TOPIC

China society

China society
Latest news, features and opinion on all aspects of society in China, including crime, education, health, culture, technology and tourism, and the impact of the one-child policy, an ageing population and mass internal migration on the country and its people.
Ai ni lao ji, a Chinese expression meaning “love yourself first”, has become a popular mantra for prioritising one’s own happiness. Photo: AP
Mainland China

‘Love yourself’ – young China’s new wellness mantra to cope with the rat race

Stagnant job markets and long gruelling hours at work have led to widespread burnout and disillusionment when effort fails to yield rewards.

videocam
Ageing society

Outside In | Plight of Hebei’s freezing elderly shows urgent need for pension reform

videocam
China’s crackdowns

China targets wealthy influencers with audits, fines as fiscal pressures rise

China's ageing population

Opinion | Without pension reform, China is leaving its rural elderly out in the cold

What looks like a side-effect of ‘coal-to-gas’ heating programmes is really a structural issue: rural pensions are not enough to live on.

videocam
A worker sweeps snow in the town of Zhengding in north China’s Hebei province on January 5, 2020. Photo: Xinhua
China’s private sector

Changing tastes: China’s new affluent consumers seek quality not extravagance

Rise of upper middle class reshapes China’s retail market, driving demand for quality goods and creating a battleground for global brands.

4
China consumption

Horse power: brands in China seek sales boost with Lunar New Year items

Distiller Kweichow Moutai among the companies launching limited-run Year of the Horse products to jolt revenues during the festive season.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
ByteDance

Being Chinese | Where do lonely hearts in China go now? Late-night live streams

I was swiping past the noise on Douyin when a calm, warm voice stopped me. So began my evenings in the world of companionship live streams.

videocam
A woman walks in the nearly deserted shopping area of Sanlitun in Beijing in 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE
Social media

Video | Why has America’s ‘kill line’ gone viral in China?

The public debate has inevitably drawn parallels with problems faced by China’s own population.

Mainland China

Video | Why are women-only communities growing in China?

Economic independence and educational opportunities are enabling women to focus on their own needs, while social media has exposed many to alternative lifestyles.

China economy

Opinion | Why China is still struggling to ‘invest in people’

To boost demand, Beijing must upend its long-held mantra of production over livelihoods and investment over consumption.

videocam
Illustration: Craig Stephens
China consumption

China’s box office up 22% in 2025 to US$7.4 billion, led by smash hit Ne Zha 2

World’s second-largest movie market sees domestic films capture nearly 80 per cent of sales, while Disney’s Zootopia sequel sets new high for imported titles.

A display promoting the record-breaking animated hit Ne Zha 2 is seen in China’s Liaoning province on February 13. Photo: Xinhua
China travel

China’s service sector shines as holidaymakers eye bespoke adventures with pets

While broader consumption remains soft, demand for personalised itineraries and snow sports is growing, offering a boost to the holiday economy.

China economy

Opinion | Key lessons from China’s ascent over the past 25 years

The country’s rise was shaped less by a single turning point than by its commitment to long-term planning, meritocracy and global engagement.

videocam
5
China consumption

Hard work, long hours fuelled China’s rise. Now, it weighs longer breaks

China, one of the world’s hardest-working countries, is adopting incentives to increase time off – and potentially boost consumer spending.

videocam
21
Workers at the construction site for the main tower of Harbin Ice and Snow World in Harbin, China. Photo: Xinhua
China's population

China eyes childcare overhaul with a law to boost births, fix demographic crisis

Proposed legislation seeks to lower child-rearing costs and standardise services, especially for children under three, to ease the burden on parents.

videocam
A nurse takes care of a newborn baby at a hospital in China’s Anhui province. Photo: AFP
Trending in China

Chinese rookie cop resembling actor Eddie Peng goes viral, attracts a million likes

Newly graduated officer with a canine partner called Fries shuns online fame, wants to focus on work, says he already has a girlfriend.

China jobs

China’s youth-unemployment rate eases to 16.9% as graduates settle for less

Job market remains plagued by a mismatch between skills and vacancies, pushing more graduates towards blue-collar jobs or gig work.

videocam
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Trending in China

Opinion | How young Chinese learned to stop worrying and love themselves

Amid disillusionment and a stagnant economy, China’s young people are taking the initiative to embrace self-compassion and treat themselves well.

videocam
People walk past an advertisement in the shopping area of Sanlitun in Beijing. Photo: EPA-EFE
US-China relations

‘A risk’: wealthy Chinese appear to shun Trump’s ‘gold card’ immigration scheme

Initial excitement fizzles amid limited benefits and security concerns, immigration agents say.

videocam
32
China consumption

Not lovin’ it: Chinese fume at McDonald’s prices, costlier ‘poor man’s meal’

Fast-food giant increases menu items by 0.5 to 1 yuan, testing pricing power in a deflationary market where per-capita dining spending has been plunging.

videocam
12
China technology

Video | Humanoid robots take centre stage at Shanghai summit

Competitions mainly focused on robotic applications in industrial assembly, home services, flower arranging, healthcare and elderly care, as well as restaurant services.

Competitions mainly focused on robotic applications in industrial assembly, home services, flower arranging, healthcare and elderly care, as well as restaurant services
China's population

China’s fertility push: IVF grants grow, but high costs still deter couples

Local governments are subsidising a portion of expensive treatments, but experts warn that cash handouts will not fix the economic pressure of raising a family.

videocam
With China’s infertility rate estimated at 12 to 15 per cent, assisted reproduction is seen as a potential lever. Photo: AFP
China's ageing population

Editorial | Silver lining in China’s ageing population shouldn’t be overlooked

Increase in life expectancy affirms Beijing’s commitment to boosting healthcare standards and presents economic opportunities.

Trending in China

China wife of gay husband contests estate against his lover, parents after man’s death

Homosexuals posed as ‘father and son’ in public before older of the two was killed in road accident, sparking bitter legal dispute.

China consumption

Pursuit of hoppiness: how China’s cash-conscious drinkers embraced craft beers

As discerning alcohol consumers seek ‘wallet-friendly’ products, premium beers are winning out over higher-end options.

videocam
Illustration: Henry Wong
Women and gender

Being Chinese | Why Chinese women like me are done being quiet and ‘appropriate’

Chinese women are praised for gentleness. Our tone must please; our anger must be graceful. But a new generation is speaking out.

18
Young women go through etiquette training at a vocational school in Beijing in 2007, ahead of the 2008 Olympics. Photo: Reuters
Mainland China

Opinion | Elite success stories are cold comfort for disillusioned young workers

The backlash over a tycoon’s letter to overburdened staff during his trip to Antarctica reveals a fissure beyond a generational divide.

videocam
China jobs

Youth unfulfilled: job opportunities in China’s senior-care sector go untapped

Amid booming opportunities in the care economy as China’s population gets older, new graduates express concerns over low wages and unfamiliarity with the field.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.
SUPPORT NOW
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement