition of the tournament saw the Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3158133/chinese-recreation-club-aces-holiday-charity-drive-73rd?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3158133/chinese-recreation-club-aces-holiday-charity-drive-73rd?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Dec 2021 02:00:27 +0000 Mickey Mouse, the beloved Disney character, was given new life through drawings by children from underprivileged Hong Kong families at a creative workshop held last month. Forty-five children were invited to the session hosted by Hong Kong Disneyland Resort on November 20, where they learned how to illustrate Disney’s most famous mascot with the help of simple, step-by-step instructions from an artist and a sign language teacher. The children were supported by three local charities listed among... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3157896/hong-kong-disneyland-operation-santa-claus-team-bring?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3157896/hong-kong-disneyland-operation-santa-claus-team-bring?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Dec 2021 02:15:13 +0000 The Italian Women’s Association (IWA) in Hong Kong brought back its signature annual charity market this month after a year-long hiatus, raking in nearly HK$800,000 in a single day in donations and proceeds from the sale of high-quality goods from il bel paese. Fair-goers stepping into “Il Mercatino di Iwa” in the courtyard of the historic PMQ building in Central on November 14 were greeted in typical Italian fashion with hugs and cheek kisses by volunteers in eye-catching red masks embroidered... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3157803/italian-womens-association-charity-market-comes-roaring-back?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3157803/italian-womens-association-charity-market-comes-roaring-back?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Nov 2021 02:00:37 +0000 Before children learn to speak, it may be challenging for most parents to figure out their little ones’ needs. But for Miyuki Pang, failing to understand her daughter brought extra pain. “Before she was two years old, my daughter always got frustrated and lost her temper in public when I could not understand what she needed, such as going to the washroom or drinking water,” Pang said. Her daughter Rihanna, now four, suffers from profound hearing loss, which means she cannot detect any sound... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3156436/sign-bilingualism-hong-kong-charity-aims-boost-education?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3156436/sign-bilingualism-hong-kong-charity-aims-boost-education?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Nov 2021 02:00:20 +0000 A new wave of local infections has spread throughout China in the country’s most widespread outbreak since the virus emerged in 2019 https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3145723/how-wave-covid-19-infections-fuelled-delta-spread-through-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3145723/how-wave-covid-19-infections-fuelled-delta-spread-through-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Aug 2021 02:00:20 +0000 China reported single-figure local Covid-19 infections for the fourth straight day on Friday, suggesting the country has largely got the latest outbreak fuelled by the highly infectious Delta variant under control. On Friday, the National Health Commission reported four local infections – two in Jiangsu and two in Yunnan provinces – bringing the tally of local infections in the past month to 1,262. On the same day, 29 imported cases were also reported. China’s “zero tolerance” strategy requires... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3145834/chinas-latest-covid-19-outbreak-continues-taper?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3145834/chinas-latest-covid-19-outbreak-continues-taper?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Aug 2021 13:32:04 +0000 China reported five new locally transmitted Covid-19 cases on Thursday, as the country’s worst outbreak in months appears to be easing. It was the lowest daily number since the latest wave of cases began in the eastern city of Nanjing, Jiangsu province on July 20 when a group of airport cleaners tested positive. The outbreak – fuelled by the highly contagious Delta variant – rapidly spread across at least 17 provinces and more than 30 cities, including the capital Beijing, during the busy summer... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3145670/coronavirus-china-reports-5-new-local-cases-lowest-latest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3145670/coronavirus-china-reports-5-new-local-cases-lowest-latest?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Aug 2021 11:56:39 +0000 A city in eastern China has carried out 12 rounds of Covid-19 testing of its population in three weeks during the country’s take-no-chances effort to stop the coronavirus in its tracks. The intensive testing – a pillar of China’s “zero-tolerance” prevention and control strategy – has helped Yangzhou in Jiangsu province to effectively suppress transmission but it has also taken a heavy toll on the city’s health care system, and caused serious disruption to people’s daily lives. Yangzhou became... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3145477/coronavirus-citizens-one-china-hotspot-undergo-12-rounds-tests?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3145477/coronavirus-citizens-one-china-hotspot-undergo-12-rounds-tests?