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China societyi

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.

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Despite the end of visa requirements for some countries, some foreign tourists said that even when they came prepared – installing payment and messaging tools popular on the mainland or using VPNs – they still could not pay or go online.

China’s coming May Day holiday already has the makings of a major tourism rush, with early bookings exceeding pre-pandemic levels and the travel boom likely to fuel a much-desired round of consumption.

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The case of a doctor in China who was jailed for giving medical support to a group of prostitutes more than a decade ago, has sparked an online debate after it was reviewed by a lawyer.

China’s first transgender clinic saw 1,500 visitors in 2023 and is working to overcome traditional beliefs and taboos to help people who see themselves as being “trapped inside the wrong body”.

People in a coastal province in China are convinced that the actress who played a popular deity in a TV series is actually the real thing and kneel before photos of her.

Gold markets in China have been inundated with a throng of new buyers, looking to put their money into a commodity which has skyrocketed in value as other investments have lost their lustre.

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Wrangling over what name their first son should take has seen the relationship between a husband and wife in China spiral in the direction of divorce.

A young man who spotted a gap in the US market for Chinese countryside vehicles says they are well-received there but will not make him a fortune.

New rules are emerging around use of government vehicles, resource use, unauthorised office printing and bottled water in a push to showcase austerity.

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The parents of a late singer and actor from China have been upset by the appearance of artificial intelligence creations of their son speaking and saying he is not really dead, sparking a debate about the ethics of AI.

A boy and girl in China, both of whom are younger than 15, were given permission to marry by their parents but local officials have “criticised and educated” them and ordered the girl to return home.

A woman in China who lost her fisherman husband at sea 4 years ago and has received monthly payments since from a generous benefactor whose identity she recently discovered has taken her family on a long journey to thank him.

A man in China who began ignoring his wife and calling her names after she was badly injured in a car accident in 2015, has been ordered by a court to compensate her for the abuse he subjected her to.

The Chinese Ching Ming Festival has seen a growth in the hiring of professional tomb-sweepers and ritual performers by family members who cannot make it to gravesites in China.

To meet the needs of its ageing population, China will offer more in subsidies for new care facilities and expand existing networks to accommodate children and the elderly.

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Young people looking for love in China are enthusiastically embracing an approach that gets them up on a stage at a well-known tourist location to publicly declare their desires and vie for attention.

A woman who sells delicious roast food from a street stall popular with youngsters was invited to give an inspirational talk at Peking University, a year after she found fame on the internet.