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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.
A Korean Air plane at Shanghai Pudong International Airport. Photo: Shutterstock
China travel

China, South Korea agree to more flights per week as tourism to Japan dwindles

The additional flights are the first increase between the two countries since before the Covid pandemic.

China jobs

China’s gaokao exam gets less competitive as more teens opt to skip university

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China economy

‘Distorted views’: why China is clamping down on ‘lowbrow’ micro dramas

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Chinese culture

How China’s ‘Excalibur of the East’ souvenir swords sparked airport warning

Tourists with replicas of the ancient Sword of Goujian, from the Hubei Provincial Museum, were told not to hand-carry them onto planes.

Visitors take photos of the ancient Sword of Goujian at the Hubei Provincial Museum in Wuhan, in central China’s Hubei Province, on May 17, 2026. An airport notice at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport warning not to hand-carry replicas of the sword on board planes has gone viral on Chinese social media. Photo: Xinhua
History

As I see it | How adversity has guided the path of Chinese civilisation through the ages

Recent findings by archaeologists suggest the push for innovative solutions is often borne out of the struggle to overcome severe challenges.

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Shenzhen

Being Chinese | Once, I was proud of the Shenzhen miracle. Now I’m not so sure

The Taiwanese-influenced accent my voice carries is a relic of the 2000s and hints at how differently my generation understands modernity.

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China's economic recovery

China expands migrant workers’ access to public services

SCMP Plus annotates the State Council’s 13-point guidelines for easing restrictions under the nation’s hukou household registration system.

China expands migrant workers’ access to public services
China’s private sector

A new battlefront for KFC and its Chinese rivals: the lighter meal

Big-name fast-food chains are seeking to capitalise on a surge in demand in China for lighter meals.

China’s Communist Party

Video | How a rural French town became the cradle of Chinese communism

Late paramount leader Deng Xiaoping was among the many Chinese students who studied in Montargis in the early 20th century.

Britain

My Take | Chinese orchids bring a message of hope to Chelsea Flower Show

Exhibits carried a deeper meaning about conservation and the ability to bring people from around the world together.

The gold-medal winning display “The Orchids of China – Beauty and Conservation” at the Chelsea Flower Show in the UK. Photo: KFBG
China consumption

HSBC cuts China retail sales forecast by nearly half on property, job pressures

Consumption is facing renewed pressure as a weak labour market and diminishing returns from subsidies cloud outlook, the bank says.

People are seen at a shopping mall in Beijing on May 2. Photo: AFP
Trending in China

Every dog has its day: stray puppy steals show at Chinese university sports event

Student runner broke the 3,000-metre race record with the fluffy campus resident guiding her to victory like a professional pacer.

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Chinese language cinema

Opinion | A Teochew hit film shows what’s ailing Chinese entertainment

A new box-office surprise is a warning to the industry that visually stunning fare featuring ‘traffic stars’ is not good enough.

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China's population

China’s marriage numbers plunge to Covid-era low as population woes deepen

Fewer than 1.7 million couples tied the knot in the first quarter, the lowest total for the same period since lockdown-dominated 2020.

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A newlywed couple takes a selfie with their marriage certificates at a marriage registration office in China’s northern Henan province. Photo: Getty Images
US-China relations

As I see it | Has China just ended the end of history?

As China continues to thrive, Western observers are beginning to rethink past assumptions about the country’s future.

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Tourists visit the Huangyao ancient town in Zhaoping county, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, on May 3. Photo: Xinhua
China economy

Editorial | China fireworks factory blast sharpens focus on workplace safety

China’s safety record has improved but concerns persist about under-reporting and uneven compliance.

China travel

China’s record travel volume meets cautious spending in May Day holiday surge

Thousands of domestic train services added on last day of ‘golden week’ to meet record demand, and high energy costs affect consumer spending.

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Accidents and disasters in China

Video | Deadly blast at Chinese fireworks factory

State media reports say the blast occurred on May 4 in Liuyang, Hunan province.

State media reports say the blast occurred on May 4 in Liuyang, Hunan province
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US-China relations

The ageing dilemma: why robots can’t save us but China-US cooperation might

US medical anthropologist Arthur Kleinman looks for path out of a social paradox: longer lives without a defined social role.

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China economy

Opinion | China moves towards better protecting its gig workers

Platforms have outrun legislation but Beijing is pledging better protections for gig workers. Hong Kong is also updating relevant laws.

China jobs

Back to the factory? China to retrain 1 million jobless graduates as technicians

China aims to solve its graduate jobs crisis by sending academic students to vocational school. But many young people remain sceptical.

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Technicians train humanoid robots to perform manufacturing work at a facility in eastern China’s Zhejiang province. Photo: Getty Images
China travel

China braces for record Labour Day travel surge as tourism demand remains robust

China expects to handle a record 304 million cross-regional trips per day over the holiday, as the government focuses on boosting consumption.

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China is expecting to see a record surge in cross-regional travel over the coming Labour Day holiday. Photo: Shutterstock
China’s Communist Party

China must ‘strengthen education’ of Tibetan Buddhists, Beijing official says

On inspection tour, Li Ganjie urges local authorities to promote new ‘unity’ law to ethnic minority groups.

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China jobs

China’s youth unemployment crunch deepens as record graduation season looms

China’s official youth jobless rate climbed to 16.9 per cent in March, with another 12.7 million graduates set to enter the job market this summer.

China jobs

Shanghai mobilises seniors to work longer amid China’s demographic crisis

With one in three residents above retirement age, Shanghai’s 28-department plan aims to mobilise retirees to offset shrinking payrolls and rising pension strains.

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A group of older Chinese people gather at Shanghai’s Fuxing Park. The city is now encouraging seniors to return to work. Photo: Shutterstock
Gender

Opinion | By voicing their needs, Chinese women are normalising them

In films and on social media, women in China are openly advocating for themselves and fighting taboos around women’s health.

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Women eat lunch in a female co-living space in Hangzhou, in eastern China’s Zhejiang province, on July 14, 2025. Photo: AFP
China’s Communist Party

The winners from China’s growing intercity football rivalries may surprise you

Lighthearted contests between areas with different customs, dialects and cuisine encourage local pride but ultimate control is elsewhere.

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Chinese culture

Opinion | Chinese youth are embracing Ching Ming with cultural confidence

Young people visiting the graves of historical figures reflects a cultural shift and the pursuit of a sense of continuity with the past.

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