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Aug 2021 08:47:52 +0000 China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has gone through many evolutions since it helped put the Communist Party in power in 1949. In the latest structural overhaul meant to help it become a modern fighting force, the PLA’s seven military regions were streamlined into five theatres of command reporting to the Central Military Commission (CMC). Today, the PLA’s actions are of global significance as tensions grow over Taiwan, the South China Sea, and China’s border with India. Here’s how the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3144921/chinas-military-structure-what-are-theatre-commands-and-service?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3144921/chinas-military-structure-what-are-theatre-commands-and-service?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Aug 2021 06:00:21 +0000 Olympic chiefs say they have launched an investigation after China’s two track cycling sprint gold medallists wore pins bearing the image of the country’s founding father, Mao Zedong, during the medal ceremony. The Chinese duo of Bao Shanju and Zhong Tianshi may have breached International Olympic Committee (IOC) rules on the display of political paraphernalia as they celebrated on the podium after clocking 31.895 seconds to beat Germany in the final and win gold in the women’s team sprint. Bao... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3143837/tokyo-olympics-ioc-investigate-after-chinese-gold-medallists-wear-mao-zedong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3143837/tokyo-olympics-ioc-investigate-after-chinese-gold-medallists-wear-mao-zedong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Aug 2021 13:29:39 +0000 Follow our live coverage of day 10 of the Tokyo Olympics here National pride has long been woven into the Olympic Games. While Chinese officials see Tokyo 2020 as the latest arena to showcase its strength, urging the delegation to take the lead on the medal count, domestic media and audiences appear to be ready to move on from the gold rush. A week before the Games, Gou Zhongwen, director of China’s sports administration and head of the Chinese delegation, left no doubt about the country’s goals... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3143449/tokyo-olympics-chinas-obsession-gold-reaping-rewards-netizens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3143449/tokyo-olympics-chinas-obsession-gold-reaping-rewards-netizens?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Aug 2021 05:00:21 +0000 An adopted Chinese girl captured Canada’s first gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and it sparked outcry in China’s domestic media over its now-scrapped one-child policy. On Monday, Canada’s Maggie MacNeil – who was born in China – garnered worldwide fame as she was crowned Olympic champion ahead of China’s Zhang Yufei, the top-ranked swimmer in the women’s 100m butterfly. Zhang had to settle for the silver medal in a time of 55.64 seconds, while MacNeil was 0.05 seconds ahead. MacNeil, as... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3142642/tokyo-olympics-adopted-china-canadas-maggie-macneil-wins-gold-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3142642/tokyo-olympics-adopted-china-canadas-maggie-macneil-wins-gold-and?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jul 2021 03:00:21 +0000 A report claiming that Chinese fishing vessels are dumping their human waste into disputed waters has highlighted an unusual environmental dimension to Beijing’s dispute with the Philippines and other countries over the South China Sea. However, some have questioned the accuracy of the analysis by the US AI software company Simularity, which was based on satellite imagery and is not peer-reviewed. The report said that more than 200 Chinese vessels moored off the Union Banks, an atoll contested... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3142356/do-south-china-sea-waste-claims-pass-smell-test?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3142356/do-south-china-sea-waste-claims-pass-smell-test?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jul 2021 10:00:09 +0000 Germany has reportedly joined China in a complaint about the size of table tennis playing areas at the Tokyo Olympics. Liu Guoliang, the Chinese coach of the national team and the president of the Chinese Table Tennis Association, told Chinese state news agency Xinhua on Thursday that the German team had raised “the same concerns as we did: the playing area is too small”. Liu measured the area with his feet, initially at least, according to China’s state broadcaster CCTV on Monday, when the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3142319/germany-joins-china-complaining-olympic-table-tennis-areas-are-too-small?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3142319/germany-joins-china-complaining-olympic-table-tennis-areas-are-too-small?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jul 2021 05:00:09 +0000 Footage of three unmasked Japanese fans approaching the Chinese table tennis team at a Tokyo airport has triggered an online backlash in China over enforcement of Covid-19 rules in Japan. In the video posted by China-based online news site Kankan News on Sunday, the Japanese fans followed the Chinese table tennis Olympians as they walked through the arrivals hall at Narita International Airport on Saturday. Two asked to take photos with the team, while the third live-streamed the scene as he... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3141723/tokyo-olympics-fury-over-unmasked-japanese-fans-greeting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3141723/tokyo-olympics-fury-over-unmasked-japanese-fans-greeting?