https://www.scmp.com/rss/515760/feed Wei Wei is the former chief correspondent of the Eurasian bureau of China Central Television, based on Moscow, covering events in the states of the former Soviet Union. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Wei Wei Wei Wei The Ching Ming Festival, a traditional Chinese festival with a long history, is a time dedicated to paying tribute to deceased family members and ancestors. For me, it is quiet, restrained and deeply personal. There is a rhythm to it: sweeping tombstones, burning incense, offering food and the unspoken conversations that linger in the air. In this context, memory is intimate. It begins with blood ties and extends backwards through generations. And yet, in the past few years, I have witnessed a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3349152/chinese-youth-are-embracing-ching-ming-cultural-confidence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3349152/chinese-youth-are-embracing-ching-ming-cultural-confidence?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Wei Wei Wei Wei Amid uncertainty over the timing of a summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump, the world is watching closely to see where the two largest economies are leading us. At a time of cascading crises like wars, regional tensions and economic uncertainty, the relationship between Washington and Beijing has become one of the most important variables for global stability. And yet, for all the analysis of military budgets, trade deficits and geopolitical competition, one... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3347621/what-ancient-chinese-wisdom-can-offer-divided-world-and-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3347621/what-ancient-chinese-wisdom-can-offer-divided-world-and-us?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Wei Wei Wei Wei My son, who is almost four, has recently become obsessed with the universe. He can recite the planets of the solar system and tell anyone who will listen that Pluto – his favourite – was once a planet but was reclassified as a “dwarf planet” in 2006. Now that he has a sense of scale and size, he has developed a habit of comparing everything: an ant is smaller than a leaf, the Earth is smaller than the sun, the sun is just a dot in the galaxy, and the galaxy is a tiny part of the universe. “And... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3337493/quiet-courage-ordinary-people-can-rebuild-world-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3337493/quiet-courage-ordinary-people-can-rebuild-world-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Dec 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Wei Wei Wei Wei This year, China marks the 80th anniversary of its victory in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression – part of the broader victory in the World Anti-Fascist War. Across the country, commemorative exhibitions, television documentaries and a wave of summer blockbuster films have been rolled out to mark the occasion. These films, set in the dark days of the 1930s and 1940s, are not just historical dramas; they are cultural reminders. They show the destruction of war, the brutality of the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3322220/chinas-wartime-message-can-sit-alongside-love-todays-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3322220/chinas-wartime-message-can-sit-alongside-love-todays-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Aug 2025 21:30:08 +0000 Wei Wei Wei Wei This summer, two Chinese films – Dead To Rights and 731 – have stirred strong public reactions. Focusing on some of the darkest chapters of World War II in Asia, these films revisit the horrors of the Nanking massacre and the atrocities of Japan’s Unit 731, which conducted biological experiments on civilians in northeastern China. The films have triggered a wave of reflection, especially among younger audiences. Many are watching depictions of these wartime events for the first time, discovering... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3320162/why-nanking-massacre-remains-such-powerful-chinese-cultural-symbol?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3320162/why-nanking-massacre-remains-such-powerful-chinese-cultural-symbol?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Aug 2025 01:30:09 +0000 Chinese President Xi Jinping just finished his Southeast Asia tour to Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia. It was his first overseas trip this year and, notably, he chose neighbouring countries. I couldn’t help but think of the Chinese saying that a relative far away is not as helpful as a neighbour close by. This idea has deeply influenced how people interact in Chinese society for thousands of years. My mother would agree with the saying. When I was less than a year old, she had to work on weekdays... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3307608/china-showcases-its-neighbourhood-diplomacy-across-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3307608/china-showcases-its-neighbourhood-diplomacy-across-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Apr 2025 21:30:08 +0000 Almost two years ago, I wrote an op-ed about integrity, particularly the lack of sincerity in the United States’ attitude towards China. Joe Biden was in the White House then. But now, with President Donald Trump returning, we’re seeing a next-level lack of integrity. Today, China is just one of many victims, from US allies to American citizens. Take Ukraine for example. Following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the United States positioned itself as Ukraine’s primary supporter,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3304759/friends-trumps-america-who-needs-enemies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3304759/friends-trumps-america-who-needs-enemies?