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Families in China

Families in China
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Families in China. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Women take a selfie while attending a flag-raising ceremony to mark the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China in Beijing on October 1. Photo: Xinhua
China society

Opinion | After decades of struggle, women in China are rewriting their future

The quiet revolution towards upholding women’s rights in China isn’t just about slogans but involves the hard work of families, educators and policymakers.

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Mainland China

Chinese embrace their ‘exceptionalism’ but remain wary of US, new poll shows

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China's population

China records surprise jump in marriages, raising hopes of births rebound

China consumption

More than just fun: how China is using theme parks to fuel consumer spending

Stagnant wages, job uncertainty and rising living costs have not stopped families from treating their children to feel-good outings, analysts say.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
China birth rate

China’s US$500-a-year baby subsidy to boost population

First national childcare support scheme, a supplement to local baby bonus programmes, aimed at reversing population decline.

China birth rate

‘Milestone’: China launches first national childcare subsidies amid birth crisis

But analysts warn the cash transfers may be too little, too late.

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China jobs

Why some Chinese students are skipping elite universities amid job market fears

Top schools see fewer applicants for some majors, as economic pressures push young people to chase career stability.

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Undergraduates attend a degree conferment ceremony and commencement ceremony at Peking University on July 2, 2025 in Beijing. Photo: Jiang Qiming/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images
China's population

Not a problem yet: why young Chinese put off planning for retirement

As China grapples with a rapidly ageing population, Beijing urges employees to plan ahead – but is anybody listening?

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Women and gender

Opinion | China’s gender conversations must go offline to empower everyone

Much of China’s gender debate happens on online platforms that simply don’t offer the space and nuance needed for such a complex issue.

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Chinese culture

Opinion | How China’s reality TV shows reveal changing attitudes to marriage

A hit reality show about couples seeking divorce might come off as mere spectacle but the public discussion around it is telling.

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Despite China’s family planning goals, people are more inclined to talk about the pains of marriage and childbirth. Photo: Shutterstock
Feminism

Video | Meet one of China’s ‘full-time dads’

China's ‘full-time dads’ challenge patriarchal norms
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China's ageing population

China delays retirement as pension system creaks

Beijing’s phased retirement plan will ease pension pressures but will keep older workers in a job market that is tightening.

Women and gender

Running from China: the ‘older’ single women escaping to study in the West

It’s tagged the ‘run philosophy’ on social media – single women in their thirties with nothing to hope for in China leaving to study in the West, with no intention of returning. Post Magazine talks to some.

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Trending in China

Young people from unloving families seek comfort from digital online parents

Growing numbers of young people in China who come from unloving families are turning to “digital parents” with their problems.

Increasing numbers of young people in China who come from loveless families are seeking solace in “digital parents” on mainland social media. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Douyin
Trending in China

Neglected elderly woman in China leaves fortune to pets, shuns selfish children

An elderly woman in China has left all her money and property to the cherished cats and dogs who have kept her company in old age, but nothing to her adult children who have been nowhere to be seen.

An elderly woman in China has cut her children out of her will because they have neglected her in her old age, and is instead leaving her US$2.8 million fortune to her beloved cats and dogs. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock
Trending in China

Man demands daughter’s child take his surname or ‘he will die’, sparking debate

A family dispute in China has started a public debate about surnames children should take after a grandfather who supports his daughter’s family demanded his 10-year-old granddaughter adopt his surname.

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Podcasts

Why did I abandon my Chinese name? asks New York student in moving podcast

Aria Young’s award-winning podcast ‘What’s In A Name?’ explores her roots through the acceptance of her native name – one she replaced with an English one when she moved to the US.

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City Weekend

Hong Kong couples ‘keen to avoid children with complex profiles’ when adopting

Most children up for adoption have special needs, and that puts off potential adoptive parents.

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Jo Jo Cheng was eight when she accidentally came across her adoption certificate in her mother’s drawer. Photo: SCMP
China education

Parents sue to recoup huge tuition losses amid China’s education crackdown

Private tutoring firms are collapsing across China, leaving angry customers out thousands of dollars. Meanwhile, some tutors look to cash in via a burgeoning black market, but others are being forced to leave China.

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China's population

Opinion | China’s population crisis is here to stay, and Beijing has its hands full

China has woken up to the demographic challenge it faces, but the question remains, can the government do enough to prevent its births ‘falling off a cliff’?

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Sex and relationships

The Naked Truth | Celebrity crushes can be harmless – but also a wake-up call

It is often not a cause for concern if your partner has a celebrity crush. A relationship expert explains why they’re harmless – and what to do if a crush really does start to impede your relationship.

Fans react at a Papa Roach concert. Celebrity crushes are usually associated with screaming teenage girls at film premieres or concerts, but adults have them too. Photo: Getty Images
Wellness

My parents didn’t tell me I had cancer. Now I see why, but I wish they had

Chinese parents avoid telling their children upsetting news, even if it is about their own health. From a Confucian view illness is a family issue, an expert explains. Still, this needs to change, a doctor says.

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Chinese parents avoid telling their children upsetting news, even if it is about a medical issue that involves them, as Chloe Feng discovered 10 years ago with her cancer diagnosis. Photo: Chloe Feng
Wellness

‘His father was holding a stick to discipline him’: autistic kids in China

Many parents in China are ignorant about how to help their autistic children, say support organisations, while government subsidies and legal protection are lacking.

China society

‘Too much pressure’: mixed reaction to China’s new 3-child policy

Beijing has relaxed its family planning rules, but researchers aren’t optimistic that young Chinese will be convinced to have more children.

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Sex and relationships

The Naked Truth | Signs you are growing apart in a relationship and how to stop it from happening

Relationship expert Valentina Tudose explains the signs to look out for that indicate a couple are growing apart and how to reverse it – the key is to have conscious conversations.

There are many reasons that couples end up feeling emotionally distant or disconnected. There are ways to rekindle the spark, though. Photo: Getty Images
Sex and relationships

The Naked Truth | How to turn around those negative feelings about your relationship

When you have been with a partner for a long time, you sometimes see only problems. You need to focus on the positives, see the good sides of the other person, appreciate small gestures, and speak frankly about genuine issues you may have.

A clinical psychologist offers advice on how to keep a long-term relationship from falling apart. Photo: Shutterstock
Sex and relationships

The Naked Truth | How to forgive yourself – it’s the only way you’ll ever truly love others

Learning the art of self-forgiveness will help you stop criticising yourself for things you did in the past. By removing this negative thinking, you’ll find peace of mind and a happier relationship.

China education

China to include pupils’ sleep hours in schools’ evaluations

With more than 60 per cent of Chinese children aged between six and 17 sleeping less than eight hours a day, the Ministry of Education has called on schools to find ways to ensure pupils get more.

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