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jul 2021 13:46:46 +0000 A Chinese diving champion with four Olympic gold medals and two silvers is to appear in this year’s games in Tokyo – as a judge. Guo Jingjing, originally from Hebei province, is considered one of China’s greatest Olympians, competing in four consecutive summer games between 1996, when she was 14, and 2008 when the world’s biggest sporting event was hosted by her own country.  Sometimes referred to as China’s “princess” or “queen” of diving, she retired from her sport a decade ago after a 22-year... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3141434/retired-china-diving-queen-guo-jingjing-tokyo-olympic-judge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3141434/retired-china-diving-queen-guo-jingjing-tokyo-olympic-judge?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Jul 2021 10:45:32 +0000 Chinese researchers have designed a fabric they say can cool the body by nearly 5 degrees Celsius and could help people cope with rising temperatures. The “metafabric” – designed by a team of scientists from across the country – looks like ordinary T-shirt material and uses technology that causes it to emit mid-infrared radiation (MIR) to reduce the temperature of the wearer, according to their paper published in the journal Science on Thursday. “Tests showed that a person wearing our metafabric... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3140837/chinese-scientists-develop-fabric-they-say-can-cool-body-nearly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3140837/chinese-scientists-develop-fabric-they-say-can-cool-body-nearly?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jul 2021 14:30:21 +0000 China is pushing ahead with plans to turn the People’s Liberation Army into a modern fighting force by 2027 – the centenary of its founding – as tensions with the US build. One senior US commander has called China “the pacing threat for the next decade” and Washington is ramping up support for Taiwan as the island faces growing political and military pressure from Beijing. Meanwhile analysts have warned that the South China Sea could be the tipping point for a military conflict between the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3140681/us-china-rivalry-who-has-stronger-military?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3140681/us-china-rivalry-who-has-stronger-military?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Jul 2021 22:00:13 +0000 A group of Chinese students unable to get visas to pursue advanced science degrees at top US universities are aiming to collectively file a lawsuit against the US government. The students are from eight Chinese universities – the so-called Seven Sons of National Defence as well as Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications – that were targeted over their links to the Chinese military. The Seven Sons of National Defence institutions – Northwestern Polytechnical University, Harbin... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3140499/chinese-students-prepare-sue-after-trump-law-blocks-path-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3140499/chinese-students-prepare-sue-after-trump-law-blocks-path-us?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Jul 2021 10:00:25 +0000 The biggest thing Chinese retired electrical worker Zhang Guancheng misses is being able to wander around parks and chat with his old friends. Since the 83-year-old widower moved into a nursing home in Wuxi, in the eastern province of Jiangsu three years ago, Zhang has had to surrender that simple pleasure. “Life here is scheduled. They make sure I don’t hurt or die, but no one cares much whether I am happy or, most of the time, lonely,” he said. Zhang had a stroke in 2018 and his only child,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3139759/private-vs-public-who-will-care-chinas-elderly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3139759/private-vs-public-who-will-care-chinas-elderly?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Jul 2021 10:00:17 +0000 A film celebrating the Chinese Communist Party’s centenary has drawn mixed reactions from audiences despite topping the box office charts in the first two days of its release. Co-directed by Huang Jianxin and Zheng Dasheng, 1921, which tells the story of the founding of party 100 years ago, hit the cinemas on Thursday. It features a star-studded cast portraying many of the leading figures of the era, including Mao Zedong played by Wang Renjun. According to the China Movie Data Information... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3139745/chinese-communist-party-centenary-film-1921-tops-box-office-it-anything?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3139745/chinese-communist-party-centenary-film-1921-tops-box-office-it-anything?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Jul 2021 08:00:22 +0000 At first the students petitioned local governments for information about the future of the colleges they attended. With no clarification from the authorities, thousands of the students mounted protests on campus earlier this month, clashing with police and security guards, according to footage and accounts posted online. The students attend “independent” colleges in China’s wealthiest provinces and were concerned that their degrees would be “downgraded” with plans to merge the institutions and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3138919/chinese-student-protests-putting-independent-college-merger-plans-hold?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3138919/chinese-student-protests-putting-independent-college-merger-plans-hold?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Jun 2021 07:15:07 +0000