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Apr 2025 12:30:08 +0000 Chinese cinema had quite a momentous start in 2025. With multiple domestic films not only achieving impressive box office success but also gaining increasing attention on the global stage, the Chinese film industry has witnessed extraordinary growth in recent years. However, few have captured the public’s imagination quite like this year’s animation film Ne Zha 2. The movie has surpassed expectations, becoming the first non-Hollywood film to reach over US$1 billion in box office receipts. And... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3299307/why-ne-zha-2-part-broader-chinese-cultural-renaissance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3299307/why-ne-zha-2-part-broader-chinese-cultural-renaissance?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Feb 2025 01:30:08 +0000 China’s Spring Festival Gala, or Chunwan, holds a special place in Chinese hearts. It is more than an annual television programme; it’s a cultural touchstone that embodies the spirit of perseverance, unity and hope that defines the Chinese people, offering a mix of entertainment and inspiration while often reflecting the nation’s triumphs and challenges. Not only superstars but also ordinary people from all walks of life are offered leading roles on Chunwan. As I sat watching this year’s gala, I... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3297384/we-all-need-bit-chinas-mountain-moving-desert-greening-spirit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3297384/we-all-need-bit-chinas-mountain-moving-desert-greening-spirit?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Feb 2025 01:30:08 +0000 This week, Chinese President Xi Jinping gave a speech in Brazil titled “Building a just world of common development”, at the G20 summit’s first session on the global fight against hunger and poverty. He spoke of China’s poverty elimination campaign and its commitment to bringing common development and prosperity to the world. “Common” is a keyword in China’s policies. “Common prosperity” and “common development” might sound like communist slogans, but in China, they are rallying cries for... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3287287/world-crisis-needs-more-leaders-embrace-chinas-big-family-vision?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3287287/world-crisis-needs-more-leaders-embrace-chinas-big-family-vision?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Nov 2024 01:30:08 +0000 My son is 29 months old and, already, I am anxious about his education. Recently, I have been thinking about moving from Beijing’s east to its west, where high-quality schools and learning resources are more abundant, as some of my friends with children have done. As Chinese, we seem to be saddled with that sort of legacy. We all know the story of how the widowed mother of Chinese philosopher Mencius moved house three times to ensure her boy grew up in the right environment. The story goes that... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3273609/i-am-chinese-mother-hear-me-worry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3273609/i-am-chinese-mother-hear-me-worry?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Sep 2024 01:30:09 +0000 I never expected that foreigners could become the strongest “spokespeople” for China. On YouTube, I’ve come across video headlines such as “CHINA is NOT what we expected”, “I Was Wrong About China...So I Came Back” and “The Media Doesn’t Want You To See THIS in China” made by foreign vloggers - some of whom have many followers. A China travel rush is under way, thanks in part to China rolling out a visa-free 24-hour transit policy for people from other countries around the world at all of its... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3274706/some-chinas-best-cultural-ambassadors-are-foreign-vloggers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3274706/some-chinas-best-cultural-ambassadors-are-foreign-vloggers?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Aug 2024 21:30:09 +0000 China’s youth unemployment has attracted much attention in the West. In reporting the problem, the media unsurprisingly focused on Beijing’s decision to suspend publishing the youth jobless rate after it hit a record high of over 21 per cent in June last year. When the figure was released again in December, significantly lower at 14.9 per cent, the media pointedly took note – the implication being that it might have been manipulated. The latest news on the issue concerns President Xi Jinping’s... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3265391/dont-doubt-chinas-resolve-tackle-youth-unemployment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3265391/dont-doubt-chinas-resolve-tackle-youth-unemployment?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Jun 2024 21:30:08 +0000 Death is a sensitive word in the Chinese culture, something people try to avoid saying. It is like a taboo: mention death and something bad might happen. Ching Ming, or Tomb-Sweeping Day, is one of the few traditional Chinese festivals related to death. It takes place on the 15th day after the spring equinox and usually falls on April 4 or 5 (this year, it is April 4). It’s a day for Chinese people to honour their ancestors by visiting graves, cleaning tombs, making food offerings, burning... