Timely reports on issues and events from across China. Drawing on a vast range of sources, these succinct articles provide insights into the significance of each issue in a wider context.

NEWS

news

China’s High-Speed Trains Make Room for Cats and Dogs — Sort Of

For years, pet owners asked to bring animals on high-speed trains. Now, China’s high-speed network is giving it a careful try.

He Qitong

Wu Yufei

Can AI Change the Fate of China’s Fortune-Tellers?

More young people are using AI tools for divination, but traditional soothsayers aren’t worrying about their future just yet.

Fan Yiying

Zhou Hanchi

Flash of the Future: New Memory Breakthrough in China Rivals RAM

The record-breaking chip could power future AI systems, and may be ready for industry use within five years.

In Shanghai, All That Glitters Can Be Sold — at an ATM for Gold

In a corner of a busy Shanghai mall, a vending machine buys and sells gold as record prices draw both old and young to trade.

Chen Yiru

Retail Giants Collide as Meituan and JD Target Each Other’s Turf

The two firms are expanding into rival territory, escalating a high-stakes fight over speed, reach, and market share.

Bilibili Star Slams Cab Driver Ratings. Quickly Loses His Own.

Top influencer He Shijie built his career on likes, shares, and glowing feedback. Then he told ride-hailing drivers not to expect the same.

Li Xin

Think Twice: China Tells Tourists and Students Eyeing the U.S.

Warnings on safety, visas, and sentiment reflect how U.S.-bound travel, once routine, is now anything but.

Ding Rui

Spring Interrupted: Rare April Cold Wave Sweeps Across China

From DIY window tape to food delivery delays, residents scramble to prepare for one of April’s most extreme weather events in years.

What Does Climate Justice Look Like in a Language Without Sound?

Blending sign language, digital art, and public space, Night Bloom reimagines who gets seen — and heard — in climate conversations.

Need for IShowSpeed: A YouTuber’s Wild Ride Through China’s Internet

What began as a chaotic online tour turned into a cross-cultural spectacle — fueled by fans, food, filters, and unexpected friendships.