https://www.scmp.com/rss/512341/feed Jinyuan Li is a research candidate in global affairs at King’s College London. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com To arrest its declining population, China has abolished its one-child policy to allow families to have two and then three children in recent years. But the fertility rate continues to fall. People are less willing to have children essentially because the high cost of living and social stress from urbanisation give rise to feelings of insecurity. Last year, China’s urbanisation rate reached 64.7 per cent and is expected to rise further, supported by a relaxation of restrictions on hukou, the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3208633/chinas-two-speed-economy-sapping-peoples-desire-have-children?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3208633/chinas-two-speed-economy-sapping-peoples-desire-have-children?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Feb 2023 10:30:09 +0000 Hainan’s transformation into a free-trade port is the latest step in China’s reform and opening up strategy. The plan to build Hainan into a free-trade zone was unveiled by President Xi Jinping in 2018. Attention has once again been focused on the island province as China’s economy slows due to the strict implementation of the “zero-Covid” policy. A new investment guide for Hainan said 2022 is a “crucial year” while President Xi stressed that an independent customs regime must be in place in... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3182586/chinas-zero-covid-policy-takes-economic-toll-hainan-free-trade-port?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3182586/chinas-zero-covid-policy-takes-economic-toll-hainan-free-trade-port?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Jun 2022 14:00:20 +0000 With President Xi Jinping focused on maintaining stability as he seeks to secure an unprecedented third term this autumn, China has remained steadfast to zero-Covid policy adherence. Authorities moved quickly to contain an outbreak in Beijing after Covid-19 cases rose over the weekend, having seen the effects of a delayed response in Shanghai. From Thursday, the end of a five-day Labour Day holiday, residents will have to provide proof of a negative PCR test result taken in the last seven days... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3176259/zero-covid-all-costs-exposing-flaws-chinas-top-down-approach?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3176259/zero-covid-all-costs-exposing-flaws-chinas-top-down-approach?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 May 2022 01:15:15 +0000 It has been three weeks since the Omicron outbreak began in Shanghai. With about 280,000 confirmed cases accumulatively, the Chinese government has yet to lift prevention measures. Mindful both of domestic discontent and global supply chain disruptions caused by the lockdowns, on April 9 the Shanghai government announced one more round of nucleic acid testing to pave the way for a shift to graduated measures. But with the number of cases remaining too high for comfort, any easing has in effect... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3174199/shanghais-covid-19-lockdown-testing-public-faith-central-government?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3174199/shanghais-covid-19-lockdown-testing-public-faith-central-government?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Apr 2022 19:30:24 +0000