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3257839/ching-ming-lets-sweep-away-fusty-chinese-ideas-death-and-dying?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3257839/ching-ming-lets-sweep-away-fusty-chinese-ideas-death-and-dying?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Apr 2024 01:30:11 +0000 This winter, people in China can be categorised into three groups: those who are in Harbin; those who are on their way to Harbin; and those who are outside Harbin, surfing the internet to follow the latest news about this city and the rest of the northeastern region. Harbin, the ice city of China’s northeast Heilongjiang province, is no doubt the hottest spot this winter, attracting visitors not just from other parts of China but also overseas. The Harbin phenomenon has even sparked a ripple... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3250574/chinas-northeast-finally-turning-ice-and-snow-silver-and-gold-some-help?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3250574/chinas-northeast-finally-turning-ice-and-snow-silver-and-gold-some-help?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Feb 2024 11:30:13 +0000 I am a mother; my son is 20 months old. His favourite story at the moment is Pulling the Radish. There are many versions of this classic but the idea is the same: you can’t pull it up by yourself. You can only succeed with help. Unity brings more strength. I can’t help but associate it with the world we live in. There are simple truths told plainly in children’s stories. We want our children to hold on to those truths, but as adults, we seem to have left them behind. One of the most devastating... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3246749/israel-gaza-war-peace-can-only-be-achieved-if-we-all-pull-together?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3246749/israel-gaza-war-peace-can-only-be-achieved-if-we-all-pull-together?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 Dec 2023 21:30:11 +0000 In an op-ed in June, I expressed my doubts over how sincere the US is about improving relations with China. Five months on, those doubts still linger, but there is a silver lining. There have been signs of better bilateral ties. The US, for the first time, set up an official pavilion at the recent sixth China International Import Expo, and sent senior officials and a delegation from the agriculture and food industries. And since June this year, high-level visits had been paving the way for the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3241963/amid-stormy-us-china-ties-friendship-between-people-remains-beacon-hope?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3241963/amid-stormy-us-china-ties-friendship-between-people-remains-beacon-hope?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Nov 2023 21:30:16 +0000 Recently, a short video series titled Escape from the British Museum went viral on the Chinese internet. The three-part series tells the story of how a Chinese artefact – a jade teapot played by a vlogger as a damsel in distress – escapes from the British Museum and finds its way back home to China. The first episode was released on August 30 but, even before that, the trailer attracted much online attention against the backdrop of a theft scandal at the British Museum. In mid-August, the museum... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3233626/if-british-museum-isnt-taking-good-care-relics-chinese-want-theirs-back?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3233626/if-british-museum-isnt-taking-good-care-relics-chinese-want-theirs-back?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Sep 2023 17:00:12 +0000 Every Chinese is taught from a young age, through the country’s history and culture, to be a person of integrity, to walk the talk, and treat others with respect. Call me naive, but I also believe integrity should be the basic principle for interactions between countries. However, given the behaviour of the US, the most powerful country in the world, I’m starting to have doubts. Last week, US President Joe Biden called President Xi Jinping a “dictator” and dismissed China as a country with “real... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3225253/how-can-china-believe-us-really-wants-better-relations-when-its-actions-dont-match-its-words?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3225253/how-can-china-believe-us-really-wants-better-relations-when-its-actions-dont-match-its-words?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jun 2023 17:00:20 +0000 The inaugural China-Central Asia Summit and G7 summit were two of the most prominent international events so far this year. Both kicked off at almost the same time, May 18 and 19 respectively, and revolved around China – even though it is not a member of the Group of Seven – and ended up with rather different conclusions about China’s global influence. At the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, China’s growing economic might was one of the biggest concerns. The communique said the G7 “will seek to... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3221846/tale-two-summits-g7-china-economic-bully-central-asia-it-vital-partner?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3221846/tale-two-summits-g7-china-economic-bully-central-asia-it-vital-partner?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 May 2023 19:30:15 +0000